Fellow Houstonians!!

[jasons2k]

I don't want to be an alarmist, but we need to get the word out. Many here in town are doing the right things, but many are still in denial.

For example, at the coffee machine today, one of my coworkers (from Sugar Land) actually said "I'm not worried, they always go east of here. Allison was much worse on the east side of town." Without sounding condascending, most of the general population is simply ignorant.

So please get the word out:

This is the REAL deal for the Houston-Galveston area. This may be the strongest hurricane to hit the area in any of our lifetimes.

The storm surge along the coast and along the bay will be massive. Surfside, Galveston, Crystal Beach may look very much like the Mississippi Coast after Katrina.

Most of the I-45 Corridor south if I-610 will be completely destroyed. Lake Jackson, Freeport and the Brazosport area will be flooded.

Houston proper is at risk for significant wind damage. Tall buildings will lose windows and there will be falling glass. Trees will be uprooted or snapped and will fall on houses. All mobile homes will likely be destroyed.

Be prepared to lose power for a week or more. Have all of your food and emergency supplies stocked.

If you are in an evacuation/surge zone, PLEASE LEAVE and DO NOT TAKE CHANCES. Learn the lesson from those in Punta Gorda.

If you live south of US-59 west of downtown, or south of I-10 east of downtown, I would still recommend leaving even if you are not in a surge zone. The wind damage could be tremendous and you will be risking your life by staying.

The storm track has not changed significantly from the Matagorda Bay area. I personally think the landfall location will be Sargent-Matagorda, but if Rita sharpens the turn at all, it may well be at Freeport or Galveston itself.

The point is this, this hurricane is large and dangerous, and regardless of the ultimate landfall "point" the metro area will be on the right-front-quadrant, the worst case for Houston.

Please get the word out. Email and call your friends and relatives. Tell your coworkers.

This is urgent. The decisions you make TODAY may either save your life, or put you seriously at risk.

I'll leave you with this, on my commute this morning there was a parade of ambulances heading south towards Galveston for staging purposes.

THIS IS IT FOLKS, BE READY!!

[secretforecaster]

Sadly none of my friends will listen to me OR get supplies even. One even said she didn't want to waste gas running all around to the stores.

I tried, but some have to learn the hard way, unfortunately.

[Hfcomms]

Not to sound harsh but plain and simple...denial kills. It's the herd mentality. Those around them are not doing anything so why should they?? In addition the biggest killer is "disasters always happen to someone else, not me". In another 4 days these people will probably be dead...or wish they were.

Those on this board have some reality that others do not. If it's immediate family in denial I would hit them upside the head, knock them out or tie them up and put them in the vehicle (I'm not kidding) and for others give them the info that you have and wish them well on your way out. And pray for the condition of their souls because they are going to meet their maker soon.