West Houston Report

JenBayles · #1 Postby **JenBayles** » Fri Sep 23, 2005 1:53 pm

With the horrific traffic going through Houston, we decided to ride it out at home. Since we're on the far west side, I'm worried, but not overly so. We're as prepared as we can possibly be so what will happen will happen.

I drove across hiway 6 to check on my mother this morning and passed a Conoco station at hiway 6 and Timbercreek. At 8:30 a.m. it had no gas. At 9:00, it had gas and it looked like a near riot was going to break out. Traffic stopped for 2 miles down the highway, another half mile down the side street, and cops blocking the intersection. Lots of very angry looking people waiting outside their cars and some obviously exchaning harsh words. Gave me a bit of a scare til I got past it to tell you the truth.

I'm ready to get this thing over and done with. The waiting is the worst. I'll check in as long as I have power. Good luck to everyone in harm's way.

dwg71 · #2 Postby **dwg71** » Fri Sep 23, 2005 1:56 pm

I think we need a better evac plan. We should have evacuated only the three storm surge zones and told everyone else that had a stable structure to stay put. Especially NW side of houston. Some 60 miles from the coast and 40ft above sea level.

JenBayles · #3 Postby **JenBayles** » Fri Sep 23, 2005 1:58 pm

Dwg, I live in NW Houston and our street floods if someone sneezes on it. Our house is also surrounded by very large mature trees. According to you, I guess I should have never planned on leaving. Thanks a lot.

#4 Postby **gboudx** » Fri Sep 23, 2005 2:03 pm

Is heading west towards San Antonio not an option? In any case, good luck Jen. I hope no one sneezes on your street and those trees stay put.

donsutherland1 · #5 Postby **donsutherland1** » Fri Sep 23, 2005 2:03 pm

Good luck, JenBayles.

Hopefully, everything will turn out for your family, you, and for your home.

#6 Postby **HurricaneQueen** » Fri Sep 23, 2005 2:24 pm

Stay safe, Jen. We'll be hoping for the best for you!!!

Lynn

dwg71 · #7 Postby **dwg71** » Fri Sep 23, 2005 2:32 pm

JenBayles wrote:Dwg, I live in NW Houston and our street floods if someone sneezes on it. Our house is also surrounded by very large mature trees. According to you, I guess I should have never planned on leaving. Thanks a lot.

Then that would be an "unstable" structure and you should have evacuated, but people have stable structures you have stayed put.

oceancounty · #8 Postby **oceancounty** » Fri Sep 23, 2005 2:34 pm

Jen,

You guys are in my prayers. Stay safe.

Yankeegirl · #9 Postby **Yankeegirl** » Fri Sep 23, 2005 4:15 pm

Hey Jen, I am right down the road from you...529 and Barker Cypress and we are staying put too... The wind is starting to pick up now, and I have 2 huge pine trees on the NORTH side of my house!!! I have gotten out the homeowner insurance and put it in a ziploc bag((just in case)) ... The power has already flickered, but came right back on... Hopefully it wont be tooooo long of a night!

JenBayles · #10 Postby **JenBayles** » Fri Sep 23, 2005 9:45 pm

Hey Yankee! I was wondering where you've been and if you left town or stayed in. Not bad at all so far, is it? At 9:40 p.m. we've just had some breezy gusty weather and some spitz of rain.

I saw David Paul on Channel 11 about an hour ago saying that these outer bands are weakening as they encounter dryer air. How much you wanna bet we get nuttin' after all this prep?! I haven't even heard a clap of thunder yet or seen a strike of lightning. Don't get me wrong, I really don't want all the devastation of a closer hit, but it's very weird emotionally to get all geared up for the worst and then....... nothing.

A good friend of mine left her townhouse to ride it out with her parents. When the local mets started saying, "We've dodged a bullet", she said to hell with it and went back home. I'm beginning to understand how the nonchalant attitudes regarding hurricanes come about. How many people who went through that crazy traffic for hours on end will ever want to evacuate again? How many will blow off an evacuation order until the last minute when it's too late? Nobody is to blame for that behavior, but it's just a fact of human nature I guess.

At this time, so far so good - only a few minor tree branches down and definitely no flooding potential in my neighborhood. I realize that could change with one good squall, but it's so hard to imagine looking out the window right now. Storm fatigue has arrived at the Bayles household.
:lol:

Galvestongirl · #11 Postby **Galvestongirl** » Fri Sep 23, 2005 10:40 pm

I myself, will never evacuate again...it has been horrible, if something happens to me...then so be it, this has been too frustrating, 14 hours to take a 3.5 hour trip, my daughters were on the road 36 hours with no sleep, people were driving crazy, no gas, people dying from dehydration while evacuating.....nope, not me, never again. Flame me, call me stupid, what ever, I dont care....then to top it off, my town, 25 miles north of galveston is getting a few spits of rain and 20 mile/hr winds....could have stayed home.

floridahurricaneguy · #12 Postby **floridahurricaneguy** » Fri Sep 23, 2005 11:18 pm

Umm...

Why are you expecting lightning and thunder? Not typical at all of a hurricane.

Matt :roll:

breeze · #13 Postby **breeze** » Fri Sep 23, 2005 11:38 pm

Hang in there, Houstonians - we're prayin' for 'ya!

Swimdude · #14 Postby **Swimdude** » Sat Sep 24, 2005 12:03 am

Here in West Houston, around Westheimer/Dairy Ashford... We had the strongest winds around 7:30 this evening, along with the BEAUTIFUL "hurricane sunset." They were probably close to TS force winds; nothing more. Right now, we're expecting 40-50 mph winds as the eye makes landfall, but I believe that's an exaggeration, to be honest.

Houston is fine.

djtil · #15 Postby **djtil** » Sat Sep 24, 2005 12:05 am

whatever houston/galveston is getting right now is likely the worse it will receive.....eye basically at its closest point

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