ATL: IKE Discussion

[Cape Verde]

I'm not quite sure what the survival logic of that is.


Keep the weak and tired from drowning?

Or drown the strong because they tied themselves to the weak and tired....

[pojo]

My guess is its mainly a combination of what happened during Rita and the 'its only a category 2' crowd.

its a category 2 with category 5 storm surge & wind field distances......

Too bad the SSHS is only based on wind. It doesn't tell the whole story.

I wish the forecasters had us drop at the turn points.... that would have got the true story of the wind distances

[Brent]

Wobbling back.

This is not a forecast.

Ouch.

[KWT]

Galveston: 52 mph
Beaumont: 38 mph
Bay City: 29 mph
Houston airport: 28 mph

Winds certainly are ramping up as the inner bands are starting to work in and these have the high hurricane force winds, not long before things get very severe.

[dhweather]

The eye is contracting amazingly quick.

[KWT]

I wish the forecasters had us drop at the turn points.... that would have got the true story of the wind distances

what do you mean by that Pojo?
Its surge certainly is like a 4/5 rather then a typical 2.

[jinftl]

7pm CDT conditions:

HOUSTON BUSH N29G35
HOUSTON HOBBY N38G51
PORT ARTHUR NE33G49
ANGLETON N37G56
PALACIOS N35G44


Not sure that is correlating with NHC windfield....but should know better as storm approaches
ESTIMATED MINIMUM CENTRAL PRESSURE 955 MB
MAX SUSTAINED WINDS 90 KT WITH GUSTS TO 110 KT.
64 KT.......105NE 90SE 50SW 60NW.
50 KT.......150NE 150SE 75SW 90NW.
34 KT.......240NE 200SE 150SW 170NW.

[KWT]

The eye is contracting amazingly quick.

Yep I've got a feeling the land fricition is helping to tighten up the inner core at long last.

[pojo]

I wish the forecasters had us drop at the turn points.... that would have got the true story of the wind distances

what do you mean by that Pojo?
Its surge certainly is like a 4/5 rather then a typical 2.

the forecasters were only asking for the typical drops (ew,eye,ew) and not at the turn points.... by dropping at the turn points, we could fully understand the strength of the winds at 105nm/112nm distances away from the eye.

[PTPatrick]

So are the stragglers on Galveston planning to take refuge in their attics..? My mind is a little boggled right now. I mean I could see if you were on the 3rd story of a hotel but in a 1 story home? jeez...is the shelter of last resort, the high school elevated in some way?

[HurryKane]

Fools. From http://www.chron.com



Smiley N. Pool: Chronicle
Waves crash over the seawall as two men walk near a memorial to victims of the deadly 1900 storm on Galveston Island.

[amawea]

I lived in Baytown many years (graduated high school) and only moved in 1987 when my job took me north. The area that is flooding is the Lakewood addition. It is just north of what was the brownwood addition that was totally destroyed by Alicia. It is on the west side of Baytown. I lived about a mile from there during Alicia. Even downtown Baytown is suceptable in this one. It doesn't look good.

I have two daughters that evacuated from Dickinson and my wifes brother left from Baycliff.
I would ask that you all pray for my Mom, brother, and his wife that are just north of Baytown in an old frame house. They would not leave. Mom is 78!

[Yankeegirl]

Well I just got everything up and running again after another power flicker and before it went out Jeff Linder was on Ch.13 news! He sure is young!!

[simplykristi]

It's not looking good for Galveston, Houston, and the upper Texas coast.

I haven't had a chance to really follow today. My oldest brother received a new kidney from our middle brother so I have spent the whole day at the hospital.

Kristi

[pablolopez26]

The eyewall is indeed looking more and more powerful for this storm.

This storm has amazed me on many fronts.

1.) Amazing that it got here from where it initially formed. This was supposed to be Floridas storm.

2.) It was out over the GOM for a LONG time and it only came ashore as a Cat 2. borderline Cat.3. (lucky for Houston)

3.) Storm surge was and is incredible. I cant believe that this storm pushed so much water above Galveston. (But i guess when you have Tropical Force storm winds extended out so far, youll get that...)

4.) Amazed at how many people ignored evacuation warnings.

Good luck to us all!

[Ed Mahmoud]

Homes collapsing in Quintana.

Per Gulf Coast Pundit blog, part of Hilton in Clear Lake has collapsed. Very unofficial, no link.

[Jagno]

Folks, I'm beginning to get concerned about evacuating after all. This afternoon a stark reality has hit those of us that are literally hundreds of miles from home in hotels and motels. Gas stations are closing every hour, posting out of gas signs and limiting gasoline to only 10 gallons per customer. Ten gallons of gasoline will not get my family home when the all clear is given. The few stations that are limiting the quantity are outrageous. When there is simply NO gas you cannot obtain it for love or money. So, here I sit watching my home and city being pounded and fearful that we won't make it back.

At this point many of us are so tempted to get as close to home as possible before gas runs completely out or reaches $5 gallon.

[wx247]

The Storm Report page from the NWS in Houston/Galveston is confirming the house collapses in the Quintana area.

[JtSmarts]

Homes collapsing in Quintana.

Per Gulf Coast Pundit blog, part of Hilton in Clear Lake has collapsed. Very unofficial, no link.

It's true, I saw it on TWC.

[jopatura]

Freeport police: Men who posed as rescuers may be charged

http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/front/5998439.html

"A pair of men who lied to police about being part of a high-water rescue team are having to be rescued themselves.

Freeport Police Chief Jeff Pynes said the two men told officers guarding a bridge leading to the Brazoria County beach front town that they were there to assist in a rescue Friday afternoon.

"They ended up getting their boat stuck on something near the Freeport Liquid Natural Gas facility," Pynes said.

He said a real team is being sent to save the men from the growing storm.

"I will be talking with the District Attorney's office about filing charges against them," Pynes said. "They put my officers in harm's way.""