Houstonites: Question re: Rita impact on NW Harris County

[Houstonia]

Hey fellow Houstonites -

I am up in NW Harris County, and people up here are figuring we won't even be let go early on Friday. I work for a community college up here. One of my co-workers' husband is flying back to Houston on Saturday and she says that because he's flying into Intercontinental she's not execting him to have any flight delays. She said we shoudl still be at work because, "it's not like we are going to have any bad storm out here north of town".

I've been saying that they SHOULD let us leave work early if only to get us out of the way of Galveston/lower Houston evacuees.

Any speculation as to what kind of weather the northern parts of Harris county can expect? Am I just being overly cautious (or in desperate need of a day off from work)?

We got this email from Harris County (we are a county/college partnership), anyone else heard similar information?

Commissioners Court will have an emergency meeting tomorrow morning to decide when Harris County offices will be shut down. It looks like now that all offices will close at Noon on Thursday. This could change depending on the predicted track of the hurricane. Currently it looks like that the storm will go in south of Galveston, possibly Matagorda. If this is the case, Harris County is still not out of the woods. We will be on the "dirty" side of the storm and get a lot of rain.

The Emergency Management Office has said that there is a possibility that a mandatory evacuation of Zones A and B might happen as early as tomorrow evening. Be aware that if these mandatory evacuations are in effect that Highways 6, 146, 225, I-45, and Beltway 8 will become evacuation highways.

[Brent]

It won't be pretty if it goes in just west of Galveston... tornadoes, high winds, flooding rains, pick your poison.

[hicksta]

CCISD is out

[jasons2k]

This is typical. Not to sound disprespectful but the person in charge @ your place if business is simply ignorant. He won't be landing Sat. AM that's for sure.

Look at what happened to Hattiesburg with Katrina and that will give you an indication. Or Orlando with Charley.

I am in Spring and being prepared to be without power for several days.

I am becoming increasingly concerned about flying debris and my windows holding.

[inotherwords]

Having lived in Houston myself, I would say it all depends on strength at landfall, and we don't know that yet. If it's a 4 or a 5, then Katy (TX) bar the door.

I agree, though that nobody's going to be landing at Intercontinental on Sat. a.m. regardless.

[scostorms]

I honestly would take vacation leave then. If you're employer is so... you know the word, then just take time off. That isn't very fair.