ATL: IKE Discussion

[fasterdisaster]

http://www.wunderground.com/radar/radbl ... rainsnow=0

Here comes the backside in a few minutes, weather will get bad again rapidly, and with the backside comes the reverse surge.

[soonertwister]

The most intense south wall winds are starting to pass over Galveston Island now.

Most of the core of Houston is getting lashed pretty hard right now, but probably isn't seeing the highest western eyewall winds yet.

Ike looks better than ever right now, and that's kind of surreal to me.
http://radar.weather.gov/radar.php?rid= ... 11&loop=no

[Dmetal81]

Some of the reports from KHOU coming from galveston during the eye sounded disturbing..... and these were the people that were able to make phone calls...

[Texas Snowman]

For all of those saying Galveston has dodged a bullet, please understand a few things.

First, the reporters are primarily staying at the San Luis I believe - it is built up higher than the surrounding area and has mounds and hills among its landscaping and is among the tallest spots on the island I would think. But Galveston is a large island and there are many areas that are not as high.

Second, it's 3:00 a.m. in the morning - it will likely be another 6-10 hours before a good idea can be had about what has transpired on the island tonight. Media have been reporting that a number of 911 calls for rescue have been received and that officials have been powerless to intervene. Who knows what has happened to those people at this point in time?

Third, I distinctly rember Shepherd Smith standing on Bourbon Street in the mid-afternoon when Katrina had passed NOLA by and him saying that the Big Easy had dodged a bullet. What he didn't know at that moment was people were drowning in NOLA and that the Mississippi coastline had been obliterated. It usually takes 12-24 hours for the full story to be known after a landfalling hurricane.

Hopefully, Galveston has indeed dodged a bullet. Tomorrow's daylight and calmer conditions will tell us.

In the meantime, I doubt many on the island believe they have dodged a bullet after the northern eyewall passage and the southern yet to come. Say a prayer for them as they ride out the rest of this storm.

Sorry, just had to voice my .02 cents worth here.

[Deathray]

Some of the reports from KHOU coming from galveston during the eye sounded disturbing..... and these were the people that were able to make phone calls...

Can you be more specific?

[fasterdisaster]

A 105 mph vortex has formed near Navasota per wunderground.

[btangy]

KHOU reporting people calling 911 that water up to the second floor waste deep of their house in Crystal Beach on the Bolivar Penninsula. God help them.

[fasterdisaster]

Weird oblong slot in the eye delaying the reverse surge in Galveston by (???) 10-20 minutes. Can't really call it good news since that surge is still going to happen.

[fasterdisaster]

Recon says the center of the eye is over Texas City.

[fasterdisaster]

For some levity, LMAO of all these storms he's seen this is Jim Cantore's first eye he's been in! Although I don't know why they're going to him just now since the eyewall is just a few minutes away now.

[Deathray]

It must not be good on Galveston because I don't see any of those reporters out by the seawall like they were before the eye hit.

Some of them are out there, you can see the waves whipping up again, but truthfully... now the focus has shifted to Houston and Galveson Bay

[soonertwister]

KHOU reporting people calling 911 that water up to the second floor waste deep of their house in Crystal Beach on the Bolivar Penninsula. God help them.

It's too bad that their audio comes across so low on my computer that I can only occasionally understand what's being said.

[fasterdisaster]

Cantore's calling it the western eyewall but technically I think it's slightly east of due south. So using 'southeast' loosely as possible it's going to be the 'SE' eyewall in Galveston.

[southerngale]

Listening to KFDM in Beaumont streaming... surge is in Bridge City and some people are asking to be rescued. They made contact with KFDM, saying they had 4 feet of salt water in their house and were asking for help. Sadly, they're on their own.

The surge is still rising and high tide is less than 30 minutes away. Sabine Pass surge is very high, set a record way earlier tonight and still rising.

Beaumont/Port Arthur area reported to be mostly without power. Very high, howling winds, sideways rain, etc.

[fasterdisaster]

Oh God, here it comes. The backside is going ashore Galveston, if not right now, in a minute or two, and Jim Cantore probably had to go right inside before the eyewall came on.

[soonertwister]

Any reports of cell calls or texts from people not at the hotel on Galveston?

TWC said most of Galveston is underwater and experienced around or up to 20 foot storm surge.

[fasterdisaster]

Listening to KFDM streaming... surge is in Bridge City and some people are asking to be rescued. They made contact with KFDM, saying they had 4 feet of salt water in their house and were asking for help. Sadly, they're on their own.

The surge is still rising and high tide is less than 30 minutes away. Sabine Pass surge is very high, set a record way earlier tonight and still rising.

Beaumont/Port Arthur area reported to be mostly without power. Very high, howling winds, sideways rain, etc.

Where are you right now? Did you go inland?

[fasterdisaster]

Any reports of cell calls or texts from people not at the hotel on Galveston?

TWC said most of Galveston is underwater and experienced around or up to 20 foot storm surge.

So much for "dodging a bullet"

[southerngale]

Listening to KFDM streaming... surge is in Bridge City and some people are asking to be rescued. They made contact with KFDM, saying they had 4 feet of salt water in their house and were asking for help. Sadly, they're on their own.

The surge is still rising and high tide is less than 30 minutes away. Sabine Pass surge is very high, set a record way earlier tonight and still rising.

Beaumont/Port Arthur area reported to be mostly without power. Very high, howling winds, sideways rain, etc.

Where are you right now? Did you go inland?

Heck yeah! Thanks for asking.

[fasterdisaster]

Southern eyewall has now hit Galveston. Of any casualties (hopefully very few) that occur, likely more than half in Galveston will happen in the next 60 minutes from reverse surge.