ATL: IKE Discussion

[Nimbus]

The western eyewall is doing a lot of damage to Houston but it could have been worse. With the calmer eye passing over Galveston/Galveston Bay the storm surge was less than it could have been.

Eagle point may have peaked at 12 feet and started to drop before they stopped recording. If the eastern eyewall had continued to drive water up the bay we would have been 8 feet higher easily.

http://tidesandcurrents.noaa.gov/hgports/TCOON.png

[southerngale]

TWC reports numerous people stranded on rooftops/in attics in Orange County.
That's SE TX, near Beaumont.

[KWT]

Looks like currently the southern eyewall is actually stronger then the northern one it seems, its very impressive looking.

Also Houston going to look pretty a mess in regards to all the high buildings, giving they are in the western eyewall got to think lots of glass will be flying about.

[HurryKane]

Some fool with a gas can strapped to the roof of his SUV just drove up to the building Cantore is in, then backed away and went elsewhere. Cantore was flabbergasted.

[vaffie]

in med center area. lost power for five hours but amazingly came back on half an hour again. wind has been amazing damaged one of our windows so far. no internet or cable, using cell phone to go online and find out whats going on. concerned for all the people who have fared worse, concerned that my area may start flooding if the rain keeps up like this, may already be, have no idea. stay safe everyone in the area who can read this too.

[jlauderdal]

TWC reports numerous people stranded on rooftops/in attics in Orange County.
That's SE TX, near Beaumont.

I hope the attic dwellers took an axe with them. Also heard a report about people on Galveston Island up to their waists in water but no rescue due to high winds. Everyone was warned this would happen and it appears to be verifying.

[KWT]

Also remember we won't know the extent of the situation across the surge hit region till we get sunrise, and even then the southern side is probably too strong to get a good survey of what its like out there.

Sounds like Galveston has been flooded just hope it hasn't been too bad.

[jlauderdal]

KHOU reporter at the hotel on galv island and his crew being sent down to the 2nd floor, building integrity is in question.

[jlauderdal]

Also remember we won't know the extent of the situation across the surge hit region till we get sunrise, and even then the southern side is probably too strong to get a good survey of what its like out there.

Sounds like Galveston has been flooded just hope it hasn't been too bad.

its sounding like the backside is rather formidable, early reports in these systems tend to downplay it, lets see what happens when they get to the west end of galv island.

[KWT]

Yeah looking at the radar it seems like the southern eyewall has relaly perked up, looks like a convectiven burst on the southern eyewall.

sadly 3 people badly burnt in a fire earlier in houston.

[bob rulz]

Especially with how the structure improved right up until and even slightly after landfall on Galveston Island, there's still plenty of time for the NHC to find enough info in the post-season analysis to upgrade this to a 3 at landfall.

Either way it doesn't matter that much. The sketchy damage reports that are coming in already sound pretty ominous. It's 4:30am here, I should get to bed now. I'm almost afraid of what the reports will be like when I wake up.

[attallaman]

WOW!!! What a night. I can't believe I've stayed up all night watching IKE. Really need to go to bed (Hubby just left for work- ) but want to see what happens with the back side of the storm in Galveston Bay at high tide. Guess I am hooked.

I switched around earlier to all the major TV stations plus caught some of the online broadcasts out of Texas and I agree the TWC was head and shoulders above the others both in coverage and professionalism. Of course, they had their best meteorologists out in field (IMHO) and had minimal commercials and elevator muzak.

My thoughts and prayers are with all who were and continue to be affected by this storm in TX, LA, MS and AL as well as the first responders and officials who had to make hard calls, utility workers and, of course, the TV stations and their brave men and women in the field. Kudos to all.

Lynn

P.S. Even though the banner under Mike Bettis says Houston, he is still in Clear Lakes.

Which Houston stations were doing online broadcasts? My aunt who lives in Pasadena told me she watched KHOU TV so I went to their site to see if they were streaming Ike coverage live, couldn't find it. I sent the station an email 4 days ago asking if they provided such coverage online, they sent a non read tag receipt back.

[jlauderdal]

4 Houston stations streaming on this one page

http://www.maroonspoon.com/wx/ike.html

[Normandy]

Damage to the skyscrapers appears to be extensive....worse then alicia it seems.

[KWT]

Damage to the skyscrapers appears to be extensive....worse then alicia it seems.

Really isn't surprising given how powerful the western eyewall appears to have been over the last 2hrs, got to be gusting very high on those skyscrapers.

[hiflyer]

Very concerned about the Beaumont/Port Arthur area....they have been under an onshore flow since before sunset and with the path of Ike they ended up on the side of Ike that was expected farther west for Galveston. Have been hearing repeated reports on the various Houston stations that there has been substantial numbers of Beaumont residents on their roofs due to flooding.

Not good.

[Normandy]

Interestingly, reports indicate that the southern side of this storm was far worse than the northern side. The winds in this storm have penetrated MUCH MUCH farther inland than Alicia. Size matters folks.

[Bunkertor]

KHOU: 7000 electricians will be sent so Houston to fix power lines

[Time Traveller]

KHOU just reported that "sheets of steel are being peeled off of skyscrapers tops in downtown Houston". Also, buses flipped and downtown skyscraper glass shards falling all over. Sounds bad.

[KWT]

hiflyer, yeah I'm hearing that the flooding is really bad there, seems like the highest surge has probably come in just to the east of Galveston, still sunlight soon will show the true situation across the region, get a true picture of the state of the region.