ATL: IKE Discussion

[Frank2]

It's interesting that many areas did report high water for the past 24 hours or more, but, it seems that the water in many places did not rise that much higher, based on reporters who were camped out in those high water areas that did not have to move further inland as the storm passed...

[jopatura]

JP Chase Morgan Tower in Downtown Houston

[Time Traveller]

Did I hear that right from KHOU? Thought I heard that the mayor of Galveston broke down crying, then went back to work.

You heard right.

[HURAKAN]

Wow, as expected the damage in Galveston is severe. KHOU was showing a report from the east part of the island and it looks really bad.

[Time Traveller]

KHOU reporter from Galveston island- "You can smell the lumber. Smells like a lumber store. Looks like a war zone."

[southerngale]

Oh no... not what I had hoped to hear.

Entergy Reports Catastrophic Damage: "Much Worse Than Rita"

Entergy Texas is reporting catastrophic damage to its system in Texas, with nearly all of its 395,000 customers in Texas without power and a spokesman telling customers not to come home because it could take weeks to restore power following a storm that he describes as "worse than Rita" because of its impact on the electric grid.

Entergy Texas spokesman Mike Rogers tells KFDM News 96 percent of the company's 395,000 customers in Texas are without power.

15,000 customers still have power, primarily in Navasota.

"Restoration is weeks away," said Rogers. "Do not come home. You will not have power for weeks."

Rogers says the company has sustained significant damage to its transmission system, with 119 of 187 transmission lines out, and two power plants off line. The Sabine Power plant was taken off line Friday and a plant in Montgomery County tripped off line Friday night.

"We'll begin assessments when the storm passes, but we can't do so until the wind dies down," said Rogers.

[JuliannaMKH]

I'm sitting here watching the footage coming in from Click2Houston.com with my mouth hanging open.

My prayers are with everyone from the affected areas.

[Frank2]

My son, an EMT in Port Arthur, left this brief message. "Beaumont is in bad shape." He and other EMTs in Port Arthur were evacuated to Beaumont when it got too bad there.

Here's an update on Beaumont and surrounding towns from their local station:

http://www.kfdm.com/news/assessment_278 ... mage_.html

so far, their local update does not match the above quote...

[MONTEGUT_LA]

Lower Terebonne Parish has flooding. There is water in East Houma. My daughter's father said the water in Montegut is about 3ins less than Rita and the water is still coming up.

[southerngale]

My son, an EMT in Port Arthur, left this brief message. "Beaumont is in bad shape." He and other EMTs in Port Arthur were evacuated to Beaumont when it got too bad there.

Here's an update on Beaumont and surrounding towns from their local station:

http://www.kfdm.com/news/assessment_278 ... mage_.html

so far, their local update does not match the above quote...

It doesn't? Granted, that just tells a small portion, but I'm also hearing first hand reports. It sure seems bad to me!!! Much worse than I expected. I'm practically in tears here. I don't want to do this AGAIN! Rita was just 3 years ago.

[Air Force Met]

Here is my observations from last night. I was bedded down at the base (in SE Houston ).

Pressure bottomed out about 3:30 or so (it was a blur by that point) at 28.22 inches.

Winds in the northern eyewall were sustained at about 80 gusting to about 100 from the north.

The eye passed just to our east but we caught the fringes of it. Winds backed around and decreased to about 10-15 MPH.

After the eye passed the winds increased and were sustained at about 65-70...gusting to about 85.

We kept power until about 2AM. Most parts of the base are on generator power...which is how I am able to communicate now.

Some damage on the base. The static display F-16 at the front gate flipped over. The lost a roof to a building adjacent to us. Lots of siding off and a couple of trees down.

[rjgator]

Does anyone know where there is a map showng the areas of power outages?

[HurricaneRobert]

I have no generator so I am glad I didn't lose power. One water pumping station did, and the city doesn't have tap yet.

A fifth of the nation's oil refining capacity has been shut down, so I would not be surprised if gas jumps to $5-6 dollars per gallon.

[southerngale]

Oh, and my hotel slips this under the door this morning...



Due to the impending arrival of Hurricane Ike, the weather could worsen!!!!! There is a possibility that we could lose electricity....There are stairwells at the end of each hallway if you should need to leave your floor. You might want to purchase a flashlight. We discourage the use of candles due to the lack of water during a power outage and the possibility of fire. We advise that you draw water for drinking and fill your bathtub with water and use this to flush the toilet, just in case we do have a power outage.
The pool will be closed due to the weather.

Thank you for your cooperation in this matter.
Management and staff.


We've been getting rain from outer bands off and on this morning.

[Frank2]

It doesn't? Granted, that just tells a small portion, but I'm also hearing first hand reports. It sure seems bad to me!!! Much worse than I expected. I'm practically in tears here. I don't want to do this AGAIN! Rita was just 3 years ago.

I know, but, at least the local folks in Beaumont are initially reporting the damage to be in various areas, not the total area, but, I agree that the worst of the damage was in the northeast sector of the hurricane...

If it's of any consolation - after Wilma (which was similar in some ways), the area did look bad from above, but, it was more superficial (trees, roof damage) that the total structure being blown down as in Andrew, so, let's hope it's in the Wilma category in Ike's case...

Of course it's early, but, what gave me hope was that the reporters on Galveston Island were still there this morning, next to their hotel, so that was a hopeful sign that at least the damage was not similar to what happened in 1900...

Again, the USGS did report the surge topped at 13.5 feet, so, that was also good news, considering many feared it would be 10 or 15 or even 20 feet higher that it was...

Frank

[Time Traveller]

KHOU reporter just said that their television crew were driving around in a Chevy full-size SUV last night in Downtown Houston and the strong winds almost flipped their heavy vehicle over several times. Driver had to floor it to prevent possible vehicle rollover. Yikes!

[SMK]

Map of power outages: http://entergy-texas.com/outages/tx.aspx

[Enzo Aquarius]

A fifth of the nation's oil refining capacity has been shut down, so I would not be surprised if gas jumps to $5-6 dollars per gallon.

Reports are saying it already has, and I thought the 13 cent jump to $1.36 was bad here in Canada.

[southerngale]

Does anyone know where there is a map showng the areas of power outages?

This is for Entergy.

http://entergy.com/

Click on "View Outages" on the right to see a map.

[Enzo Aquarius]

Map of power outages: http://entergy-texas.com/outages/tx.aspx

129000 meters out in Montgomery and 110000 in Jefferson.