ATL: IKE Discussion

[Brent]

Why do I get such a bad taste in my mouth reading / watching / listening the coverage of this aftermath of Ike?

Is the whole of the USA in state of denial?

Strange but true there are only confirmed 5 official deaths. And they actually died before the real hit (landfall)

Yesterday 1200! 911 calls where people reciving had no other possibility then to give the answer "Sorry call back tomorrow, there is nothing we can do until the situation is safe for our staff"

10 people reported chained together on a roof. (reported on this board with references) hours before Ike made landfall.

40% of Galveston still on the island.

Whole areas are simply disappeared. Nobody of the 40% that stayed are from there? Or did they just take a swim when their house washed away.

4 heavily wounded persons evacuated -as the first action with helicopters this morning- from the evacuated and closed hospital in Galveston.

If it "just" was reported that "at least" 1 dead body was seen floating, I would not have had this bad taste in my mouth.

Questions and questions...

I really hope I'm paranoid.......but

I'm very concerned as well. I don't think this story is anywhere close to over. I think it may be many days or even weeks before we know everything.

[terredw]

The power in Cypress (NW Houston) South of Tomball between 290 and 249 just came back on as a surprise. Many power lines down on the road and trees still right now. The power company must of re-routed the grid for supply. Nice feeling as I only had 1 more day of gas for the generator, but I really feel sorry for the ones still without. Hopefully this is a symbol of positive things to come for the area being prepared for the recovery.

T

[HURAKAN]

Welcome to the forum and good to hear that you're OK.

[O Town]

http://www.bolivarchamber.org/Default.aspx

What was there before....

If you have google earth type in Bolivar Peninsula, TX in the search box and scan to the left a bit, lot and lots of houses.

Heres a small portion of the area from google earth.

[Texas Snowman]

From the Austin American Statesman Twitter blog:

Marty in Orange: Between Orange, Port Arthur and Bridge City, likely thousands of people rescued today, officials say

[AlabamaDave]

So at least it seems like there won't be thousands of deaths like the government was warning there might be.

I'm sure that warning was based on the maximum surge inundating Galveston rather than the very small beach communities up the coast.

[HURAKAN]

I don't know anyone that has survived a 147-mph gust! Moreover, if professional anemometers failed before 100 mph gusts, I can't see how his anemometer was able to measure a 147-mph gust! It's just hype.

[thunderchief]

Heraldo probably set his anemometer to KPH, so it would sound better on the news.


Im a little surprsised too that that many people got off that barrier island alive. That was legitimate cat 5 equivalent surge... and they had no retreat path at all.

[CrazyC83]

0300Z: Still a tropical storm, presumably on surface observations.

[fasterdisaster]

0300Z: Still a tropical storm, presumably on surface observations.

Cool, a tropical storm in Arkansas.

[fasterdisaster]

It all looks horrible right now, but just maybe the casualties are relatively low. Maybe the local officials are just taking a different approach, but by this time the NO people were already being very grim in their reports and talking about many many deaths.

A lot more survivors from the hardest hit areas like Bolivar and Crystal Beach than I would've expected (which would've been none).

So at least it seems like there won't be thousands of deaths like the government was warning there might be.

No they were not. The first reports of casulaties from Orleans parish did not come until a good 24 hours after landfall.

[ROCK]

Moderate damage in Pearland TX (just southeast of Houston), where my parents live. They estimate 70-80% of houses in their neighborhood have roof damage including theirs. 10-20% have blown-out windows, but theirs stayed intact despite not boarding up. Houses all seem structurally intact. Many wooden fences have been blown down, but no trees are down from what that they saw. Power is out in the entire area. They said they definitely received hurricane force winds.

Man, that was some serious wind last night.... Never heard anything like it. Been up for 20 hrs..

Here in Pearland and power just came back on for my neighborhood. Been off for 13hrs.Very blessed, no damage other than palms, plants, did lose a oak.....You are right on moderate damage however it is hit or miss in some neighborhoods....winds streaks funneling in between houses......Houses facing open fields had major roof damage, street signs bent in half, power poles snapped in old Pearland......estimating 18 days for full power in Pearland.



Lesson learned? Get gargare door brace (saw many doors blown in) , Get 15kw generator (natural gas) to run entire house. A/C is a must.


I was very blessed my family / in laws are staying with me. All are safe.


I do NEED INFO on Sea Isle on the WEST END of Galveston? my parents retired there and they are looking to see if their house survived.....

[CrazyC83]

0300Z: Still a tropical storm, presumably on surface observations.

Cool, a tropical storm in Arkansas.

The 35 kt estimate may be conservative IMO seeing that it was land data and many areas are not sampled.

[cycloneye]

0300Z: Still a tropical storm, presumably on surface observations.

This is why.

IKE STILL EXHIBITS SOLID AND WELL-DEFINED SPIRAL BANDS IN RADAR
IMAGERY AND CERTAINLY STILL QUALIFIES AS A TROPICAL CYCLONE.
SUSTAINED WINDS NEAR 35 KT WERE REPORTED EAST OF THE CENTER AT
TEXARKANA AT SYNOPTIC TIME...AND THE BAND THAT PRODUCED THOSE WINDS
HAS NOT YET PASSED OVER ANOTHER SURFACE OBSERVING SITE. RADAR
VELOCITIES FROM SHREVEPORT AND LITTLE ROCK DO NOT PROVIDE MUCH
EVIDENCE THAT THE OVERALL CIRCULATION HAS WEAKENED THIS
EVENING...SO I AM COMPELLED TO ASSUME THAT IKE IS STILL PRODUCING
SUSTAINED WINDS OF TROPICAL STORM FORCE SOMEWHERE AT THE
SURFACE...AND THE ADVISORY INTENSITY REMAINS 35 KT

[ROCK]

This from Jeff Masters:

Houston Hobby Airport on the south side of town recorded winds of 75 mph, gusting to 92 mph, at 6 am CDT today. The winds likely were higher, but the anemometer failed. The airport measured a central pressure of 960 mb as the eye passed just to the east. Houston Intercontinental Airport on the north side of town recorded top winds of 56 mph, gusting to 70 mph. Eagle Point on Galveston Bay, at the northern end of Texas City, recorded sustained winds of 68 mph, gusting to 87 mph, at 1:34 am CDT. Top winds measured at Galveston Pleasure Pier were 60 mph, and the station recorded a pressure of 952 mb as the eye of Ike passed over. Top winds at Sabine Pass on the Louisiana border were a sustained 70 mph. Much higher winds undoubtedly occurred on Galveston Island and nearby coastal areas, but the anemometers failed before these winds were recorded. An experimental wind analysis done by NOAA's Hurricane Research Division suggests that Category 2 force winds probably only affected a 40-mile stretch of coast northeast of Galveston. There were no weather stations there to record these peak winds.

Where is Jeff Masters getting 56mph gusting to 70mph at IAH? The last report I saw out of there (before the anemometer failed) was a gust to 72mph. Since the station then went offline, I would assume that winds probably gusted even higher than that. I have already talked to two people in Spring who have trees on their houses, fences down, etc. So I am inclined to believe that a few of the gusts probably exceeded 80mph up in northern Harris County.

EWG- I now know what TRUE cat 1 winds are....

[CrazyC83]

0300Z: Still a tropical storm, presumably on surface observations.

This is why.

IKE STILL EXHIBITS SOLID AND WELL-DEFINED SPIRAL BANDS IN RADAR
IMAGERY AND CERTAINLY STILL QUALIFIES AS A TROPICAL CYCLONE.
SUSTAINED WINDS NEAR 35 KT WERE REPORTED EAST OF THE CENTER AT
TEXARKANA AT SYNOPTIC TIME...AND THE BAND THAT PRODUCED THOSE WINDS
HAS NOT YET PASSED OVER ANOTHER SURFACE OBSERVING SITE. RADAR
VELOCITIES FROM SHREVEPORT AND LITTLE ROCK DO NOT PROVIDE MUCH
EVIDENCE THAT THE OVERALL CIRCULATION HAS WEAKENED THIS
EVENING...SO I AM COMPELLED TO ASSUME THAT IKE IS STILL PRODUCING
SUSTAINED WINDS OF TROPICAL STORM FORCE SOMEWHERE AT THE
SURFACE...AND THE ADVISORY INTENSITY REMAINS 35 KT

That makes sense - I would have bumped it to 40 or 45 kt thinking the strongest winds were not sampled in the rural area.

[Portastorm]

Rock, what are you on about? Our tropical season is over. Been over for weeks. Or so I heard.

Speaking of that, has anyone heard from one Ed Mahmoud? I hope our pal is ok.

P.S. Glad you and your family are doing ok, Rock!

[fasterdisaster]

0300Z: Still a tropical storm, presumably on surface observations.

This is why.

IKE STILL EXHIBITS SOLID AND WELL-DEFINED SPIRAL BANDS IN RADAR
IMAGERY AND CERTAINLY STILL QUALIFIES AS A TROPICAL CYCLONE.
SUSTAINED WINDS NEAR 35 KT WERE REPORTED EAST OF THE CENTER AT
TEXARKANA AT SYNOPTIC TIME...AND THE BAND THAT PRODUCED THOSE WINDS
HAS NOT YET PASSED OVER ANOTHER SURFACE OBSERVING SITE. RADAR
VELOCITIES FROM SHREVEPORT AND LITTLE ROCK DO NOT PROVIDE MUCH
EVIDENCE THAT THE OVERALL CIRCULATION HAS WEAKENED THIS
EVENING...SO I AM COMPELLED TO ASSUME THAT IKE IS STILL PRODUCING
SUSTAINED WINDS OF TROPICAL STORM FORCE SOMEWHERE AT THE
SURFACE...AND THE ADVISORY INTENSITY REMAINS 35 KT

That makes sense - I would have bumped it to 40 or 45 kt thinking the strongest winds were not sampled in the rural area.

It probably is that strong but they wouldn't do that since it would give the impression it was strengthening over land, which it isn't. Probably postseason will show decay has been much slower than the advisories have reflected.

That said, I wouldn't be surprised if it was 35 kt the next advisory as well.

[canetracker]

Moderate damage in Pearland TX (just southeast of Houston), where my parents live. They estimate 70-80% of houses in their neighborhood have roof damage including theirs. 10-20% have blown-out windows, but theirs stayed intact despite not boarding up. Houses all seem structurally intact. Many wooden fences have been blown down, but no trees are down from what that they saw. Power is out in the entire area. They said they definitely received hurricane force winds.

Man, that was some serious wind last night.... Never heard anything like it. Been up for 20 hrs..

Here in Pearland and power just came back on for my neighborhood. Been off for 13hrs.Very blessed, no damage other than palms, plants, did lose a oak.....You are right on moderate damage however it is hit or miss in some neighborhoods....winds streaks funneling in between houses......Houses facing open fields had major roof damage, street signs bent in half, power poles snapped in old Pearland......estimating 18 days for full power in Pearland.



Lesson learned? Get gargare door brace (saw many doors blown in) , Get 15kw generator (natural gas) to run entire house. A/C is a must.


I was very blessed my family / in laws are staying with me. All are safe.


I do NEED INFO on Sea Isle on the WEST END of Galveston? my parents retired there and they are looking to see if their house survived.....

Glad you are okay!!! I converted over to natural gas on my generator and it really helped me during Gustav. Those that ran gas burning generators had a hard time finding gas and had to shut down before refueling.

[ROCK]

Rock, what are you on about? Our tropical season is over. Been over for weeks. Or so I heard.

Speaking of that, has anyone heard from one Ed Mahmoud? I hope our pal is ok.

P.S. Glad you and your family are doing ok, Rock!

Hey Port, thanks man, one jacked up night for sure....ED? Hes on a beer run, if I recall our wager.....


Just kidding Ed, but next YEAR please do not proclaim TX season over in Mid- August....I think all Texans would appreciate you not jinxing us next year....