[txhurl]

If you look at a map from High Island east to Sabine Pass, there aren't any major road arteries, suggesting sparse inhabitation.

Haven't gotten around to the oil/gas map, so I don't know if it's worse or better now for that.

[ContemptofCourt]

Worse...

[jeffers]

On the current forecast track, Sabine Pass will take the eyewall's NE quad and cease to exist. Port Arthur will get flanked to the right and direct surge will meet funneled surge downtown. Orange and Beaumont are higher, but both downtown areas are too close to the rivers for my comfort. Expect Mobile/Katrina flood problems there.

Grain of salt, it's still turning north/hooking right.

Oil/gas map is denser the closer you get to the Tx/La border.

[conservative in nyc]

Chambers County, home to High Island, has a population of 27,581. Jefferson County, to the east of High Island, has a population of 248,605. Most of the population of Jefferson is in Beaumont (113,866) and Port Arthur (57,755).

Neither county is on high ground until you reach I-10, according to Google Earth. That includes most of Port Arthur and Beaumont. But it looks like the area near the coast is swampy, which may help with any storm surge.

[OB1kNOb]

"Haven't gotten around to the oil/gas map, so I don't know if it's worse or better now for that."...

Oil rig map

The map in this link shows yesterday's projected path for Rita, so if you shift its path N-NE, she plows through many manned oil/gas platforms (grey spots on the map). Lord help us.