Posted on 09/10/2008 2:18:37 PM PDT by NautiNurse
Texas began issuing mandatory and voluntary evacuations as Hurricane Ike continued to strengthen and slowly moved toward an uncertain landfall destination in the western Gulf of Mexico. Texas Governor Rick Perry issued a disaster declaration in advance of the storm. Louisiana Governor Jindal released several hundred buses to Texas for evacuation assistance.
Reports from Cuba indicate widespread damage from Hurricane Ike, which raked the length of the island nation. The U.S. State Department again offered Cuba humanitarian assistance after a previous offer was declined by the Cuban government.
The stock market Wednesday rose as investors bought oil stocks and and oill futures fell.
Public Advisory Updated every 3 hours
Discussion Updated every 6 hours
Buoy data: Western Gulf of Mexico
Houston/Galveston Long Range Radar
Corpus Christi Long Range Radar
Brownsville Long Range Radar Lake Charles Long Range Radar
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Additional Resources:
Navy Tropical Cyclone
Storm Pulse Very cool site
ABC 13 News Houston
FOX News Houston
KRIS-TV Corpus Christi
KZTV Corpus Christi
Brazoria County Emergency Management
Galveston County Emergency Management
Chambers Country Emergency Management
Liberty County Emergency Management
| Category | Wind Speed | Barometric Pressure | Storm Surge | Damage Potential |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tropical Depression |
< 39 mph < 34 kts |
Minimal | ||
| Tropical Storm |
39 - 73 mph 34 - 63 kts |
Minimal | ||
| Hurricane 1 (Weak) |
74 - 95 mph 64 - 82 kts |
28.94" or more 980.02 mb or more |
4.0' - 5.0' 1.2 m - 1.5 m |
Minimal damage to vegetation |
| Hurricane 2 (Moderate) |
96 - 110 mph 83 - 95 kts |
28.50" - 28.93" 965.12 mb - 979.68 mb |
6.0' - 8.0' 1.8 m - 2.4 m |
Moderate damage to houses |
| Hurricane 3 (Strong) |
111 - 130 mph 96 - 112 kts |
27.91" - 28.49" 945.14 mb - 964.78 mb |
9.0' - 12.0' 2.7 m - 3.7 m |
Extensive damage to small buildings |
| Hurricane 4 (Very strong) |
131 - 155 mph 113 - 135 kts |
27.17" - 27.90" 920.08 mb - 944.80 mb |
13.0' - 18.0' 3.9 m - 5.5 m |
Extreme structural damage |
| Hurricane 5 (Devastating) |
Greater than 155 mph Greater than 135 kts |
Less than 27.17" Less than 920.08 mb |
Greater than 18.0' Greater than 5.5m |
Catastrophic building failures possible |
Previous Threads:
Hurricane Ike Live Thread I
TS Hanna, Hurricane Ike & TS Josephine [Other than that, the tropics are calm]
Tropical Storms Hanna, Ike and Josephine, TD Gustav (Other than that, the tropics are calm)
The pressure drops recently are significant. I think we see wind speeds jump at least to mod cat 3 by sunrise.
What is the science behind the huge hurricane wind field?
I’m not sure what the exact science is and have not seen it discussed too much. I know many were in ‘awe’ of Katrina/Rita type storms because there have not been a lot of them during times with technology to track them like we have now. Ike is threatening to be, and I think already is becoming, of that stature. It’s got to be partly very ideal upper level environments — these storms have incredible outflow that stretches thousands of miles.
Will fill the Gulf right now if moved west.
A_R
I appreciate your thoughts.
It’s a very bad situation I think, with hurricane force winds so expansive and pressures so low there is likely to be an extra large surge (in addition to possibly more significant winds than Katrina brought).
We just have to think King Ranch King Ranch King Ranch...
It’s times like this, when I wish I had continued on my intended career path: Metereology, and work for the NWS. Because, since I was 5 years old... I believed I was better at predicting these storms than the “experts” were.
This storm is moving NORTHWEST! I understand all the predictive patterns.. but, sometimes.. these babies get SO BIG, they go where they want. At least, until they lose momentum.
IMHO, the NWS is negligent in not warning people in Western Louisiana that THEY could be hit by this storm.... as early as Friday. If this thing DOESN’T TURN westward... they’re going to get nailed.
Right now.. I’d say, Houston/Galveston is the most likely landfall point. And, what I’ve been predicting on these boards for a couple of years now.... may be about to happen. That is: >$5 BILLION in damage in Clear Lake/Houston/Galveston/Freeport.
I sure hope not.. cause, that will always be HOME for me. But, I think they’re number is finally up.
We can hope for dry air... cooler water..... landfall in a less populous area... but, none of that seems likely to me at this point.
It’s here.. and, it’s bad.
It’s times like this, when I wish I had continued on my intended career path: Metereology, and work for the NWS. Because, since I was 5 years old... I believed I was better at predicting these storms than the “experts” were.
This storm is moving NORTHWEST! I understand all the predictive patterns.. but, sometimes.. these babies get SO BIG, they go where they want. At least, until they lose momentum.
IMHO, the NWS is negligent in not warning people in Western Louisiana that THEY could be hit by this storm.... as early as Friday. If this thing DOESN’T TURN westward... they’re going to get nailed.
Right now.. I’d say, Houston/Galveston is the most likely landfall point. And, what I’ve been predicting on these boards for a couple of years now.... may be about to happen. That is: >$5 BILLION in damage in Clear Lake/Houston/Galveston/Freeport.
I sure hope not.. cause, that will always be HOME for me. But, I think they’re number is finally up.
We can hope for dry air... cooler water..... landfall in a less populous area... but, none of that seems likely to me at this point.
It’s here.. and, it’s bad.
Should be turn off the fans or leave them on to draw Ike in?
Probably a few hours old, but shows how steep the pressure drop off is. If anyone wants to check in at the SPC it is at www.spc.noaa.gov/
That will be the best site to keep an eye out for tornadic activity in the next few days.
Speaking of him, he said this at his last update: "Ike has a good chance of becoming the most destructive hurricane in Texas history--though not the most powerful."
I also wondered if you saw the photo from inside Ike's eye posted there yesterday. What a pic.. the side looks like an icy mountain of evil cotton candy.
Cameron County LA is under a Hurricane Watch. The entire Louisiana coast to the mouth of the Mississippi is under a Tropical Storm Warning and most of the LA Coastal counties are under Flood Warnings until further notice.
I think we should drop five billion metric tons of whatever that stuff is in baby diapers into Ike.
:(
Yep, I know people in Louisiana that now believe they are in the clear. Not me, my suitcases are packed! I’m here in Louisiana and have family from Houston to Corpus Christie, just wish Ike would turn toward Mexico or something.
Good idea! Hubby was thinking about a million ‘Sham Wow’s. lol
[Hurricane Carla (1961) was a Cat 5 storm.]
Yes I know, I lived through it and the eye passed directly over Victoria, which is 25 miles by road to Pt. Lavaca. Closer as the crow flies.
I have a Hurricane Carla book. Orange and Black soft cover like the Texas City Stingarees.
http://www.srh.noaa.gov/crp/docs/research/hurrhistory/Carla/carla.html
Believe this is the same site you quoted from.
How to read the 'vanes' on the windspeed/directional symbols in case anyone is interested.
Thank you! LOL
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