Hurricane Ike Live Thread III

NOAA/NHC ^ | 12 September 2008 | NOAA/NHC

[NautiNurse]

Large and dangerous Hurricane Ike approaching the Upper Texas coast. Mandatory evacuations began in earnest Thursday as an estimated one million coastal residents headed inland. There were widespread reports of gas stations running out of fuel.

The National Weather Service posted dire storm surge predictions of 20-25 ft storm surge along the coast and bay heads. Hurricane warnings covered a 400 mile swath of the Gulf of Mexico.

Wholesale gasoline prices spiked 30 percent Thursday, or nearly $1 a gallon, out of fear of what Ike might do.

Public Advisory Updated every 3 hours

Discussion Updated every 6 hours

Buoy data: Western Gulf of Mexico

Forecast Models

Houston/Galveston Long Range Radar
Corpus Christi Long Range Radar
Brownsville Long Range Radar
Lake Charles Long Range Radar

Ike
Single Image		Image Loop
Lat/Lon	No Lat/Lon	Short	Long
Visible	Visible	Visible	Visible
Shortwave	Shortwave	Shortwave	Shortwave
Water Vapor	Water Vapor	Water Vapor	Water Vapor
Infrared Channel 4 Enhancements
None	None	None	None
AVN	AVN	AVN	AVN
Dvorak	Dvorak	Dvorak	Dvorak
JSL	JSL	JSL	JSL
RGB	RGB	RGB	RGB
Funktop	Funktop	Funktop	Funktop
Rainbow	Rainbow	Rainbow	Rainbow

Additional Resources:

Navy Tropical Cyclone
Storm Pulse Very cool site

KHOU Houston
ABC 13 News Houston
FOX News Houston

KPLC Lake Charles
KFDM 6 Beaumont/Port Arthur
KKBMT 12 Beaumont
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 II
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)

[OBXWanderer]

Just saw a report from Surfside ~ it is now flooding.

And for all the Paulettes on FR this morning, I believe Dr. Paul still has a residence a few miles east of sparkling downtown Surfside, aka Follett's Island.

[Library Lady]

I’m sure that has something to do with it. However the local Marathon, which had not increased its price (yet), had cars waiting in line. I think they will increase prices today to match the Citgo.

[Coldwater Creek]

Crime is more likely to get us than sustained winds from Ike!

[texasredtop]

Are you staying?

[Peter Horry]

Well I don’t wish Geraldo any harm either but would it be so bad if he washed ashore in New Orleans - - in a porta potty?

[TomGuy]

KHOU Channel 11 Houston LIVE stream

MS Player stream link
http://beloint.wm.llnwd.net/beloint_khou2

Webpage Player
http://www.khou.com/video/?nvid=178826&live=yes&noad=yes

==

ABC 13 Houston stream link

MS Player stream
mms://a733.l1076440872.c10764.n.lm.akamaistream.net/D/733/10764/v0001/reflector:58405

Webpage Player
http://abclocal.go.com/ktrk/feature?section=news/local&id=6102015

==

Fox Houston

MS Player stream link
http://mfile.akamai.com/25255/live/reflector:24524.asx?bkup=30571

Webpage Player
http://www.myfoxhoustonlive.com/

[ding_dong_daddy_from_dumas]

I just sold a house this year. It’s close to Green’s Bayou and I-10 in Houston, not far from the ship channel. Glad I got rid of it.

[rwfromkansas]

Surely he will leave before the storm gets much worse....if not, he may not be alive tomorrow.

[pgyanke]

My father lives in Panama City, FL. He got up yesterday expecting to get some work done on his dock... it was under water... as was half of his yard... He was 500 miles away from Ike at the time. He has seen this before... when a hurricane makes landfall within 100 miles or so...

This thing is moving massive amounts of water. May God spare those in its path!

[backhoe]

I’m in the orange. Going to try and ride it out. We’re thinking it will take another turn east like Rita which would be easy on us. The roads are clear and if it doesn’t look good later this afternoon, we can get out easy.

Glad you checked in, Texas-- the folks on Free Dominion were asking about you, so I'll report that you are OK.

[RikaStrom]

I was just chastised by one of my employees in Louisiana for not getting a generator.

As one of my admins told me yesterday, it's all well and good for other people to spend her money, but until they're living with her pocketbook they should sit down. Because she's hourly, and can't lose a days work, I sent some manual mail projects home with her.

Wish I had a generator too, alas, my pocketbook cant take it either. The psycho dog and I are hunkering down on the NW side, hoping for the best.

The lawn guy is coming to move the GIANT tree debris into the garage so we don't take out any windows, ours or the neighbors. That would be bad.

Is it wrong of me to wish it was Sunday already?

[tarheelswamprat]

Godspeed to all in Ike's path.

Indeed. There are a lot of friends I know there and our prayers are with you all.

Thanks, NN for all your work on these threads.

[SomeCallMeTim]

This storm is no stronger Alicia in 83, San Leon will be OK

jpsb... I know exactly were you live... based on your map and previous photos...

PLEASE>>> DO NOT BE FOOLED BY ALICIA!! There is no comparing these two storms.

Alicia popped up in the western gulf, then came ashore rather quickly with very little storm surge. yes.. the winds were just as high... even higher. But, the wind field was tiny, and the storm surge was minimal.

Ike is COMPLETELY different. This is a massive storm, with a RECORD amount of kinetic energy built up. The wind field will batter your position for 24 hours... and the surge will swamp any structure.

The "stone" house MIGHT survive.... concrete block structures will NOT... wooden structure do not stand a chance.

I have seen, first hand, what storm surge can do. Cameron, La had nearly 200o people living there before Rita.... there were NOT TWO STONE ATOP ANOTHER after Rita. And... remember.. Rita came ashore 100 miles west.

There IS NO SAFE PLACE in San Leon. If you stay there, you have about a 75% chance of being a statistic... and, a 25% chance of being one of the "miracle survivors".

Have you really lived long enough, and done all you want to do to take those odds? You only have a few hours now, where leaving is an option... I hope... you're already gone.

[AFPhys]

“I’m in the orange [Map in post#51]. Going to try and ride it out. “

I hope you maintain power and internet connection ... your reports to us from there could be really great.

I definitely would be out of there if I were green or lower - after that you really have to examine the terrain to guess what the waves are going to do... can they reach you, etc. Also, how are hurricane force winds going to affect you in that area. Trees, construction, projectiles, etc.

[penelopesire]

TXCN reporting water coming up out of sewers already in Houston near the bay. Please be careful!

[texasredtop]

I’m fine....... for now :-)

We’re going to ride it out looks like. There’s still plenty of time to get out and the roads are clear sailing. Tonight may be a real booger bear. I’m in the orange area for the surge so that’s good. I saw Connie’s message, she’s a sweetie to remember me. I wish there were more Connie’s in this world.

[RoseyT]

NN,

Please check your mail when you have time. Thanks.

[Xenalyte]

It ain’t a REAL disaster until Geraldo starts crying and waving a random baby at the camera.

[Tim n Texas]

Hi neighbor.. We’ve got food/water, propane/charcoal for about 3 days, I’ve got 3 vehicles, all topped up... and I’ve got a ac/dc converter in my truck that can power a small appliance if necessary. However, if we’re not back in business after 3-days, we’re out of here.

[Kirkwood]

“How does one prepare for 2-weeks with no power? Leave?”

You can pull up stakes and live away from home until things get better or you can use generators. I’ve done both. It isn’t hard to live without electric or with limited electric if you are mentally and physically prepared ahead of time to do so. Basically you learn to do what you have to until the power comes back. You learn how people lived before electrification.