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Hurricane Ike Live Thread IV
NOAA/NHC ^ | 14 September 2008 | NOAA/NHC

Posted on 09/12/2008 11:29:13 PM PDT by NautiNurse

The eyewall of Hurricane Ike crossed Galveston Island in the early hours of Saturday morning. Reports indicate as many as 20,000 residents of Galveston Island chose not to evacuate as storm surge engulfed the island. The Freeport Chief of Police reported as many as 2000 residents did not evacuate as flood waters swamped coastal communities. There are widespread reports of power outages and coastal flooding throughout the Texas/Louisiana region. The U.S. Coast Guard received hundreds of calls Friday afternoon to rescue people stranded by flood waters along the barrier islands and Galveston Bay communities.

Multiple fires broke out in the Greater Houston area fueled by strong winds. Fire fighting efforts were hampered by flood waters. Brennan's Restaurant, a landmark in Houston, burned to the ground. A 584-foot freighter crippled in the Gulf of Mexico and its crew of 22 survived the storm after The U.S. Coast Guard was forced to abort rescue efforts Friday afternoon due to foul weather

Gulf Coast wholesale gasoline prices jumped to nearly $5 a gallon over fears that water and wind damage could keep the facilities closed for days or longer. Oil companies had shut down 97.5 percent of production in the Gulf of Mexico by Friday morning and were battening down refineries and petrochemical plants in an area that accounts for one-fifth of U.S. refining capacity.

Exxon Mobil reported evacuating workers from its Gulf Coast offshore platforms and onshore facilities in the anticipated path of Ike, shutting down daily production of about 36,000 barrels of oil and 270 million cubic feet of gas..

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 III
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)


TOPICS: Breaking News; News/Current Events; US: Louisiana; US: Texas
KEYWORDS: hurricane; hurricaneike; ike; iketexas; louisiana; spartansixdelta; weather
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To: lainie
Ray Wilkinson sat with his feet propped on the railing of his front porch Saturday, calmly dragging on a Marlboro Light as reporters asked whether he considered himself brave for being the only person to ride out Hurricane Ike on this spit of sand.

Well, I just tried to buy raywilkinson.com, but someone beat me to it.

1,481 posted on 09/13/2008 6:33:02 PM PDT by OBXWanderer (Now is the time for all good men [and women] to come to the aid of their country.)
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To: Spktyr

I liked the quote from yesterday, something along the lines “we don’t have looters in Texas.” It might have been the Galveston city manager. Looters won’t go where armed people are. :-)


1,482 posted on 09/13/2008 6:33:28 PM PDT by lainie
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To: Spktyr

I watched a little of that too, up until he started ranting about the 127 mph gust.

He did get tagged with something a time or two, don’t know if it was a starfish or not. LOL


1,483 posted on 09/13/2008 6:34:08 PM PDT by SouthTexas (Invert the 5-4 and you have no rights.)
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To: DrewsMum

The problem is, with the unpredictability of the storm, how are you to know whether or not YOU’LL end up being one of the people who REALLY needed to get out instead?


1,484 posted on 09/13/2008 6:34:43 PM PDT by metmom (Welfare was never meant to be a career choice.)
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To: AFPhys

Thanks for the update. Gosh things must be really up in the air still. I had a feeling about Crystal Beach & Bolivar. Will still hope for the best until we hear otherwise officially.


1,485 posted on 09/13/2008 6:35:04 PM PDT by lainie
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To: AFPhys; SE Mom; penelopesire; Allegra; blam; nwctwx; NautiNurse; DrewsMum; American Quilter; ...
Coast Guard Fly-Over Of Galveston Island Texas

~~~~

"Lots of people are wanting to see aerial fly-over video of Galveston Island, particularly the West end, West beach part of Galveston. Hurricane Ike wrought much destruction up and down coastal Texas.

There has been a no-fly for media helicopters over the coast side of Galveston island, due to search and rescue efforts.

This video is from the Coast Guard, and the contrast isn’t the greatest. There are clearer videos from the bay side.

This is a fly over of Galveston Island from a HU-25 Falcon Jet from the Aviation Training Center in Alabama. Scenes include flooded neighborhoods, hotels, highways, an airport and flightline as well as a burning building.

This video shows massive flooding and devastation on Galveston Island, Texas, and the beach side. Reports coming out of Houston are saying that much of the Bolivar Peninsula, Crystal Beach and Orange are gone, or heavily damaged. All of our prayers are with those who have been in the path of Hurricane Ike."

Coast Guard Fly-Over Of Galveston Island Texas

~~~~

Prayers, indeed.

1,486 posted on 09/13/2008 6:36:44 PM PDT by STARWISE (They (Dims) think of this WOT as Bush's war, not America's war-RichardMiniter, respected OBL author)
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To: CindyDawg; penelopesire
Whether a hurricane, earthquake, fire, blizzard, flood, tornado etc.,I agree. No free re-builds. Give low interest loans and expect repayment. No exemptions.

Ditto.

Besides, they're not really free. We pay for them through taxes.

1,487 posted on 09/13/2008 6:38:30 PM PDT by metmom (Welfare was never meant to be a career choice.)
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To: All
I hesitate to even bring this up but the dailykos people are trying to stir up trouble, accusing the Galveston county sheriff of endangering the lives of 1,000 inmates by not evacuating them last night.
1,488 posted on 09/13/2008 6:38:49 PM PDT by lainie
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To: lainie

Well, we don’t. They’re an elusive and rare unprotected endangered species in Texas that only appear after a disaster and just as quickly disappear. Little else is known of their habits, but the occasional looter season is always a time of great anticipation among hunters. :D


1,489 posted on 09/13/2008 6:38:50 PM PDT by Spktyr (Overwhelmingly superior firepower and the willingness to use it is the only proven peace solution.)
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To: CindyDawg

I agree.

My libbie sister still bemoans all the people ‘still living in Fema trailers’ and thinks our government and ‘big insurance’ is to blame for everything..(eye roll) I love her, but tire of talking to her about such things very quickly...LOL.


1,490 posted on 09/13/2008 6:38:54 PM PDT by penelopesire ("The only CHANGE you will get with the Democrats is the CHANGE left in your pocket")
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To: STARWISE

Please forgive my ignorance. Will these coastal areas that are flooded and under water be able to recover? Will the waters recede back into the gulf or will the gulf claim these areas?


1,491 posted on 09/13/2008 6:41:31 PM PDT by pnz1
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To: WSGilcrest

from video I saw today of Galveston - everything west of 11 mile road is under water... the farther west you go on the island the deeper the water. The most populated area of the island (the east end) suffered flooding during the storm but looks like it has receded now.

If you niece’s home is on the east end of the island (not the far east end) then her home should be ok.

Jeffers posted a picture of the island on this thread that shows what areas on the island are reachable and what areas are not.


1,492 posted on 09/13/2008 6:41:38 PM PDT by stlnative (HurraMcCain Palin will continue to build strength as it travels across the USA over the next 60 days)
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To: spectre

I’ll bet those rescued who watched their neighbors get washed away didn’t think it was hype.


1,493 posted on 09/13/2008 6:41:50 PM PDT by metmom (Welfare was never meant to be a career choice.)
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To: AFPhys
Some of the rescued have said “Crystal Beach is gone . Bolivar is gone.” Another town, too

Gilchrist????

1,494 posted on 09/13/2008 6:42:52 PM PDT by OBXWanderer (Now is the time for all good men [and women] to come to the aid of their country.)
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To: DrewsMum; penelopesire

I think it is time for a national discussion about this, too.

Personally, I wouldn’t mind something like “We’ll help you ONE time in a century to build in that spot. It will be kept track of, and every insurance company in the world will be aware of it and every realtor will be aware of it and every surveyor will be aware, etc. After that ONE time, ALL the cost of rebuilding is up to you, buddy. And if you hide that from someone you sell to, you are committing a 10yr felony - grand larceny equivalent.”

NOLA should not have been rebuilt by the US govt. Neither should so many of the homes destroyed by hurricanes and floods.

If you want to rebuild there, you get insurance or kiss your money goodbye if it has another problem and when you sell, that would certainly be reflected in the price you get. This goes for anywhere in the whole country, and would apply to any disaster at all - bar none - including fire, terrorism, snow storms, flooding, forest fires, planes crashing into them, polar bear attacks, mosquitoes carrying it away, ANY reason.


1,495 posted on 09/13/2008 6:42:57 PM PDT by AFPhys ((.Praying for President Bush, our troops, their families, and all my American neighbors..))
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To: WorkerbeeCitizen

http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/news/2081430/posts?page=1430#1430


1,496 posted on 09/13/2008 6:42:58 PM PDT by valkyry1 (McCain/Palin 2008)
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To: metmom

“free” stuff :’)


1,497 posted on 09/13/2008 6:43:09 PM PDT by CindyDawg
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To: DrewsMum
That's an excellent question.

In a nutshell, nobody was forced to shelter in place in Houston, just as nobody was stopped from remaining on fragile barrier islands. I'm getting very concerned about the nanny state explosion replacing common sense.

I believe the week of tv drama watching airlifts following Katrina has blossomed into an expectation of spectacular rescues for everyone. It has become a basic right. As someone said on another thread when Ike was looming large..."Rescue workers are paid with my tax dollars and they are trained for these situations."

Incredible.

1,498 posted on 09/13/2008 6:45:28 PM PDT by NautiNurse (Palin won more votes in her Wasilla Mayoral race than Biden got in his 2008 Pres run)
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To: STARWISE

I recall reading that the west end of Galveston Island didn’t have a sea wall and that’s the end that got the worst of the storm for the island and they are not allowing anything but search and rescue helicopters.

That is not good, IMO.


1,499 posted on 09/13/2008 6:46:17 PM PDT by metmom (Welfare was never meant to be a career choice.)
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To: AFPhys

The west end is mostly weekenders, retirees and vacation homes. People who pay for the public schools through taxation and never use them. We have neighbors on the west end in Pirates Beach that we have seen twice in ten years. Every year the property taxes go up. In ten years our assessed value has gone from $130,000 to $350,000. Every year we make the trek to protest our taxes. The last time we went to try to get our taxes reduced there was a group of people dressed up and reenacting the Boston Tea Party in the tax assessors office. After hurricane Rita we got $40 off our tax bill because we needed some minor roof repairs. If there is anything left of my house I will take pictures and take them with me to the assessors office next spring.


1,500 posted on 09/13/2008 6:46:20 PM PDT by Cheesehead In Dubai (used to be Cheesehead in Texas, but I moved)
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