Posted on 09/12/2008 11:29:13 PM PDT by NautiNurse
Live report from Texas City: 2:00 am CDT, 13 Sep - Calm
The hotel apparently has pretty serious damage, because the side of the building that lost its roof has serious flooding down to the first floor— the water has gone all the way down to the ground floor and made a mess. A Fox 7 News was interviewing traumatized guests in the lobby.
The wind and rain continued to pound away in streaks, and I saw (and shot) a restaurant next to the hotel losing roof shingles by the cartloads. The weather seemed to peak around 1:20 or 1:30 am or so, and I had a panicky moment when— parked in a totally exposed location— heavy rain and wind reduced visibility to almost zero and the car really shook badly.
But now the wind has really calmed down— the howling has stopped. Quiet... I’ve opened my window and can barely hear the trees rustling... Warm air is coming into the room— very warm. Guests are walking around in front of the hotel, chatting. Calm...
I presume we’re in the eye?
kerosene fired cooking? grill in garage with “wind blown sparks”?
cigarette thrown /blown into area where greasy rags are?
My friend wasn’t that bright. Just spread gas & lit. Figured the storm winds & rain would destroy evidence. He unfortunately did NOT keep his little plot to himself & “a friend” contacted the insurance company & received a tip/reward.
Winds knock down power lines and transformers. Sparks fly. Wind whips up the flames. Fires are not uncommon.
Perhaps not as entertaining as Geraldo, but Weather Channel reporting “6 feet of water in downtown Galveston”....
Texans are fighters. Only the Democrats among us would think of doing such a cowardly thing. And we don't claim them anyway.
It’s still a Cat 2, eye closing up in fact. 100 MPH wind on surface, NHC still showing 110 MPH.
As of 20 minutes ago, 100+ mph surface winds were reported - it is still a cat 2 hurricane - just ignore that poster.
Are there any damage reports for Galveston yet?
1,300,000 without power, long restoration process.
It may be a CAT 1 or a CAT 2 hurricane, but that doesn’t take into account that it may be carrying a CAT 4 storm surge.
Katrina was a CAT 3 when she hit Mississippi, but she carried a CAT 5 storm surge.
Thanks, NautiNurse.
Prayers for all in harm’s way.
The winds are up big time. My 40 ft. pine trees in the front yard are dangerouly bending. I hope we don’t lose them. So far, we have electricity.
Xenalyte, how are you doing???
Yes its a cat 2 and dying.
Here is the problem:
“Although still of Category 2 strength, Ike remains larger and more powerful than Category 5 Katrina or Category 5 Rita. As I discussed in yesterday’s blog entry, a good measure of the storm surge potential is Integrated Kinetic Energy (IKE). Ike’s Integrated Kinetic Energy has fallen from 149 Terajoules this morning to 124”
This means that some beach homes could be busted up from relentless waves over a long period. But the storm is already dying.
No one is gonna get killed unless they stayed on the beach
I know that. Texas is my sister state and tough!
BTW ...Nice to know more organized is not good. I am never organized!
Further flooding from the bay is expected as the backhalf of the eyewall impacts them, likely resulting in as much damage as the high winds that are expected.
Post Office St on Galveston Island 7 feet under water per Twitter.
Let me share a little here. Actually the levees in Texas City don’t have to HOLD.
They have built around the entire city a huge wall, wide enough for a 2-lane sheet running on top of it. And there is nothing to HOLD. It will keep water out up to a 20-foot tide. Of course, if there is a 25-foot surge or tide, then some water will spill over the wall.
They have build pumping stations every so many miles which will pump OUT any water which comes over the wall.
It is nothing like the levels holding the water back from New Orleans, that is, if it is breached in one place, then the whole thing is breached.
BTW, here in southwest Houston at 2:12 a.m. it is the strongest wind yet. I’d say about 80 mph gusts.
We’ve lost electricity twice, but it came back on within minutes.
Wish us well. I sure don’t want to lose power.
GOod luck, all.
I’d say ‘Yes!”
Duck and cover, FRiend!
Don’t go outside...you don’t know when the backside of the hurricane will hit you.
Love you to hon
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.