Holy (expletive deleted)! The new 5-day tracking map shows Ike’s path is heading all the way to Lake Erie! I have family in both Erie, PA and western NY State between Buffalo and Rochester, so this really blows my mind!
OK, I have to force myself to log off and sleep now. The reason I’ve been staying awake is the tornado warnings. I feel so guilty that when the big storm finally came at 5:30 am two days after Gustav, I just couldn’t get off the mattress because I was completely exhausted. I couldn’t believe my eyes when I peeped out my bedroom window, when I saw how much water had accumulated in just the 90 minutes that I had been sleeping before the sitter called to tell me her neighborhood was flooded and I couldn’t bring my daughter over. Let’s hope things stay quiet around Rapides Parish for the next few hours, though I kinda doubt it.
Night, y’all — prayers to everyone in Ike’s path!!
Well, I *thought* I could nod off — this storm appears to be heading up the Lake Charles Highway (US 165) toward Alexandria at 70 mph. Speaking of 165, what’s up with Coushatta Casino Resort — they closed for Gustav but their website says they’re open with limited services for Ike? I dunno about that...
What’s that Metallica song, “Sandman” that goes “Sleep with one eye open, gripping your pillow tight...”
Uh-oh, gotta hit the Post button, I hear wind...
=============================THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN LAKE CHARLES HAS ISSUED A
* TORNADO WARNING FOR...
WESTERN EVANGELINE PARISH IN CENTRAL LOUISIANA...
THIS INCLUDES...MAMOU...BASILE...
SOUTH CENTRAL RAPIDES PARISH IN CENTRAL LOUISIANA...
THIS INCLUDES GLENMORA...
EXTREME WEST CENTRAL ST. LANDRY PARISH IN CENTRAL LOUISIANA...
WESTERN ACADIA PARISH IN SOUTHWEST LOUISIANA...
THIS INCLUDES...MERMENTAU...IOTA...EUNICE...
EASTERN ALLEN PARISH IN SOUTHWEST LOUISIANA...
THIS INCLUDES...OBERLIN...OAKDALE...
NORTHEASTERN JEFFERSON DAVIS PARISH IN SOUTHWEST LOUISIANA...
THIS INCLUDES...JENNINGS...ELTON...
NORTHWESTERN VERMILION PARISH IN SOUTHWEST LOUISIANA...
* UNTIL 445 AM CDT
* AT 406 AM CDT...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR INDICATED
TORNADOES NEAR EUNICE...IOTA...AND 8 MILES SOUTH OF
MERMENTAU...MOVING NORTH AT 70 MPH.
* TORNADO PRODUCING STORMS WILL BE NEAR...
MAMOU...JENNINGS AND BASILE BY 415 AM CDT...
ELTON BY 425 AM CDT...
OBERLIN AND OAKDALE BY 435 AM CDT...
GLENMORA BY 440 AM CDT...
THE SAFEST PLACE TO BE DURING A TORNADO IS IN A SMALL INTERIOR ROOM.
GET UNDER A WORKBENCH OR OTHER PIECE OF STURDY FURNITURE...SEEK
SHELTER ON THE LOWEST FLOOR OF THE BUILDING IN AN INTERIOR HALLWAY OR
ROOM SUCH AS A CLOSET. USE BLANKETS OR PILLOWS TO COVER YOUR BODY AND
ALWAYS STAY AWAY FROM WINDOWS.
IF IN MOBILE HOMES OR VEHICLES...EVACUATE THEM AND GET INSIDE A
SUBSTANTIAL SHELTER. IF NO SHELTER IS AVAILABLE...LIE FLAT IN THE
NEAREST DITCH OR OTHER LOW SPOT AND COVER YOUR HEAD WITH YOUR HANDS.
A TORNADO WATCH REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 1000 AM CDT SATURDAY MORNING
FOR SOUTHWESTERN LOUISIANA AND SOUTHEAST TEXAS.
LANDRENEAU
It’s still going to be tropical depression strength by the time it gets up to NY. Interesting.
NY ping.