Ya know why I make jokes?

[MichaelHarris]

I rode out Alica back in 83 and man I know what the people of the coast are going through. I remember watching a tree in our front yard and wondering, when is it coming through the front door. It finally did, right before the roof started to peel away. You ever watch a wall in your house and see it crack open? It's sort of creepy. The next day my brothers and I took a canoe and delivered all the water we could find to our neighbors. FEMA didn't come, I don't even remember if anyone came. We ate what we had, we shared what we had, and we sweated. No power for about a week I think. That's pretty sucky along the Texas coast in the summer.

What will be different tomorrow from what I went through? Well we had no politicians stacking sandbags, we had no candidates patching roofs, we were alone. When they show up along the Texas coast in the next few days remember, unless Sarah wants to shoot some wharf rats, they're really no help. People in these situations don't want to see politicians and hear speeches, they want ice and air conditioning, they would rather see their insurance agent instead of McCain, they would rather a sandwich than an Obama handshake. So if anyone from the campaigns reads this, take some gloves, some water, some ice, and a sandwich. Leave the speeches at home.

My humor? It's defensive, I have two families right in the path of this thing we haven't heard from in 18 hours and my wife and I are 2500 miles away.

[Suich]

1. Oh no! I'm really sorry.

I hope you hear from them soon. Where are they!

:hug:

[MichaelHarris]

2. my wife's family

is south of Beaumont and mine is now in the Woodlands, just north of Houston. The last family member moved from Texas City last year. The problem in the Woodlands is the trees and possible tornados. I've been trying to get the wind gusts for north Houston but it's not really being covered yet since it's still moving that way.

[Breeze54]

3. Joking can relieve tension.... "Ike Near Galveston As of 4:00 a.m. CDT Saturday'

:hug: :hug:

Ike Near Galveston

http://hurricane.accuweather.com/hurricane/basin-story.asp?partner=accuweather&traveler=0&basin=atlantic

As of 4:00 a.m. CDT Saturday, Hurricane Ike was located near 29.7 north and 95.0 west. Ike made landfall near Galveston at 2:10 a.m. CDT. Ike is traveling northwestward at 13 mph with maximum sustained winds of 110 mph as a very large Category 2 hurricane. Ike has maintained intensity over the past several hours. Hurricane-force winds extend 125 miles outward from Ike's center. Tropical storm-force winds extend outward up to 260 miles. The central pressure is holding at 954 mb, or 28.17 inches.

A hurricane warning is in effect from Morgan City Louisiana to Port O' Connor, Texas.

The previous lull in storm surge was due to a low astronomical tide last evening.

Astronomical tide levels are scheduled to rise through the early morning hours today with high astronomical tide shortly prior to dawn. Additionally, storm surge water levels will continue to
rise markedly along the central and northern Texas coast into early this morning. East of the landfall, a storm surge from 15 to 25 feet will occur over and to the right of where Ike makes landfall. Water levels could rise several feet in a matter of minutes as the eye rolls on shore during the next several hours.

Ike is a very strong category 2 hurricane and close to being a category 3.Despite this the hurricane is very large and the wind field extends outward to near 300 miles. Conditions will markedly deteriorate along the north and central Texas coast and further inland as Ike comes on shore.

A devastating storm surge is expected for more than 100 miles northeast of landfall. The worst of the hurricane conditions will affect the Galveston and Houston areas through noon today.

Conditions will remain favorable for tornadoes to form in Texas, near and north of landfall throughout the day.

Rainfall from Ike will average 6 to 12 inches from extreme southwest Louisiana to the north-central coast of Texas and will extend inland several hundred miles. In this area, local amounts of 15 inches are possible. Rainfall of this nature could lead to major flooding. While lesser rainfall will occur farther to the north and eventually the northeast, due to accelerating motion of Ike, at least isolated areas of flooding can occur as far inland as parts of the southern Plains and the middle Mississippi Valley.

After landfall, Ike will begin to move more north, then northeast, as it gets caught up in the westerlies. A rather rapid increase in forward speed is likely. By Sunday morning, the remnant tropical rainstorm center should be over southern Missouri, moving quickly northeastward through the middle Mississippi Valley during the day Sunday.

The remnants of Josephine were located just northeast of Puerto Rico. They are causing plenty of showers and thunderstorms to the northeast of the Leeward Islands. Some computer guidance suggests that this disorganized weather could become better organized over the weekend. Squally rainfall and locally gusty winds may affect the Bahamas Saturday and Sunday. Most guidance does not show redevelopment at this point.

Elsewhere, there are no signs of tropical organization any time soon.

By AccuWeather Expert Senior Meteorologist Alex Sosnowski and Meteorologist Eric Reese.

Forums: Chat About The Storm: http://forums.accuweather.com/

Hang in there, Mike... :hug:

[Suich]

5. I can't imagine what it's like with tornados happening at the same time.

I hope everyone is ok and that you hear something soon. I'm assuming you've got the same links I do; I'm watching CNN, MSNBC, Fox, and the Weather Channel on TV and KHOU on my computer. If I even hear the word "Woodlands" I'll let you know. Hang in there!

[MichaelHarris]

7. Thanks for that

I've been in both, the tornado is fast and furious while the hurricane seems to go on forever.

[Suich]

13. 87 mph in Beaumont.

Some people stranded on rooftops. Weather Channel now

[Breeze54]

4. Southern Texas Radar - Hurricane IKE - AccuWeather.com Radar Center

Southern Texas Radar - Hurricane IKE - AccuWeather.com Radar Center


To get updates of radar, refresh this post or go out of this post to General Discussion and then back in

[MichaelHarris]

6. Thanks

her family lives close to the coast in a low lying area. I guess I should wake her up.

[Breeze54]

8. Let her sleep... there's not much she can do right now anyway but worry....

But do what you think is best... it's still really early in the morning... :hug:

[MichaelHarris]

9. yeah

you're right, I think the closest we can fly in will be Austin. She's a doctor and is on a volunteer list so I'll just wait and see what's what.

[Breeze54]

10. Hurricane Ike slams Galveston as Category 2 storm; emergency rescues planned at daybreak

Hurricane Ike slams Galveston as Category 2 storm; emergency rescues planned at daybreak

http://www.startribune.com/nation/28280739.html


Bill Murphy, second from right, waits with three rescuers
for a boat to pull them to safety after Murphy's wife Barbara
and two others were rescued by a Coast Guard helicopter in High
Island, Texas, Friday, September 12, 2008, as Hurricane Ike moves
toward Texas.

A sprawling and strengthening Hurricane Ike steamed through the Gulf of Mexico on Friday
on a track toward the nation's fourth-largest city, where authorities told residents to
brace rather than flee.

By JUAN A. LOZANO and CHRIS DUNCAN , Associated Press

Last update: September 13, 2008 - 3:15 AM

GALVESTON, Texas -

A massive Hurricane Ike ravaged southeast Texas early Saturday, battering the coast with driving
rain and ferocious wind gusts as residents who decided too late they should have heeded calls to
evacuate made futile calls for rescue.

Though it would be daybreak before the storm's toll was clear, already, the damage was extensive.
Thousands of homes had flooded, roads were washed out and several fires burned unabated as crews could not reach them. But the biggest fear was that thousands of people had defied orders to flee would need rescue from submerged homes and neighborhoods.

"The unfortunate truth is we're going to have to go in ... and put our people in the tough situation to save people who did not choose wisely. We'll probably do the largest search and rescue operation that's ever been conducted in the state of Texas," said Andrew Barlow, spokesman for Gov. Rick Perry.

The eye of the storm powered ashore at 3:10 a.m. EDT at Galveston with 110 mph winds, a strong Category 2 storm.

More than 1.3 million customers — or 2.9 million people — had lost power, and suppliers warned it could be weeks before all the service was restored. There also was fear winds could shatter the windows of the sparkling skyscrapers that define the skyline of America's fourth-largest city. Forecasters said the worst winds and rain would come after the center came ashore.

Though 1 million people fled coastal communities near where the storm made landfall, authorities in three counties alone said roughly 90,000 stayed behind. As the front of the storm moved into Galveston, fire crews rescued nearly 300 people who changed their minds and fled at the last minute, wading through floodwaters carrying clothes and other possessions.

More....

-----------

I know many from Massachusetts are on their way down there to help...

... EMT's, Doctors, Coast Guard, Red Cross, Animal Rescue, etc.

:hug:

[JimDandy]

11. If things get that bad, I'm sure Obama's team will follow your advice.

Who knows what the "cake eater's" campaign team will do, though.

[Breeze54]

12. Don't you mean 'urinal cake eaters'?

:P

[JimDandy]

17. Ewweeew! n/t

[Loudmxr]

14. I just saw the weather map its in LA. Lake Charles is pounded again.

My buddy Louise is from Lake Charles and her HS friend's house was immortalized during Katrina as the lone house sort of in a lake with the ducks in the front. So.. Come Donald and Daisy and Huey and Luey. Its swimmin' time again.:party:

[MiniMe]

15. Hi MH

:grouphug: No problems from me with using humor to dissipate the tension. Sometimes you just gotta. But a lot of people here don't understand that. Take care and I'm thinking about your family and hoping they are OK.

[malaise]

16. I hope they're OK

Like you I've experienced a major hurricane. Gilbert flooded the apartment but we had a concrete roof so we were OK. Some of our neighbours weren't so lucky. Late that September 12, we also helped one another.

I hope everyone is OK and you can communicate with them ASP.