Hanna, Ike and Josephine. Hurricanes of the Week

Ah, thanks. Didn't look very hotel-ly.

Elevated somewhat, at least in the part with the main glass..

amazing!

http://www.meteo.psu.edu/%7Egadomski/SATRAPID/anim16ir.html

I was not intending on posting this tonight but I'm trying to put some perspective to this thing.

The 11:00 update indicates that Ike is still "officially" a Cat 2 storm on the Saffir-Simpson scale with maximum sustained winds of 110mph. Cat 3 storms are those with sustained wind speeds of 111mph - 130mph, so this is as strong a Cat 2 as a Cat 2 can be.

Hurricane Hunters are returning readings of 950mb which is a pressure reading typically observed in a high Cat 3 storm.

Storm surge estimates of 12' - 30' are generally seen in strong Cat 4 - weak Cat 5 storms.

Part of the problem with the heavy emphasis on the Saffir-Simpson scale is that folks make life and death decisions based solely on the SS Category. As we are seeing, the severity of a storm comes from much more than just it's wind speed. People choose to ride out a Cat 2 storm because the last Cat 2 storm wasn't that harsh. Well, this is not your every day Cat 2 storm. The NHC needs to consider other mechanisms of categorizing storms that do not entirely depend on maximum sustained wind speed.

<end of editorial>

agree w/your qualms on that

Mirrors my thoughts exactly, as stated earlier. It does kinda look like the eye is getting shredded, so I'm hopeful that trend will continue as landfall approaches. Wind-wise; this doesn't look like it's going to be too terrible inland so I think our friends are safe. I'm mostly worried about the fools who refused to leave the coast.

Watching the idiotic weather guys standing outside in the feeder bands aggravates me. They’re either outside in no danger, which is idiotic… or they’re outside in danger which is even more idiotic.

Sitting, watching, waiting. Safe thoughts to all. x

Have been catching up (here and in news stories)... seems like things are definitely bad but still unclear HOW bad.

But maybe not as bad as it could have been.

Looks like we'll know more when "search and rescue" missions begin. Sigh.

Me too. It looks like downtown Houston is getting the brunt of it now. Thinking of our folks and everyone else.

I'll see what I can scope out from some other sites re damage. One note about mainstream media reports from the St. Louis hotel -- What I saw earlier was about 3-4 ft of water in the lower level of the parking garage. This hotel is 20' above the rest of the island and is built on top of an old fort. Conditions at the St Louis doesn't give a good read on the rest of the island. Hopefully there's good news there as well.

Oh JPB.... it looks dreadful there.... it's reported here that 4million are without power.... and it could be weeks before some will be reconnected.....

I wish we knew how our friends were. Can't get hold of my niece.

Just awful - the Buffalo Bayou???? has burst it's banks.... horrendous.

I generally try to stay away from media-bashing but this post from the WeatherUnderground blog sums up my opinions of mainstream media types. This is a comment about TWC's Stephanie Abrahms broadcasts from the parking garage of the bunker...

From NOAA -- current report. Still looking for peak surge data.

Ike made landfall at Galveston, TX at about 02:10 CDT on 09/13/2008.

As of 09/13/2008 06:00 CDT, water levels are fall ing along the coast of Southeast Texas, Louisiana and Mississippi; however they still range from 3 to over 10 feet above predicted. Barometric pressure is rising from South Texas to Mississippi; and winds are decreasing, but gusts are still ranging from 30 to near 60 knots at Texas stations.

This link will take you to the water gauge charts. Some of the gauges are not reporting which is concerning. I'll post a couple examples below.

http://tidesandcurrents.noaa.gov/quicklook/data/IKE.html#8771510wl

Eagle Point, Tx


Sabine Pass North, Tx


The missing gauge readings are between the two above.

Eagle Point's gauge works.
Rollover Pass's gauge broke.
Clear Lake's gauge broke.
Battleship Texas State Park gauge broke.
Morgans Point gauge broke.
And then Sabine Pass works.

Do you mean the San Luis Hotel? I used to work there. It is higher than most of the island but the parking garage is not.

I just talked to my sister in Houston and she's fine, reporting that most of Houston is fine as well. There's no power and probably won't be for at least a week so we probably won't be hearing from any a2kers unless they call someone else to post for them.

I agree that media presence sends the wrong message. It's completely stupid not to leave Galveston when a hurricane is coming in. Because there is only a few ways off the island evacuation is pretty easy and you can't get back on the island without proof of residence.

BULLSEYE! This is the 3:00 CDT radar of the eye passing through Galveston Bay

Good evening. I was hoping to hear something from our friends in that region by now. But I can understand that they cannot.
Houston Chronicle: 5 million people without power. One energy provider reports 98% of customers are down.
It is not just a matter of a single tree lying cross a single line in some neighborhood. It is those big suckers, those pylons of power, that are down.

The storm and the reporters have moved on. But this is going to be bad.

Good morning....

Anyone heard anything from the Texas crew by phone yet?

Thinking of everyone - hoping all are safe and well.

Funny you should ask, Miz iz...

Edgar just woke me up (I'M NOT BITCHIN) to let me know that:

He and all of his are safe and sound.

He says no power or water, but his house and property are OK, and while the call was kept short, he sounded good.

Now Ima go back to sleep for a few more hours.

http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/metropolitan/5999540.html
Galveston area - the island seems to have done pretty well all things considered.

http://www.dallasnews.com/sharedcontent/dws/news/texassouthwest/stories/091408dntexikegalveston.7354189d.html
homeless man weathered the storm under a park bench. He thought about going to a shelter...but it was too late. Amazing. People are unhappy they can't get back to their homes. One fatality - lady's oxygen tank wouldn't work when her generator ran out of gas...I think I read.

Hoping to hear from the Texas bunch soon.

That is great to hear Rock...thanks for letting us know.

fan...tas...tic!