Bonster

I read in several reports that Houston (and Corpus Christi, Galveston) are now real likely to get hit with Ike -- possibly to a tune of at least a cat 2. Here's my prayer that everyone on this list that lives in those areas comes out of it safe and sound! If you need a place to evacuate to, my door is always open. Be safe!

mglobe

I'm actually quite worried. I've got no Hendricks Gin in the house. Only Tanqueray Ten.

Bonster

Better get on it then, Mike. Ike is supposed to make landfall by Saturday morning at the latest. It could linger for a while, too . . . better just get yourself a case. Hurricane parties rule!

rlm328

Just got back from the grog shop and have prerequisite amount of wine and crown, should be an interesting weekend.

Bonster

I bet the lines are long at the gas stations and ATM machines. That's what always happens around here anyway. We have a bunch of cans all filled with gas for the generator already -- like we do before every hurricane season. We're keeping an eye on this one (as with all of them, but this one in particular). One of the models shows it shifting east and back south, which would pretty much mean it'll be in our back yard. Yeah, I need to make a sortie for the liquor store too, I suppose.

DogInBlack

1:00 tracking has Ike 343 miles south of us here in the Mobile area. The water is easily 5 feet above normal with the tidal surge. Fort Morgan Road along the beach is 2 1/2 feet underwater in places. Mobile Bay and the local rivers are very high. Our surge crest is forecast for Friday morning with high tide.

Galveston and Houston are going to get a ton of surge. Mississippi is underwater again. Highway 98 in Waveland, Mississippi is being repaired from Gustav this week, and is underwater right now. New Orleans will be flooded if they aren't already today.

Ike is already ugly with 42 hours until projected landfall. Even if it hits at only 120 mph, the size of the storm will dictate massive flooding along Texas, La, and Mississippi. If you have friends and family near the water in these areas, advise them to head up the hill a bit.

DogInBlack

Bonni, I would be very surprised at this point, with its 10 mph WNW track, that it would hook back in our direction. BUT, it has been a strange hurricane season!

mglobe

No question from what I've read, both on public, and private commercial weather services, that there will be a significant storm surge. Depending upon where it makes landfall, and how the storm develops prior to that, I'm reading that the surge could even come over the Galveston sea wall.

We're far enough in-land that storm surge is not an issue, and it is unlikely where I live that flooding will be a problem. Wind though could be significant. I've read predictions of winds of 85-100mph here in town. I'm going to stow my cars that don't fit in our garage in my office building parking structure.

Bonster

From what I've seen, that hurricane practically spans across the entire GOM. So many of us will at least feel the strong winds, even clear over here in the Panhandle. Not enough to board up, but enough to keep a close eye on it. I know we joke around a lot here, but I really will be keeping you folks up north in my prayers.

Mike in Chi

We have a long-time teammate down in Houston, Robert H. Stay safe buddy

Food Angel

Hang tight, Houston gang....Hope that Ike isn't too hard on you guys!

mglobe

Robert should be fine. He won't be riding with me.


Thanks Katie. As usual, the news media is hyping up the storm. All of the local channels are running 24/7 hurricane coverage. The media still shows the storm going west of the city center, which is the worst case scenario for those of us that live in town (read mglobe) . However, the private weather service my company uses shows it going east of town. Good for us. Bad for the folks east of Houston, which is a low lying (and for the most part lower income) area that seems to get whacked more often than not.

Toby Pennycuff

Mike,

Be safe buddy. We all thought Allison was just another summer squall! Alicia was a real trip in the early 80's. We were out at Westheimer and Alief-Clodine and it was pretty damn ugly. Pick up the loose stuff and get it secured.

And be sure that you guys take the wind out of the sails on this mother before it moves north to hit us!

Stay safe.

Toby

mglobe

I was near Boone and Bellaire during Alicia, just down the road from you! Remember it well. This one is going to make that look like a picnic for some parts of town. Remains to be seen though exactly where it will land, and 30 miles one way or another can make a big difference.

Bonster

Remember Opal? Argh. I'll tell you all this . . . we are already feeling winds from Ike here in the Panhandle. Granted, not much at all by comparison . . . but to even be this much this far away has me worried about you all. If ANYONE needs a place to evacuate to . . . we are here. Seriously . . . 850-939-9699. We don't have a huge house, but it should be safe. Take care and be very safe!