An Ol’ Broad’s Ramblings
Archive for Weather
Back Side of Ike
Got this picture from my brother in law from last week’s visitor, Ike. He says this is from the back side, so I’m going to take his word for it. I’m guessing he is back on the boat or now has electricity at the home place?
I don’t think dumpsters are suppose to be in the middle of a lake. 
And I’m pretty sure the docks are suppose to be above water too!
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Stay OUT!
Galveston Urges Residents Not to Return in Aftermath of Ike
The mayor of Galveston pleaded with residents not to return, saying the city’s resources are “stretched to the max” by Hurricane Ike’s devastation.
Mayor Lyda Ann Thomas, whose city was nearly wiped off the map 108 years ago by a hurricane and is now facing flooding, said a cruise ship will be sent to house those displaced by the storm as search and rescue operations continue.
If even the dead folks are trying to get the hell out, it’s a good indication Galveston is not a real good place to be right now!
“Sometimes the aftermath of the storm is worse than the storm itself,” Thomas said. City officials warned people to stay away from beaches because oil appeared to be floating on the water.
Galveston City Manager Steve LeBlanc said Monday that the city could no longer safely accommodate the population due to the lack of water, sewerage and gas services. He predicted it would take “days, weeks and months” to clean up the island.
“Quite frankly we are reaching a health crisis for the people who remain on the island,” LeBlanc said. At least a third of the community’s 60,000 residents remained in their homes.
At least a third obviously didn’t get the message to leave. (sarcasm) I’m not making light of the tragedy, but when you are told to leave, excuses are a dime a dozen. One had to be rescued because she was taking care of an elderly man. I’m questioning why she didn’t call for help to evacuate? How many man hours have been wasted by the people who thought staying was a good idea? How many lives have been put in danger rescuing the hardheaded?
More than 48 hours after Ike swamped the Gulf Coast, rescuers flew into a hard-to-reach area Monday and uncovered a swollen landscape: Hurricane Ike had swamped entire subdivisions, and emergency crews feared they would find more victims than survivors.
It was the first time anyone had gotten a look at the damaged resort barrier island of Bolivar Peninsula, just east of hard-hit Galveston. Homes were splintered or completely washed away in the beachfront community that is home to about 30,000 people in the peak summer season.
KHOU has a video of some of the devastation. To say it’s unbelievable is an understatement. I’m absolutely amazed anyone lived through that!
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Painting a Vivid Picture
Galveston Is Transformed Into an Island of Second Thoughts
by Joel Achenbach
This island has been beaten to a pulp. There is debris everywhere: chunks of asphalt, sheet metal, roofing tiles, uprooted trees, unidentifiable flotsam. The ocean ripped heavy concrete benches from the seawall and threw them across the road as if they were made of Styrofoam.
The landmark Balinese Room used to sit on pilings just off the sea wall. It’s gone. The storm surge chewed it up and spit it out onto Seawall Boulevard. Souvenir seekers rummaged Saturday through the debris field.
The worst place to be in a hurricane is just on the right side of the eye wall as it spins onshore, the wind speed of the eye combining with the forward motion of the overall storm to deliver a roundhouse blow. Saturday, that worst place was Galveston.
The residents had ample warning. The city issued a mandatory evacuation order for the island. But thousands of people chose to stay, many of them fearing a repeat of the horrendous traffic jams in advance of Hurricane Rita three years ago. They stayed even as Ike grew to stunning dimensions, seemingly filling up much of the Gulf of Mexico.
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Family Update
I finally got a hold of my friend in Houston. Amazingly, her biggest complaint, her ice has melted. Being the hard headed type, she was talking about heading out to hunt down a few bags. Heh. I worry about that woman. Ok, she’s fairly old, but if she doesn’t have power, what on earth would make her think that the C store down the road would have power. sigh…
I also spoke to my niece, who lives next to my sister, her mom. Her house got hit by a tree, but it was way too nasty right now to check the extent of the damage, if there is any. They also are without power, but since they live out in the boonies, they have generators….just in case. I guess this is one of those ‘in case’ moments. They are located about 130 miles from Galveston, so this is one seriously nasty storm.
Talked to Ick also a little while ago. He’s at work, in Dallas, and the wind is cracking one of his store’s windows. Granted, a rock had already gotten it started, but it’s being spidered even more. They were working to get it boarded up before it blows in on ‘em.
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Damage
From the NY Slimes:
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Help Out!
These are the only two places I’ve found, so far, that are Houston area specific:
If you come across any others, please let me know, and I will add them.
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Ike 3
Ike Roars Ashore in Galveston, Weakens to Category 1 Storm as Millions Lose Power
Massive Hurricane Ike weakened to a Category 1 storm Saturday morning after ravaging southeast Texas and 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 and government buildings had flooded, roads were washed out, 2.9 million people lost power and several fires burned unabated as crews could not reach them. But the biggest fear was that tens of thousands of people had defied orders to flee and would need to be rescued from submerged homes and neighborhoods.
Well, I’ve only had one check in so far. Ick’s dad seems to have weathered the storm out in Missouri City, but is without power. I’ve tried to contact my friend in the SW part of Houston, house and cell…..”all circuits are busy”. sigh… No answer at my sister’s.
Pic swiped from Ick.
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Do It Again!
I’m sure everyone has seen this by now, but I just HAD to post it!
Watching the coverage as the afternoon wore on, I kept waiting for a BIG wave to take him out again! Just for the humor.
If you couldn’t guess, Geraldo is NOT one of my favorite people. Although, I honestly don’t wish him harm, watching him get knocked around was slightly entertaining.
Question: How much would they have to pay YOU to stand out there?
Thanks for the link, Brat!
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Ike 2
I just heard from my brother in law. Everyone is off the boats, and he’s back home. I’ve got way too much family in the path of this sucker!
I don’t suppose there’s any chance it’ll make a U-turn, is there?
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Ike
I just spoke to my friend in Houston. As of now, there are no mandatory evacuations in her area. She’s got a full tank of gas, a fresh supply of batteries, an ice chest all ready for her fridge stuff, and was on her way to pick up a couple of bags of ice. In her words, “As long as I’ve got enough smokes, and at least some iced type coffee, I’ll be fine!” sigh….
I haven’t spoken to my sister or brother in law, who live outside of Huntsville, which is farther north. However, he is a tug boat captain out of Galveston, so I’m thinking he’s probably been…what would you call it….docked? Battened down?
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