Hi everyone,
This hurricane season should've given me gray hairs by now if I'm ever going to get them!
If you've been monitoring the weather reports, by now, you probably know that T.S. Rita is expected to develop into a hurricane before it makes landfall some where along the Texas coast. Early forecasts seem to be placing it along the south Texas coast, but as soon as it passes Cuba, all bets are off.
Unfortunately, Houston is within the rhelm of possibilities, should the storm decide to hit the northern Texas coast. The early prediction for the south Texas coast was that it would be a Catergory III hurricane by landfall if it goes in there. That's not a V, but nonetheless a significant hurricane, particularly if it goes into a populated area.
Anyway, the weather people have said that by Tuesday, we should know something about which general direction Rita is going to take. The ink is barely dry on a new law here that enables authorities to make give a manditory evacuation order instead of the usual voluntary one. I've always ridden them out, but with Mother, I know that we couldn't be without A/C this time of year for any length of time, much less for weeks.
It would apparently take til the weekend to arrive at the south Texas coast, but then that's lots farther away than our north Texas coast, so I don't have much time to get things ready to head out. I have no idea where we'd go, but it would have to be earlier than the masses, and probably we'd have to travel farther as all the lodging within miles of here is filled with already displaced persons.
In a way, it's a bit harder when a storm comes in to the west of us as that puts us on the dirty side. Guess I'll just have to play it by ear. Hopefully, it'll pass us by if this big high pressure area continues to linger overhead. That's what's kept up safe thus far, particularly keeping Katrina away from us. At least the southern coast is much less densely populated. I'm just hoping the thing will decide to fizzle and not land anywhere.
OK, that's my nightly weather report.
Yours, Luce
Ugh, here comes another storm named "Rita"
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for you and Texas too!!
Shirley
UGH is right! Luce, the news here tonite says there's a good chance the storm could hit the Houston/Galveston area. Let's hope that it changes course drastically or peters out this week. Thinking about you and mom and hoping you will not have to evacuate.
Love,
Polly
Love,
Polly
Blessed are they who can laugh at themselves, for they shall never cease to be amused.
Lucy,
I sure hope you are able to stay home and not have to leave during this storm.
Are you taking the time for YOU? Just checking!
Hugz,
Margie
I sure hope you are able to stay home and not have to leave during this storm.
Are you taking the time for YOU? Just checking!
Hugz,
Margie
"Let us rise up and be thankful, for if we didn't learn a lot today, at least we learned a little, and if we didn't learn a little, at least we didn't get sick, and if we got sick, at least we didn't die; so, let us all be thankful." -- Buddha
Friends,
Here's what's happening.
My sister and I talked, and she thought I should go all the way to Ft.Worth rather than try to stay a little closer to home. She urged me to make the reservation immediately.
Bottom line, I ended up reserving a Hampton in Ft. Worth which is near a nice shopping mall, and near my 30 yr friend, plus a few other friends. My first choice had been a suite with a kitchen and handicap set-up, but at least I know that I did well at a Hampton with the same set-up which wasn't even a handicap room back when we just went up the road a piece and stayed one night for a reunion. I'm hoping that it's the exact same floor plan, but if not, we'll just make do.
So far, I've only contacted my closest bud there, and she said she'd be over. This location is near her, but also importantly "within walking distance" of a nice, large, enclosed mall that I've been to in the past. Unfortunately, I don't think either the hotel or the mall have a parking garage.
I'm not packing for an extended stay, but if it turns into one, I'll have easy access to anything we might need close by. In the event of flooding, should they get related heavy rainfall, this place is up high enough that that shouldn't pose a problem, and I should be able to drive to the mall without having to drive in a flood prone area.
I have until 3 PM tomorrow, I think, to cancel the first night's reservation, but I kind of doubt that will be a possibility. I suppose if the need to leave that early diminishes greatly after that, that we could just forfeit the cost of that one night, but I'll not be cancelling the next night unless I'm almost certain we're not going to loose power here.
I don't want to get in a mass exodus from other places along the more southwesterly coast who may be headed toward or through Ft. Worth/Dallas if the storm is directed at them.
Already, Galveston is being evacuated as they are more vulnerable, and tourists have already been ordered off the island. They are focusing on the handicapped and those without transportation, sending buses all over the island, and giving instructions as to what they can take on the bus with them, which includes pets in cages. Cages are being donated for those who don't have them.
Other areas that will be in harm's way should the storm stay viral and on it's current course include an area that's not too terribly south of here, and basicly everything south of I-10 will get the brunt of the fury of a large hurricane. One good thing is that if it gets here by about 5 AM Sat., that will be low tide, and thus, lessen the surge of water that comes with the hurricane. With all that wind behind the water, the water inland won't have the usual ways to run off back into the Gulf as it does in a normal heavy rainfall. That means that the areas around the bayous and the Houston Ship Channel will be highly vulnerable.
The consequences of a large storm making a direct hit on the refineries south of here are beyond imagination at this point. I certainly hope nothing happens to them. That area and Texas City, which is also currently in harms way, are probably the largest group of refineries in the world, and account for a great percentage of our refining capacity.
It is possible that both of these areas could be great harmed at the same time, not to mention all the damage that could occur to the rigs to the south of here in the Gulf in this thing's path.
One good thing is that due to Katrina, the waters up closer to the northern coast are a few degrees cooler than on a line parrallel with the southern tip of Fla, so that means as the storm turns toward the northern Tx. coast, if it does, that it's strength could be lessened a little right before it makes landfall.
On the other hand, sometimes, even the big ones, just go "poof" all of a sudden, for some reason, and that would just be super!
If the big high pressure area continues to move toward the east, the stirring currents on the west side of it which are stirring Rita straight toward Houston, could easily re-direct it as it moves east, thus directing it right into New Orleans. I'm thinking that since New Orleans is already evacuated and basicly destroyed, that that MIGHT be the best scenario other than a big "poof."
Anyway, I'm going to be very busy up until departure time, so if you don't hear from me, don't be concerned. I'm leaving the webtv connected until the last minute, so unless I just plain forget, I'm going to take it along, just in case I get a chance to plug it in someplace when in Ft. Worth.
No telling where the next evacuuees will end up as the hotels in this state are BOOKED almost completely now. Look out for those Texas tags ya'll.
Hope to be able to return home early, but if not..
Take care, everyone.
Yours, Luce
Here's what's happening.
My sister and I talked, and she thought I should go all the way to Ft.Worth rather than try to stay a little closer to home. She urged me to make the reservation immediately.
Bottom line, I ended up reserving a Hampton in Ft. Worth which is near a nice shopping mall, and near my 30 yr friend, plus a few other friends. My first choice had been a suite with a kitchen and handicap set-up, but at least I know that I did well at a Hampton with the same set-up which wasn't even a handicap room back when we just went up the road a piece and stayed one night for a reunion. I'm hoping that it's the exact same floor plan, but if not, we'll just make do.
So far, I've only contacted my closest bud there, and she said she'd be over. This location is near her, but also importantly "within walking distance" of a nice, large, enclosed mall that I've been to in the past. Unfortunately, I don't think either the hotel or the mall have a parking garage.
I'm not packing for an extended stay, but if it turns into one, I'll have easy access to anything we might need close by. In the event of flooding, should they get related heavy rainfall, this place is up high enough that that shouldn't pose a problem, and I should be able to drive to the mall without having to drive in a flood prone area.
I have until 3 PM tomorrow, I think, to cancel the first night's reservation, but I kind of doubt that will be a possibility. I suppose if the need to leave that early diminishes greatly after that, that we could just forfeit the cost of that one night, but I'll not be cancelling the next night unless I'm almost certain we're not going to loose power here.
I don't want to get in a mass exodus from other places along the more southwesterly coast who may be headed toward or through Ft. Worth/Dallas if the storm is directed at them.
Already, Galveston is being evacuated as they are more vulnerable, and tourists have already been ordered off the island. They are focusing on the handicapped and those without transportation, sending buses all over the island, and giving instructions as to what they can take on the bus with them, which includes pets in cages. Cages are being donated for those who don't have them.
Other areas that will be in harm's way should the storm stay viral and on it's current course include an area that's not too terribly south of here, and basicly everything south of I-10 will get the brunt of the fury of a large hurricane. One good thing is that if it gets here by about 5 AM Sat., that will be low tide, and thus, lessen the surge of water that comes with the hurricane. With all that wind behind the water, the water inland won't have the usual ways to run off back into the Gulf as it does in a normal heavy rainfall. That means that the areas around the bayous and the Houston Ship Channel will be highly vulnerable.
The consequences of a large storm making a direct hit on the refineries south of here are beyond imagination at this point. I certainly hope nothing happens to them. That area and Texas City, which is also currently in harms way, are probably the largest group of refineries in the world, and account for a great percentage of our refining capacity.
It is possible that both of these areas could be great harmed at the same time, not to mention all the damage that could occur to the rigs to the south of here in the Gulf in this thing's path.
One good thing is that due to Katrina, the waters up closer to the northern coast are a few degrees cooler than on a line parrallel with the southern tip of Fla, so that means as the storm turns toward the northern Tx. coast, if it does, that it's strength could be lessened a little right before it makes landfall.
On the other hand, sometimes, even the big ones, just go "poof" all of a sudden, for some reason, and that would just be super!
If the big high pressure area continues to move toward the east, the stirring currents on the west side of it which are stirring Rita straight toward Houston, could easily re-direct it as it moves east, thus directing it right into New Orleans. I'm thinking that since New Orleans is already evacuated and basicly destroyed, that that MIGHT be the best scenario other than a big "poof."
Anyway, I'm going to be very busy up until departure time, so if you don't hear from me, don't be concerned. I'm leaving the webtv connected until the last minute, so unless I just plain forget, I'm going to take it along, just in case I get a chance to plug it in someplace when in Ft. Worth.
No telling where the next evacuuees will end up as the hotels in this state are BOOKED almost completely now. Look out for those Texas tags ya'll.
Hope to be able to return home early, but if not..
Take care, everyone.
Yours, Luce
-
MaggieRedwings
- King Penguin
- Posts: 3865
- Joined: Tue May 31, 2005 3:16 am
- Location: SE Pennsylvania
Morning Luce,
Excellent plan you have in place. Please travel safe and good planning not to leave in the "exodus." Hope it does go "poof" but at this point in time that does not look like the probablility and I would hate to think of another hitting anywhere in the U.S. Everything for disasters are truly stretched to their limits.
Please take care and we are all thinking of you.
Love, Maggie
Excellent plan you have in place. Please travel safe and good planning not to leave in the "exodus." Hope it does go "poof" but at this point in time that does not look like the probablility and I would hate to think of another hitting anywhere in the U.S. Everything for disasters are truly stretched to their limits.
Please take care and we are all thinking of you.
Love, Maggie
Maggie Scarpone
___________________
Resident Birder - I live to bird and enjoy life!
___________________
Resident Birder - I live to bird and enjoy life!
Thus far, things are not going our way with this storm. It's coming in much faster than was thought when I wrote the last post, so at the present time, it looks like it's going to come in at HIGH TIDE. Not only that, but the grade has been up to maybe a IV, so we plan on V. For all I know, a V may be anticipated by now -- been too busy to listen very close.
Do know that even if we leave fairly early in the morning, evacuues are already filling up the main designated escape routes. The ones who've already been asked to leave are the ones as far north as south of NASA-MSC.
If it continues at this pace, the storm surge could bring water all the way to that location which is deemed the worst case scenario right now.
I really don't know whether this house will take on water or not. This is an eery feeling, but it's never taken on water before, so I'm hoping that the house will be ok.
My sister and bil will stay around and watch developments, and later, may head west on I-10 to Katy which is still going to get the storm, but his sister's family has a two story house, so the thinking is they could go upstairs. Their own house has a metal roof, so my sister thought they'd not be able to cut through it to get out, should that be necessary. Wow, this is so unreal having to think like this, but at least everyone seems to be taking it seriously.
My bud up in Ft. Worth called my sister, and she wants us to stay in her guest room should anything not work out for us to return here. Think that made my sis feel better, knowing that she's planning on looking out for us.
One thing I'll dread is when we loose phone contact when it gets really bad down here, but one just has to have faith.
Do think it'd be a little strange to go to a former rice patty to take refuge from a flood, but then my bil's mother lives down there also, and will probably want to be with her grandkids, so the whole kit n kabotle (sp) should be there if my sis and bil go as well.
Have some important last minute things to get someone to do for us before I leave. Hope they answer the phone early tomorrow, and follow through. Also, some reliable contractors are supposed to get another shipment of plywood tomorrow, and they're going to try to board up our windows, maybe tomorrow, but we won't know for sure.
I'm so afraid I'm going to leave something here. Can't help but leave momentos that we'd hate to loose.
Mom took it fairly well about the trip. We kind of made it seem like it was going to be fun. Sure hope we don't encounter too much traffic at the restrooms along the way, and that they are handicap friendly. Tomorrow, she may change her tune, but she seemed to go right on to sleep tonight without saying much.
It was kind of sad at first though cause she said, "I don't think I'll ever be back." Don't really know if she knew what she was saying or not -- hard to tell.
Yes, please do keep us in your prayers, and the whole area. This is really it til who knows when. I'll not be online again to the board.
Love to all,
Luce
Do know that even if we leave fairly early in the morning, evacuues are already filling up the main designated escape routes. The ones who've already been asked to leave are the ones as far north as south of NASA-MSC.
If it continues at this pace, the storm surge could bring water all the way to that location which is deemed the worst case scenario right now.
I really don't know whether this house will take on water or not. This is an eery feeling, but it's never taken on water before, so I'm hoping that the house will be ok.
My sister and bil will stay around and watch developments, and later, may head west on I-10 to Katy which is still going to get the storm, but his sister's family has a two story house, so the thinking is they could go upstairs. Their own house has a metal roof, so my sister thought they'd not be able to cut through it to get out, should that be necessary. Wow, this is so unreal having to think like this, but at least everyone seems to be taking it seriously.
My bud up in Ft. Worth called my sister, and she wants us to stay in her guest room should anything not work out for us to return here. Think that made my sis feel better, knowing that she's planning on looking out for us.
One thing I'll dread is when we loose phone contact when it gets really bad down here, but one just has to have faith.
Do think it'd be a little strange to go to a former rice patty to take refuge from a flood, but then my bil's mother lives down there also, and will probably want to be with her grandkids, so the whole kit n kabotle (sp) should be there if my sis and bil go as well.
Have some important last minute things to get someone to do for us before I leave. Hope they answer the phone early tomorrow, and follow through. Also, some reliable contractors are supposed to get another shipment of plywood tomorrow, and they're going to try to board up our windows, maybe tomorrow, but we won't know for sure.
I'm so afraid I'm going to leave something here. Can't help but leave momentos that we'd hate to loose.
Mom took it fairly well about the trip. We kind of made it seem like it was going to be fun. Sure hope we don't encounter too much traffic at the restrooms along the way, and that they are handicap friendly. Tomorrow, she may change her tune, but she seemed to go right on to sleep tonight without saying much.
It was kind of sad at first though cause she said, "I don't think I'll ever be back." Don't really know if she knew what she was saying or not -- hard to tell.
Yes, please do keep us in your prayers, and the whole area. This is really it til who knows when. I'll not be online again to the board.
Love to all,
Luce
Take care Luce, and the best of luck to you and your mother. We'll all be keeping you in our thoughts.
Love,
Wayne
Love,
Wayne
It is suspected that some of the hardest material known to science can be found in the skulls of GI specialists who insist that diet has nothing to do with the treatment of microscopic colitis.
Your post about your Mom brought tears to my eyes, Luce. I am so sorry you have to go through this, much less your Mom.
I am so glad you are going to a safer place and I truly hope all will be well and that all will be well with your home when you return.
Love, Shirley
I am so glad you are going to a safer place and I truly hope all will be well and that all will be well with your home when you return.
Love, Shirley
When the eagles are silent, the parrots begin to jabber"
-- Winston Churchill
-- Winston Churchill