Houston...we have a problem!, Here comes Rita

AlexGT

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Oh dang! I think hurricane Rita is headed our way (Houston) :awman: I lived thru several huracanes in south Texas but not sure here in Houston about the flodding, anyone lived in Houston thru a hurricane? how's the flooding? Thinking about going to San Antonio this weekend.

AlexGT
 

BIGIRON

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Google up some pics from Tropical Storm Allison.
i8-wheelers floating down Hwy 59, etc. There's no place safe from a hurricane except maybe Fargo, ND, eh?
 

bwaites

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Fargo might be safe from hurricanes, but the Red River floods and that isn't such a good thing!!

It's usually worse up the road in Grand Forks, though!

Central Washington is pretty good for avoiding flooding, but every now and then some mountain blows up and covers us in ash!!

Bill
 

AlexGT

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I googled up some pics :eek:, now I'm worried! :aaa:

I think im going to hit the local WM to stock up just in case.

AlexGT
 

James S

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I think im going to hit the local WM to stock up just in case.

As we've learned from Katrina, bugging in when flooding is expected is not a good thing to do.

stock up on what you need for the car to get the heck out if it comes to you. The only good news so far is that it's far enough out that it could hit just about anywhere from the yucatan to sanibel island again. Or even NOLA!

So keep an eye on the proceedings
 

bobisculous

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Must remember though, Allison came and stalled out over us. Didnt move for days... Rita is booking it towards us, should hit and be gone soon. Some flooding of course, but as bad as Allison, I dont know. In general, Houstons draining aint all that bad. Rarely ever does something like Allison happen. I was at the local grocery store today, not a bottle of water in the store...ALL gone. Everyone is wigging out it seemed...and thats at 60 miles inland. Nothing near what happened in LA is going to happen in Houston if it even hits us. I doubt anything like Allison will even occur.

Cameron
 

AlexGT

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Thanks for the link James S! I been watching on NOAA, Weather channel and other weather related sites and they all put the probable center of the storm by friday night very close or in Houston, it doesn't look good.

Found a link to Houston flood maps here, in case anyone want's to check the flood map of your area:

http://maps.tsarp.org/website/tsarp_firm/viewer.htm

You input your address or zip code and it will give you a flood map, and If I read it correctly, my address does not have a flood hazard.

I think I'll probably pack my stuff and leave for the weekend. Not sure if I should go to San Antonio or Austin or somewhere else.

AlexGT
 

BIGIRON

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FWIW - started calling for motel reservations in San Antonio at 0500. Took almost an hour to locate a couple of rooms. I do believe Katrina got peoples attention.
 

TorchMan

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Yep, this is looking bad. I never thought I'd pray for a high pressure system to stay, but I'm hoping the one over Houston stays (it's my so called understanding that the pressure lsystem eaving means higher chance of it coming here) for another week or two.

I've got water and canned food enough to last six days. Of course flashlights and batteries should not be a problem, especially since I have approx. fifty CR123 cells. I've no plans to evacuate at this time, and nowhere to go anyway. I was a teenager when the last one hit here, Alicia I think it was. Thought it was kinda neat when the storm was here, being without power for three days wasn't though. Now that I'm older, and supposedly wiser, I'm worried.

Uncle Jimbo: "Oh my God Ned, it's comin' right for us!"
Ned: "I'm scared..."
 

LukeK

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Bobisculous is right -- as long as it doesn't stall over the area it shouldn't be too bad. Luckily there are no levees to break and the seawall at Galveston usually provides a good amount of protection. The underground tunnelway and some of the lower lying areas around the bayous in Houston are subject to flooding, but generally serious flooding is only after prolonged heavy rain. Fortunately for me, my house and the rest of my family are in areas that don't flood. Good luck to everyone else in the area.
 

picard

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have you guys noticed that all the recent hurricane seem to bear feminine names? I wonder if it is coincidence the women are getting really angry at us:crackup: :thinking:
 

C4LED

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Make a list of what you think you'll need (see other related threads) and start preparing ASAP!

Buy the stuff you'll need before it's gone. AC adaptor for the car cig. lighter is good for recharging cell phones. Get all your finanical/important documents and copies ready and protected if you've got to move. Figure out what the smallest and most valuable things you have are if you have to get out fast--laptops, gold/etc...

Load up stuff in the car and the in the safest parts of the house in advance and make water proof as much as possible. Don't forget lots of water storage just to flush the toilets if the power's out long enough that the water stops running...

Don't forget the flashlights! ;-)

Here are some go-bag sites:

http://www.nyc.gov/html/oem/html/readynewyork/prep_gobag.html

http://www.sff.net/people/doylemacdonald/emerg_kit.htm

http://www.thegallos.com/gobag.htm
 

AlexGT

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I went to my local Wally world, All the flashlight aisle was empty, all the AA batteries were gone, the water was gone, I was lucky enough to get 15 gallons and 20 bottled units of water, The place was really crowded, I will have to use the home filter to get a few gallons more, I am going to use one of the bathtubs as water storage for the house, I bought 92 AA and have lots of 123's in stock, Already stocked up on ice, assorted cans, and food to last me a few days.

Let's see how it goes. apparently it's going to hit south of Galveston, Anyone knows if I-10 west floods? how about 290 north or 59 north? what is the evacuation route? Only been here 2.5 years and not sure where to drive.

AlexGT
 

TorchMan

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AlexGT,

I can tell you that yes, I-10 floods. During Allison, I-10 was a riverway. Any part of it inside Loop 610 is vulnerable to heavy rains. Much dramatic news footage of 18 wheeler's trailer tops showing was taken there in Allison. And even a helicopter rescue or two. As a general rule, any part of the freeway you are on that is below the feeder road has great potential to hold water.

I'm not sure about outside the loop or the Beltway. I don't really remember about 290 north or 59 north. Only other thing I can suggest is typing in a business address into the flood link for a section of freeway you want to check.

Check the Chronicle's webite or by a paper. I watched the new earlier but don't remember the evac. routes.
 

PlayboyJoeShmoe

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I'm about 70 miles from where we were when Alicia hit in '83. If Rita makes cat 4 or 5 as some predict, and hits near San Luis Pass like Alicia did....

I don't feel like it's far enough by half!

We are on a water well, and can run it by generator, so at least THAT's covered. I have enough lights and batteries no problem. Even during Allison they didn't get it too bad up here so I ain't worried about flood. Damn trees could be a problem.

As for you Alex, 290 may be the safest direction and MIGHT be easier than the next best I-45 direction.... I'd say come on up here, but we got a packed house already!
 

DieselDave

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I still think it's a little early to be very certain of where it's going. The high pressure may pull back a little faster that what they are showing at this point.

I may be nuts but I think they may cheat the course a little to the west or south of where the indicators say it will go. In my conspiracy theory I base this on the reality that the storms seem to usually hit a little east of where they predict. The answer to why they do this is; Most storms travel from east to west. If they storm is forecast to pass by you and you have any sense you prepare or evacuate even though they say it will pass by and impact further west. Those that are west of the predicted path are far less apt to prepare than those east of the forecast path because the storm is not forecast to get that far west. If you cheat the prediction west then you encourage a few more people to prepare. Couple that with the fact that there are potential problems out to about 100 miles west of impact and the incentive is there to cheat. People are learning but many still focus on where the eye is forecast to make landfall.

I just looked at Noaa.gov and went to the "satellite imagery" I chose the "visible loop" for the "GOES storm floater 1". I believe I see a little more northern track than forecast. I have seen this on other storms as well. Try it yourself, make sure you select "Trop Fcst Pts" at the right top of the screen after the loop starts to see the forecast points.

The problem for Houston is even if the eye impacts 50-100 miles north east of the current prediction they still have a problem.
 

bobisculous

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Holy Shmoley. I have never seen my area so focused on one priority...to get bottled water. Wherever this hurricane ends up going, I expect my Canon XT to get a good workout. The only thing I need are some CR123s. If anyone around here, NE Houston to be exact can help me out if you got way more than enough, let me know. I would prefer not to pay the 8.99/battery at Best Buy or even more at the grocery store :-/
PM me if you can help me out...thanks,

I have never seen people so dire to get gasoline too. I did not see it, but their were apparently lines, endless lines, for gas. Being that I am 60-80 miles inland, thats incredible. I was not around for Allicia but I hear my little town became an Island for a week with no water or electricity.

What I am more worried about is what the gas prices are going to be like once this goes around. Just as prices were working their way back to 2.65ish, another storm is on the way, and destined for an even more vital area. I imagine, if this does hit us as a Cat. 3 or more, you will see prices over 4 bucks a gallon. We'll have to see. Whatever happens, be safe, think first, and God be with you.

Cameron
 

AlexGT

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Hi Diesel Dave!

I hope your conspiracy theory is wrong here, since the track says it will probably be to the south of houston, like Port Lavaca, or Victoria Tx. if you shift it a little to the east is right over Houston.

Anyway, the gas lines are getting crazy here, I filled my car at 6:30 am and there already was a 4-5 car line, Texans go get gas early!!!

Anyone knows how much time would an inverter hooked to just a car battery would power a TV?

AlexGT
 

DieselDave

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Alex,
Right now the forecast is for the worst side of the storm, the right side to hit Houston. I would rather have the eye of the storm pass directly over my house than have it pass 20-30 miles west of me. Point being, Houston is in a terrible spot on the current forecast. A shift to the right / east of 50 miles is worse because it would still be just west of Houston. Houston has something coming one way or another. I always tell family and friends. I need to be more than 100 miles east of the storm and more than 30 miles west of the storm to escape severe damage.

Be safe.
 

BIGIRON

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AlexGT - just buy a cheap 3way b/w tv and run it direct off 12v batt. I think CVS (Eckerds) has them for like $24.95, but I'm working from memory. Problem I've had with cheap inverters running tv's is the electrical noise (static) produced by the inverter.

You can also buy 12v bulbs to replace your 110v bulbs and run them off battery too. Need to get them at hardware store or camper supply.

Of course, it's probably impossible to get any of this stuff at this late time.
 
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