WTF Rita???

Published on September 21, 2005 By Spc Nobody Special In Current Events

WTF Rita? Category 5 storm I can see, okay. But a hurricane that'll go through central Texas, and maybe on up to Dallas? That ain't (and I pick that word con mucho cuidado wahine!) Don't Waco and Killeen got enough problems without a hurricane?

I remember somebody asking the city council about Copperas Cove's disaster plan in the event of something like this. Their response, "We don't have one, Ft. Hood'll take care of us." ???!!!!!!! I guess we'll find out..........

Anybody got any news on how strong it'll be when it gets this far? They're talking a lot about how bad it'll be on the coast, but I haven't heard much about what it'll be like here, despite the fact that we're dead on the projected path. I can do 80, 90 mph winds. 120, 130 and I'm hauling ass for San Angelo.

Comments

dabe

on Sep 21, 2005

Do you think it's gonna hit Crawford?

Texas Wahine

on Sep 21, 2005

My parents are in Houston, planning to ride out the storm. They said the roads are too packed to leave so they are getting supplies and things to minimize the damage to their apartment.

They asked their apartment staff about the risk, and were told that even when Houston had the storm (hurricane?) that lingered and dumped tons and tons of water on the city that area of town stayed dry.

We'll see.

I don't like that they're staying, but I'm not the boss of them. Hehe. (Cause if I was...)

PS - I'm Texas Wahine and I approved the use of the word "ain't" in this post.

Spc Nobody Special

on Sep 21, 2005

Do you think it's gonna hit Crawford?

Man, that's a low blow.

My parents are in Houston, planning to ride out the storm

Braver than I. I've got family down that way too. I wish them good luck.

Seriously, has anybody heard anything about when it goes inland? I've heard rumors of everything from 60 mph winds up to the full force of the hurricane hitting here in the Killeen area.

Texas Wahine

on Sep 21, 2005

Michael (Myrrander) has been following it pretty closely. Next time he's around, I'll ask him what he knows.

Texas Wahine

on Sep 21, 2005

I called my dad to plead him to leave, and he said that he was following it closely (he's a super big weather buff) and that he feels like it will not be a direct hit on Houston. He said he'd know by mid tomorrow morning which way it was going to go, and he promised that if was headed straight for them that they'd leave.

Right now the roads are jammed, though.

They have food, water, batteries, gas in their car, plastic sheets (and denim, which is strange, but I guess it works) in case windows get broken, and he said something about having a safe room.

I don't know. I'm still worried. The weather channel has the winds at 175 mph right now (it eases up before landfall, right?), and the path sweeps all the way across eastern Texas and into Oklahoma and Arkansas. It also appears, from what I was looking at, to be headed straight...at...Houston.

Galveston is obviously going to be obliterated.

Yipes.

Spc Nobody Special

on Sep 21, 2005

Update, they're saying on fox news that it will be down to ONLY a category two by the time it hits Waco. For crying out loud.

They're worried that the rain alone will break the levees in New Orleans again, and my Mom in Dallas said they're saying the storms there are supposed to maybe break the levee on the Trinity River, which would cause mass flooding, since the watershed for the entire area dumps into it through a network of creeks.

Spc Nobody Special

on Sep 21, 2005

P.S. It doesn't relate, but I think Handy Hank is the ex Sir Peter Maxwell. It certainly fits his style, and he erased my first comment suggesting it was him. MUHAHAHAHAHA the truth is out there..............................

Texas Wahine

on Sep 21, 2005

They're worried that the rain alone will break the levees in New Orleans again, and my Mom in Dallas said they're saying the storms there are supposed to maybe break the levee on the Trinity River, which would cause mass flooding, since the watershed for the entire area dumps into it through a network of creeks.

Geez.

I feel really helpless and impotent right now.

Gah.

It doesn't relate, but I think Handy Hank is the ex Sir Peter Maxwell. It certainly fits his style, and he erased my first comment suggesting it was him. MUHAHAHAHAHA the truth is out there..............................

I agree...and if not him, one of his cronies. He's funny from time to time, but I just can't help but feel he's blaspheming the name of Texas with his blog title.

sunwukong

on Sep 21, 2005

A good source (if you can stay online) is the NOAA's National Hurricane Center: Link.

Note that there's an RSS feed for Rita specifically.

sunwukong

on Sep 21, 2005

For people who'd rather have a thousand (colourful) words, NASA's Hurricane Resource Page is an eyeful:

Link

Dynosoar

on Sep 22, 2005

I've been thru at least 4 hurricanes that I can remember getting damage from. In 1989 Hugo was supposed to wipe out the coast of South Carolina, instead it made landfall in Charleston, SC, and literally rode up I-26 thru the state and produced havoc inland all the way to Charlotte, NC ( well over 200 miles inland )Last year Charlie flooded the Mountains of NC, after doing a number on the Fla coast, and central Georgia.
In 1999 a minor hurricane Dennis hit Eastern North Carolina twice as it spun in and out of the Atlantic, then a week later Floyd made landfall in Wilmington, NC, just a cat 2 storm, it then rode up I-40, made a right on I-95 and dumped 0ver 20 inches of rain in eastern NC !!!! well over 100 miles into the interior of the state. The coast received very little damage, and shelters were evacuated by helicopters and boats INLAND !!!!!
Just last week Ophelia cruised the coastline for an entire week, continuous winds of 80mph are just as damaging as 120mph that blow by quickly.....

My point, when they show the cone of probability when tracking a hurricane, all shaded areas will be affected, power will be lost, streets will flood, trees will fall, shingles will be lost, and life will not be normal for some time after the storm passes...it can be an adventure, or a disaster, which all depends upon your personal preparations and proximity of initial landfall.
Personally, I'd be heading way south or north of the approaching storm....sitting in traffic for however many hours is a lot better than sitting in the dark with no electricity, impassable roads, and general chaos, for at least 3 or 4 days.....I hear San Antonio is a nice place to visit this time of year......
Just to add to my point, in the last 10 years I have replaced 2 roofs, lost 3 trees in my yard, experienced $250k in business losses ( inventory and sales ) and I live 125 miles from the coast. We have a mobile home at the beach, and in the same period of time our only damage there was to an awning, that was in disrepair before the storm.

My homeowners insurance was "Non-renewed" after Floyd, due to claims, I now have to purchase wind and flood insurance from the government, the same coverage I had now cost 3X as much........

To finish this rambling post, I reccomend if you are within a 100 mile radius of the projected storm path GET OUT !!!!!

Good Luck !!!!!

terpfan1980

on Sep 22, 2005

Do you think it's gonna hit Crawford?

That's only necessary if Sheehan is still there.

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