Ike model runs - “spaghetti” graph.
Here’s a pretty cool site for tracking Ike. It’s got the historical track, predicted tracks, winds, and you can even put your cursor over a city and it’ll give you the distance to the eye.
Somebody called?
Cute name!
lieu: thanks for that link. Pretty neat.
Another good tracking site is:
http://www.boatus.com/hurricanes/tracking.asp
They have a variety of maps on one page, including the spaghetti model. I really like that Stormpulse site, too, though – seeing the track superimposed on the earth image somehow makes it even more impressive.
They’re now saying that one of the steering currents that would have kept Ike in a relatively unpopulated corridor between Corpus Christi and Houston won’t have as much of an influence as expected earlier, the track’s now more northerly and authorities have implemented a mandatory evacuation of the western portion of Galveston, that unprotected by a seawall. Further mandatory evacuations of four coastal counties go into play tomorrow (Thursday) morning. Actual landfall is now expected near Freeport, Texas and the storm surge for those environs could be from 15 to 22 feet. For now, a Cat 3’s predicted.
Okay, the dance has begun. A lot of us know we’re in for it but where it’ll be worst is still… you know… up in the air.
This was waiting for me this morning, a substantial collection of Ike related charts and graphs with most every kind of information available and links to each.
Hope everyone potentially impacted has what they need as the rush at hardware and grocery stores has already begun and probably wouldn’t be too much fun today. I wonder if we have any dopers that are planning to evacuate.
I left Austin last week. I think Azerbaijan is far enough away 
Here a real drought-breaker finally comes along and you’re going to miss it. I was at a conference in Austin a couple of weeks ago and was shocked at just how dry y’all are. Travis (Lakeway) was way down, lowest I ever remember seeing it and that extended for hours driving in any direction. It would appear relief is on the way.
I’m just west of Houston and the current track has the dirty side near the eye slamming right into us. We’re right on the 100 mph predicted sustained wind line. They’re also guessin’ we’ll see around 10 or more inches of rain. We’ll shelter in place unless power is off for days on end.
This should be… interesting.
That’s quite an impressive collection of information there!
Crap. My aunt and uncle live in a mobile home. They could lose everything. 
Got Mom (91) on a plane out to Albequerqe this afternoon, and I’m hunkered down in the Museum District (central Houston).
Three day weekend! Yay!
Uh…
As this one was first, I’ve had my Ike thread closed and will post here instead.
Hung around the office until 5PM because contractors were repairing the floor and doing some work on the wiring. Hope it doesn’t get all flooded out in a couple of days.
Heard I-45 from the Loop to Conroe was a parking lot; took the Hardy instead and if anything the traffic was lighter than usual; this despite tolls being canceled for the weekend.
Gotta go back in tomorrow morning to cover a damaged window in the warehouse, then back home to hang out. Guess I’ll do some cleaning around the place while waiting the thing out. Pathetic, eh?
Have you guys seen the text of some of this stuff coming out of NOAA, an agency not particularly known for hysteria and panic? I tell you, if the evacuation order ever involves the words “will face certain death,” I’m going to be out of there before they finish the sentence.
LIFE THREATENING INUNDATION LIKELY!
ALL NEIGHBORHOODS…AND POSSIBLY ENTIRE COASTAL COMMUNITIES…
WILL BE INUNDATED DURING THE PERIOD OF PEAK STORM TIDE. PERSONS
NOT HEEDING EVACUATION ORDERS IN SINGLE FAMILY ONE OR TWO STORY
HOMES WILL FACE CERTAIN DEATH. MANY RESIDENCES OF AVERAGE
CONSTRUCTION DIRECTLY ON THE COAST WILL BE DESTROYED. WIDESPREAD
AND DEVASTATING PERSONAL PROPERTY DAMAGE IS LIKELY ELSEWHERE.
VEHICLES LEFT BEHIND WILL LIKELY BE SWEPT AWAY. NUMEROUS ROADS
WILL BE SWAMPED…SOME MAY BE WASHED AWAY BY THE WATER. ENTIRE
FLOOD PRONE COASTAL COMMUNITIES WILL BE CUTOFF. WATER LEVELS MAY
EXCEED 9 FEET FOR MORE THAN A MILE INLAND. COASTAL RESIDENTS IN
MULTI-STORY FACILITIES RISK BEING CUTOFF. CONDITIONS WILL BE
WORSENED BY BATTERING WAVES. SUCH WAVES WILL EXACERBATE PROPERTY
DAMAGE…WITH MASSIVE DESTRUCTION OF HOMES…INCLUDING THOSE OF
BLOCK CONSTRUCTION. DAMAGE FROM BEACH EROSION COULD TAKE YEARS TO
REPAIR.
Take care, guys.
ETA - Well, I was first to post this when I opened the window…
I can certainly see why Galveston is worried about hurricanes, what with the history and all…yikes, that reminds me of the NOAA updates I was convinced were fakes (they weren’t) before Katrina! :eek:
Don’t be stupid, get out of the way!
it is good to see that the weather service has learned not to mince words.
it looks like it could be 1900 again. esp. on the southern part of the island that doesn’t have the seawall, and buildup. i saw pictures this aft. of houses on the south part of the island. the ocean was knocking on their doors already.
i’d be heading for nebraska!
{{{Texas Coast}}}
This is the first time we’ve ever put up plywood. It’s been cut it to fit and we’ll watch tomorrow to see which side of the house to protect as right now, being directly in the eye path, a little deviation east or west would make a big difference in our wind dynamics. After that it was off to help our handicapped neighbor get his ready and all while the sounds of four other neighbors installing theirs filled the air. We agreed it’s a bit like getting your house ready for a prize fight.
Pretty amazing to see how an event like this grips not just a large city (4th biggest in US) but actually a respectable portion of an entire state. From Port Arthur to Sabine Pass and north to Waco and beyond we hear of preparations being made. Like El_Kabong said, the expressways out, while perhaps less chaotic than during Rita, are nevertheless absolutely no picnic. Apparently, even beach combers as far away as Fort Walton gathered to watch the big breakers come in. And as bad as this may be, thank goodness Florida, Bama, Mississip and Louzana will be spared real damage this time. Seems like the past few years they’ve endured far more than their fair share.
Good luck, everyone. Post when you can.
Mr Rebo has already installed plywood on one window, and cut two more pieces for the southern facing windows. These three windows are brand new, installed in the last year. We don’t have enough for every window, but enough for all the new double paned ones we installed.
And he found some bread at the store! w00t! It’s amazing how fast the stores run out of stuff. It took me an hour to get gas this morning. I waited 30 minutes in one line, until I got so fed up with this one idiot who couldn’t operate the pump. I’m sure he was frustrated, too, but he started banging the nozzle on the ground!!!
I left and after two gas stations with no gas, I found one that I only had to wait for three people.
Then I took the dogs to the dog park to let them get a good run in.
This is looking like a big pain in the ass - hopefully thats all it will be.
::crossing fingers::
I’m in the Clear Lake City area and unless the Friday morning report is horrible I’m staying right here.
All the small, not-tied-down stuff is off the lawn and the windows are rated for 100 MPH, I have, food, water and meds.
(If things get real bad I’ll go hang out with El_Kabong at the shop)
Unclviny