This is a “sticky” post that remains at top so that you can watch the progess of Ike. Click images for full size or the link below them for an animated loop.
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UPDATE:
Latest Buoy Observations near Hurricane Ike
Zoomable map of Ike Radar loop of Ike
Galveston Hurricane of 1900
http://www.cnn.com/SPECIALS/2000/galveston/
http://www.nhc.noaa.gov/HAW2/english/history.shtml#galveston
Live video from Houston TV station KTRK ABC13:
http://abclocal.go.com/ktrk/livenow?id=6384042
The surge is already moving in and it’s obvious this is going to be devastating.
Three little pigs decide to build houses, One builds in straw, one builds in wood and one builds in brick. Along come the big bad wolf called Ike who huffs and puffs——-I’m sure everyone gets the picture.
Are there any brick houses in Galveston that are built 20 + feet above the potential flood plain? If not, it sounds like there will be many Darwin awards in the next hours. What words in the sentence “Leave Galveston of die” do these silly citizens not get? Sadly, maybe some people are too stupid to live, but they will still die regretted by someone. Let us hope the storm surge does not arrive.
I think most of the storm surge has already arrived.
Already reports of people on their roofs in Galveston area. Some tying themselves together. There’s no way to get to them.They will be riding this storm out were they are.
How sad. They were told and did not listen.
brian, tht aviation visible is very good. you can click through it and see the eye and storm getting worse over a matter of 40 minutes with more organization
Joe Bastardi is on Fox News explaining that this is not the type of storm surge that we are used to. It will be magnified by the concurrent high tide, the very shallow shelf and the way that the shoreline to the north is funneling the wind int the bay. I hope he is very wrong.
Fresh water is the most important thing.
There will be no electricty to run the water plants.
The sea water will contaminate the fresh water.
Fullup your bathtubs and what ever else you can with fresh water.
Good luck to all, because Houston and Texas is in for a bumpy 12 hours. Buckle your seat belts and hold on tight.
It is too late to get off the ride now.
Good luck!
Those that have stayed with children. You can expect this. A quote from a weather forum.
“A family of six stayed in Surfside (south of Galveston), they had them on the morning news when the flooding started. They just said they had to rescue them via CG helicopter. When they got to dry land the parents were arrested for child endangerment.”
I just read an article that suggests that the bay side surge may be higher than the Gulf side published 3 hours ago. The bay side has no seawall … That would wash away the apartment I lived in 20 years ago. It will live on in a Google street view. A sort of electronic ghost town. How strange.
http://www.livescience.com/environment/080911-ike-storm-surge.html
I hate to say it, but what we are watching unfold may be the worst case scenario.
Peerreviewer,
Yeah, that’s a good site for sat images. It updates every couple minutes or so. With landfall expected sometime during the overnight, Ike has more time to strengthen, if it chooses.
Actually it is still not too late to leave… the causeway will be open til 11 pm, and any car can outrun that thing… if you leave early enough. I would say you better get off the island NOW…
Look… if it’s a 20′ storm surge it is definitely survivable. If NHC knew what Bastardi knows, that the storm surge would be greatly amplified by geology and tides, then they should have told the people making decisions to stay or go. If the storm surge turns out to be double what was predicted…
God help Galveston.
This is the time of the Book of. Life roll call.
The Big book is opened and the Great One takes a look to see who is granted another year.
Our Good deeds and our bad actions all will be judged.
If those who stay make it through this challenge they may very well be granted another year to live and tell about their experience.
It is time for the book of life to be opened.
This storm surge is not a typical “hurricane” storm surge – i.e. it is not a small spike of elevated water near the eye. It is more akin to what accompanies big North Sea storms. Think “slow tsunami.” The dome of elevated water currently stretches from NoLA to Galveston and is slowly shifting west. Presently there is still a 10 foot surge in the right rear quadrant, over 200 miles from the eye. Most people just don’t get it. This is a freak storm.
And another thing is the waves on top of the surge. Your looking at 20-30ft waves on top of the 15-20+ft surge. When Ike hit Cuba, water was up to 50ft high in some areas with the surge and waves. Just incredible.
I’ve been emailing a friend in Houston. Needless to say she’s not happy.
Just read that Galveston police are asking those who stay to write their name in permanent black marker on an arm……!
No doubt Galverston is going to get it. I’ve been there; flat. The ocean will roll over it. My concern is the precautions taken by the refineries in Texas City.
Here in Canada, gas has gone up 13-15 cents due to this not every strong hurricane; and Canada is a net oil exporter!!!!
It looks like the storm surge in Galveston was about 18 to 20 feet. I feel better about the prospects of those who decided to remain on the island. I think the NHC’s warning of certain death will turn out to have been an exaggeration for effect.
OT
Global warming causing ice caps to grow – New Scientist
http://www.americanthinker.com/blog/2008/09/new_scientist_sea_ice_increase.html
Not as bad as predicted. Tide gauges in Galveston. Essentially all of the houses in Galveston are two stories tall or higher.
Eagle Point: 10.14 feet
Pier 21: 10.69 feet
Pleasure Pier 9.19 feet
Freeport: 5.44 feet
The tide levels appear slightly lower than forecast and underscore the fact that a strike on Galveston Island’s east end produced a lower overall surge across the island. Forecasters now say the maximum tide in Galveston Island was probably 15 feet or less.
http://blogs.chron.com/sciguy/archives/2008/09/ike_slamming_in.html
Is anyone able to give an honest update of the severity of the situation yet?
Yaakoba,
Try http://abclocal.go.com/ktrk/livenow?id=6384042 for a realtime report.
Looks like the damage in Galveston is much less than was predicted.
http://images.chron.com/photos/2008/09/13/13003323/600xPopupGallery.jpg
Thank you Perry, but I am only able to use a hand held computer right now so some things I am not able to get.
I would imagine that the damage is wife spread.
They will be places that have less damage than others.
The thing of it is, this storm is still very strong. It is not finished yet.
There is Baytown and other areas that will suffer much damage yet.
I wonder if the underground tunnel from baytown to the other side is still functional.
There is a lot of bay in the area other than Galvesto