Hurricane IKE Rollcall...

[SHANEA]

Shane.....Is the power restored in Nacogdoches?   I saw a lot of damage in Trinity and Tyler counties when I was coming home from Waco.

Main arterys areas seem to have power restored.  Life is returning to somewhat normal.  School started back today for the local kiddos.  Driving around last night, large vast parts of the city are still in the dark.  I'm still w/o power and am surviving on a great investment I made several years ago for R2D2 - the Honda EU3000 generator.  It's a gas miser.  Along with my ATT wireless internet card.  A number of houses sustained some pretty good damage - but it's hit and miss - it's not like every 3rd house or anything.  Maybe 1 in a 100 or so?  Lots of trees down, - but what do you expect when there are a Brazillion trees around here.  Evacuee shelters are still full with those that basically have nothing left and no where to go.   Thankfully it's cool outside.   Hopefully my/our government steps in and helps out these folks that need help the most - in rebuilding their lives - having a roof over their head, basic necessities, employment, etc.  I'm all for it.  Contracters set a slew of new poles yesterday on my street - waiting on the power people to come out and play with the silly string to get everything untangled.  Neighbors helping neighbors around here - I like it.  Those that have power/generators are lending power to others.  Keeping each other safe from doing stupid things with generators, looking out for each other, cleaning each others yards, etc.  I emptied my fridge/freezer yesterday into the dipsy dumpster - ice cream had obviously melted and refrozen - thus everything was suspect.   

[tjavery]

This is very interesting. Shows wind speeds from the event. Not sure if this is based on predicted pre-landfall estimates or actual data from the storm during landfall.

http://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2008/09/13/us/20080913-ike-map.html#

I've been searching for actual wind data from the storm. I'm curious about wind speeds in specific areas like our neighborhood. If you've found any source of measured wind data, please post a link. Thanks!

[SHANEA]

During the storm I had been observing the weather/wind from the SFASU observatory - little did I know that the observatory lost power during the storm and was not on backup - I'm not sure what data I was looking at - it wasn't static, but it wasn't actual either. 

[East Texan]

Something to cheer everyone up.  Look how green the desert is!

[badknees]

This is very interesting. Shows wind speeds from the event. Not sure if this is based on predicted pre-landfall estimates or actual data from the storm during landfall.

http://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2008/09/13/us/20080913-ike-map.html#

I've been searching for actual wind data from the storm. I'm curious about wind speeds in specific areas like our neighborhood. If you've found any source of measured wind data, please post a link. Thanks!

This isn't exactly what you were looking for but interesting

7:20 am ET

Ike's winds are still very strong. Houston's Hobby airport reported sustained winds at 74 mph and gusting winds at 92 mph at about 6 am CT.


3:25 am ET

There is 6 feet of water in the downtown Galveston County courthouse.

Wind gusts in metro Houston are ranging from 70 to 85 mph.

Some of the strongest winds are being found along the west end of Galveston Bay in locations such as Clear Lake, Kemah, Seabrook, Shoreacres, and La Porte where winds are in the 85 to 105 mph range.

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3:10 am ET

The very large center of Hurricane Ike has made landfall over the city of Galveston and Port Bolivar.

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2:14 am ET

The Weather Channel's own Mike Bettes recorded wind gusts of 98 and 101 mph around 2 am ET on his portable anemomenter. He is located near the Johnson Space Center in far southeastern Houston.

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2:00 am ET

A wind gust of 83 mph was recently measured at Freeport, Texas.

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1:30 am ET

The Southeast Texas Regional Airport northwest of Port Arthur has recently clocked a gust of 84 mph.

Meanwhile, the surge keeps on rising. Cameron, Louisiana, has measured a water level rise of 11.51 feet while Sabine Pass, Texas, has recently measured a water level rise of 11.96 feet.

Speaking of Sabine Pass, winds are sustained at 67 mph and gusting to 95 mph.

10:15 pm ET

Galveston is reporting sustained winds of 54 mph and gusts to 72 mph. Cameron, Louisiana, recently recorded a wind gust to 73 mph.

[WL2]

Just got internet back a few minutes ago.  No real damage to the house.  Two limbs came down and one took our my electrical service entrance box and the other took out the water meter.  How was that for dead shot aim.  Anyway all is repaired and we are slowly getting back to normal.  Have friends who lost beach houses in Bolivar.  Power is still out at my Son's house in Houston.

[SHANEA]

Welcome Back WL2.  I knew you were A-Ok as when I called your house the other day, you were at work!

Yes, shame about Boliver and Crystal Beach.  Buddy's house on the 3rd row is gone.  Swept clean.  Partied there many times.  He might be beach front now.  Of course, he fears that the dune line might have changed so much that he is now propertyless.  But, he took it in stride and took off with the wife to NYC to drown his sorrows, see a Yankee game, catch the Baylor Bears, etc... 

[SHANEA]

Calvary arrived at my homestead today-in the form of Oncor. Slew of bucket trucks and workers restringing it all.  I'll miss the cold showers and pork'n'beans... 

[uh_clem]

Calvary arrived at my homestead today-in the form of Oncor. Slew of bucket trucks and workers restringing it all.  I'll miss the cold showers and pork'n'beans... 

Angels in heavenly bucket trucks bringing the divine power. 

[SHANEA]

Calvary arrived at my homestead today-in the form of Oncor. Slew of bucket trucks and workers restringing it all.  I'll miss the cold showers and pork'n'beans... 

Angels in heavenly bucket trucks bringing the divine power. 

and there was light, and it was good.  Now, If I can get a slewgazzle of Suddenlink bucket trucks out.   

[mule ears]

Calvary arrived at my homestead today-in the form of Oncor. Slew of bucket trucks and workers restringing it all.  I'll miss the cold showers and pork'n'beans... 

I remember the week of no power after Fran when we finally got weak and headed to town for some hot food. We passed an looonnnngggg line of utility trucks going the other way like a parade. When we got back home the power was on!!! Good thing we flashed our lights and honked in appreciation for those guys when we passed them.

Glad to hear you are getting back to normal.

[SHANEA]

I'm surprised they don't charge for this work. 

Let's see, to get you and your neighbors electricity, we will need six new poles, 11 transformers, 3/4 mile of copper, 46 man hours, - thus each household in your area  will need to cough up $11,232.22 - easy payment plan available.

[mbent]

Yeah, when our lights finally came on I did a triple take...flicked the switch several times in disbelief...kinda miss stumbling around in the dark...
we spent 8 hours in ER downtown last night at methodist...very sad...many very ill very elderly and lots of people w/broken bones from falling down in the dark.
Downtown buildings look bizarre w/all the broken windows...check out this link for amazing pics...
http://www.boston.com/bigpicture/2008/09/the_short_but_eventful_life_of.html

[STARLITDARKNESS3]

Incredibly busy.  still no power, but the family is ok, thank god.  Lost a car to a tree, lost 6 trees to the wind.  The whole house was covered by limbs and debris.  We will pull thru.  FEMA trying to help, there was water and ice available by Sunday.  I have to say that was pretty quick, although their coordination leaves much to be desired.  Still, they are here and helping.  power may be restored by after the 25th in my area.  Hope everybody else is ok.  See you all in the Bend.

[East Texan]

Just got back from Beaumont.  Damage is minimal compared to Rita.
Lots of trees and power lines down but I did not see as much structural damage as was the case with Rita 3 yrs ago.  My mother-in-law's home was untouched.  Fence down, but it needed replacing anyway.  Still no power because of a fluke.  Her entire neighborhood has underground power and all has been restored except her home and seven others.  That was because a big limb fell on the transformer box that fed her house and seven others.  So, that puts her on the low end of the list.  Still lots of above ground repairs going on and the work that gets the most customers on line gets the priority.  Repairs to a transformer that only serves 7 is still low priority now.  So we don't know when she will get power.  At least I cleaned her refridgerator and freezer before the storm so I don't have to go through that again.  I think cleaning out a freezer full of spoiled meat was the worst thing I ever did.  I really feel for anyone faced with that job.  I did learn a trick - AFTER - I cleaned it out.  If you are faced with a job like this, use a paper mask and put some Vicks Vap-O-Rub inside the mask.  It will keep you from gagging!!

 

I hope everyone out there is recovering without too much anguish.  Mom-In-Law was one of the lucky ones.