Hurricane Harvey

[DegenerateDish]

Praying it turns into open water (most common for September).  But on a similar trajectory to devastating september hurricanes Hugo and the 1900 Galveston monster.

I find the formation and tracking of hurricanes fascinating, in that you have these massive storms, moving slowly from thousands of miles away, and so many things can change the trajectory and intensity.

One major problem with Irma is Jose is starting to form right behind Irma. Obviously days away from knowing more.

[forgetful]

I find the formation and tracking of hurricanes fascinating, in that you have these massive storms, moving slowly from thousands of miles away, and so many things can change the trajectory and intensity.

One major problem with Irma is Jose is starting to form right behind Irma. Obviously days away from knowing more.

Agreed.  Ever since I was in my first hurricane I've been fascinated with their formation and tracking. 

[real chili 83]

 Newsie, are you in the path of the latest one?  Irma is it?  Cat 5

[4everwarriors]

Bedder load up on sum that juice, ai na?

[muwarrior69]

I guess its time for a resident of Houston to lend perspective.

We were not in the path of the Hurricane Harvey eye, like Hurricanes IKE and ALICIA....but we were on the "dirty" side of its tail and it dumped epic amounts of rain on the city.

My subdivision had 58 inches of rain, and average throughout Houston was 35 plus inches. Biggest I have seen in almost 40 years here.

Recall for those of you that have been here...Houston is on hill less coastal plain. Over decades, the US Army corps has done an amazing job with bayous (think very large man made river ditches) and huge reservoirs . The roads and freeways are also sunken, serving as a backup water escape system. (this is why you see so many pics of flooded roads...its intentional).

In this storm every reservoir and bayou broke all records...yes its qualified as a 500 year flood. I am next to the Addicks Reservoir which peaked at a record 108 ft deep before the Corp opened flood gates early Monday...because the whole dam might have broken....flooding all of Houston for months(think Katrina and multiply it)

None of us left our homes, unless ordered to evacuate and  yet all of us felt the very real fear of water beyond human control. My home and the homes of my kids are fine....none of can drive anywhere for quite awhile though and all business and travel is suspended.

The toll will take many weeks to tally. Houston is uniquely well designed to handle tons of rain...its not our first rodeo. Think of what would occur if you had 58 inches of rain over 72 hours. That we have had minimal loss of life and home flooding in only hundreds of thousands of homes is miraculous and a testament to our advanced  systems.

This was worse than any hurricane or tropical storm here before, and the sheer amounts of water have me shopping for an ark. Houston, however,  is an extremely resilient, charitable city....you wont even hear much about this within a month or so...and thats the way we like it.

Let me know if this helped or if still you have questions

My prayers are with you and your family. It took us about 3 weeks to get back to a semblance of normalcy after Sandy and we live 50 miles from the shore areas that were really hit hard. My family was fortunate not to suffer any major damage and we only lost power for about 18 hours while most were out for a week or more and those down by the shore were out a month just when the weather was starting to turn cold. Some of our friends have/had summer homes down by the shore. Those that had flood insurance were able to recover those that had none really struggled. From my limited experience, of all those billions that were appropriated for Sandy little of it went to people that really needed help in re-building; much of it went into providing immediate assistance and temporary housing or shelter. The other thing to watch for are all the unscrupulous contractors that will gouge folks desperately wanting to repair their homes.

[forgetful]

The other thing to watch for are all the unscrupulous contractors that will gouge folks desperately wanting to repair their homes.

Is it unscrupulous contractors gouging folks, or simply free-market capitalism.  After a natural disaster there is a shortage of contractors, a shortage of building supplies etc.  Some are willing/able to pay far more for the same services, so prices go up.  That's the free market economy at work that most here want to dictate everything.

I mention this, because it seems that a lot of people advocate for free-market capitalism when it suits there argument, and then in cases where it doesn't suit them, refer to the people as unscrupulous/terrible. One can't have it both ways.

[real chili 83]

Good lord Newsie,  you are directly in the path of the Hurricane.  Hope you and your family stay safe.  Keep us posted.

[GooooMarquette]

Good lord Newsie,  you are directly in the path of the Hurricane.  Hope you and your family stay safe.  Keep us posted.

+1

[Benny B]

Dammit, brew.... pay your damn photobucket bill.

[DegenerateDish]

Katia is now forming in the very southern Gulf of Mexico, very fascinating time in the Atlantic tropics. PR and the Leewards could get the double hammer of Irma and Jose, although Jose could continue to drift northward.

[rocket surgeon]

  gotta love their tracking models it can either go west then north, a little less west then north, slightly less west then north, ummm, duhhh  no wonder carnival has got some great prices for cruises right now

[forgetful]

  gotta love their tracking models it can either go west then north, a little less west then north, slightly less west then north, ummm, duhhh  no wonder carnival has got some great prices for cruises right now

Usually within 2-3 days they are fairly accurate.  Longer than that and there are too many variables that can shift.  Subtle changes in jet stream, bermuda high pressure can cause a 1000 mile shift in the track of a hurricane at the 4-5 day intervals. 

Right now the worst case scenarios may be heading further west and restrengthening before hiding Houston (again) or NO as a category 4+.  Either would be borderline catastrophic. 

[Tugg Speedman]

Hurricane Harvey has really destroyed Houston. I think it is going to take many years for the city to recover .  Thought needs to be given to the wisdom of  relocating in the flood zones.

Funny ... I'm watching Houston beat the Yankees in front of packed stadiums and hysterical crowds.  Ditto the Texans home games this season.  And the Houston Rockets were sold for $2.2 billion (a record) after Harvey made landfall.

Lots of cities would love to be "destroyed" like this.

[forgetful]

Funny ... I'm watching Houston beat the Yankees in front of packed stadiums and hysterical crowds.  Ditto the Texans home games this season.  And the Houston Rockets were sold for $2.2 billion (a record) after Harvey made landfall.

Lots of cities would love to be "destroyed" like this.

I'll remind my students whose homes were destroyed and their possessions ruined, whose families still do not have a roof over their head that "lots of cities and people" would love to be destroyed like them.

Seriously, do you think before you post?

[wadesworld]

I'll remind my students whose homes were destroyed and their possessions ruined, whose families still do not have a roof over their head that "lots of cities and people" would love to be destroyed like them.

Seriously, do you think before you post?

He doesn’t. He talks with the most conviction and literally is always wrong. It’s awesome.

[GooooMarquette]

Funny ... I'm watching Houston beat the Yankees in front of packed stadiums and hysterical crowds.  Ditto the Texans home games this season.  And the Houston Rockets were sold for $2.2 billion (a record) after Harvey made landfall.

Lots of cities would love to be "destroyed" like this.

Damage estimates of $150-$180 billion; 77 people dead.  Yeah, I'm sure they loved it.

wtf, man?

[naginiF]

I'll remind my students whose homes were destroyed and their possessions ruined, whose families still do not have a roof over their head that "lots of cities and people" would love to be destroyed like them.

Seriously, do you think before you post?

I think that the post highlights the crux of the issue.  He watches something on TV that shows one group of people or comes from one select set of sources, and extrapolates that to be the truth for all.  In this case, TV shows a bunch of happy rich (or well off enough to have disposable income to afford these events) people reveling in an incredible distraction from real world issues, therefore the other 99% of people are doing great.

Shockingly narrow or selective world view.  Extrapolating an assumption about a whole group of people based on the observance of a few is called what again?

[Tugg Speedman]

Damage estimates of $150-$180 billion; 77 people dead.  Yeah, I'm sure they loved it.

wtf, man?

See your problem is you have to be politically correct.  Cain says an outrageous statement based on ignorance and fake news that the fourth largest city in the US is "destroyed" and the ENTIRE CITY will take years to recover.  Yes, it is bad in certain areas but a metropolitan area of six million is not even close to being "destroyed."  But we cannot say that because it seems like we don't care.

More people have been killed in Chicago since Harvey.  Is that destroyed too?  WTF man, why are you not showing you care about Chicago!!

Get over yourself.

[wadesworld]

Get over yourself.

Lol at the irony.

[naginiF]

See your problem is you have to be politically correct.  Cain says an outrageous statement based on ignorance and fake news that the fourth largest city in the US is "destroyed" and the ENTIRE CITY will take years to recover.  Yes, it is bad in certain areas but a metropolitan area of six million is not even close to being "destroyed."  But we cannot say that because it seems like we don't care.

More people have been killed in Chicago since Harvey.  Is that destroyed too?  WTF man, why are you not showing you care about Chicago!!

Get over yourself.

Horrible? yes.  Needs to be addressed? yes.  The go-to deflection used? Unfortunately yes.

Has nothing to do with Houston (unless you want to shift the conversation)

[TinyTimsLittleBrother]

See your problem is you have to be politically correct.  Cain says an outrageous statement based on ignorance and fake news that the fourth largest city in the US is "destroyed" and the ENTIRE CITY will take years to recover.  Yes, it is bad in certain areas but a metropolitan area of six million is not even close to being "destroyed."  But we cannot say that because it seems like we don't care.

More people have been killed in Chicago since Harvey.  Is that destroyed too?  WTF man, why are you not showing you care about Chicago!!

Get over yourself.

I think the problem with your initial statement is that you used attendance at a baseball game as evidence of your position.  Houston isn't destroyed.  But parts of Houston are, and like with most disasters is most especially harming the poor.  You know, the people who don't attend baseball playoff games. 

[TAMU, Knower of Ball]

Lots of cities would love to be "destroyed" like this.

As someone who lives in the area and has several friends and many students who ran the gambit from significantly impacted financially to homeless and lost a loved one, this is a disgusting statement. Whatever respect I had for you is now gone.

[ATL MU Warrior]

As someone who lives in the area and has several friends and many students who ran the gambit from significantly impacted financially to homeless and lost a loved one, this is a disgusting statement. Whatever respect I had for you is now gone.

I am frankly dumbfounded that you were still hanging on to some respect for him.

[wadesworld]

I am frankly dumbfounded that you were still hanging on to some respect for him.

+1

[Jockey]

Lots of cities would love to be "destroyed" like this.

Ignorance is not something to "show-off".