Hurricane Ike

[richard]

Here comes Ike!

The photos don't show much - especially the horizontal format one because of the bright sun.
This is the first outer band. Ike is moving fast - it was barely on the horizon when I was walking the dog at 7am. Standing I can see it moving inland.

The speed means we're forecast to receive tropical storm force winds within 24 hours - something that is unusual for a location 300 miles inland. I've been through a few tropical storms in Houston - rain is usually the main problem, but the Dallas area is not used to it. I'm expecting lots of tree limbs down and the possibility of extended power cuts. We're ready but I might be offline for a day or so...

Ike has been acting oddly. The actual top wind speeds have not increased inline with forecast strengthening and dropping pressures (hence it is still officially only a Category 2). However it has grown instead. The diameter of tropical storm force and hurricane force winds is >10% greater than Katrina. It has one of the largest total kinetic energies recorded in the Atlantic in the past 40 or so years. This size is what is causing the high storm surges (some of the highest ever seen in Texas) over a wide stretch of coastline. The National Hurricane Center are not joking when they talk about "certain death" for people staying in some parts of Galveston Bay.

On the other hand people are just people. This morning's traffic reports included some minor delays due to evacuation traffic. However the main problem in the metroplex was due to people slowing down to read the electronic traffic signs...


Richard

[brsince78]

Richard

Good luck...... Let us know how you get on......

DW

[richard]

Lots of cumulus and sun at the moment, mainly blowing from the SE.

No rain, although the doppler shows some localised storms in the cumulus off to the east.

The tropical storm warning starts at 6am (midday UK time), so the really windy stuff will start about then.

There's a good technical discussion here:

http://www.wunderground.com/blog/JeffMasters

The public comments at the bottom are very variable, but other sections on that site give lots of weather and storm stats.


Richard

[richard]

Nothing much to report and the clouds have not been photogenic. The main cloud deck came in overnight. There was an unusual pink after sunset but nothing that I could have photographed.

We're getting the first sprinkles come through. There's a breeze and low level clouds are blowing past quickly. The main winds are due this afternoon.

Richard

[richard]

In the end, the Dallas area received less than forecast both in terms of wind and rain. We had steady moderate rain (the best kind for soaking in and watering the garden) but it amounted to less than an inch.

You've probably seen Galveston and Houston on the TV. The damage in Galveston is pretty much as forecast, although until very near the landfall, a number of forecasters thought it could have been a lot worse (Ike was beginning to get its act together and strengthen).

Richard

[Malcolm]

Richard,

Happy to see that everything was okay where you live RE: Ike. I have been watching the progress of the storm on world weather sites and the BBC.

BTW, thank you very much for the message regarding my latest post.

Malcolm