Ike

[bmccasland]

We're getting the outer bands of Hurricane Ike over here in the Big Easy. Tropical Storm bands, with tornadoes. I came to work anyway, between the bands. It is currently blustery and raining outside my office window, winds 20-50 mph.

Y'all over in Texas, be careful. And if you need a place to hide, the Big Easy is open.

This is going to be a Big Ugly.

[Aggie_Ama]

Beth- Are you getting the waves? I saw the news last night 20 ft in New Orleans- yikes.

We thought we would get a lot of the tropical storm stuff when it would hit Corpus but now we won't, we'll probably be dry and just crowded since most of the coast comes here.

Stay safe Houstonians I saw most of the city was riding it out. Are you all ready to go? I remember Allison since I was in college with a Katy native as a roommate, worried about you guys.

TXDOC- Stay safe and good luck riding this out, hope work doesn't have more than you can handle. Thoughts, prayers, warm vibes.

[TxDoc]

Hi guys,
I actually made it out of the island, thankfully - all the patients were evacuated yesterday, and most of us were released. There's a skeleton of essential personnel that will stay in the hospital and ride it out pray they all stay safe - it looks ugly right now.
From what I'm seeing on the news the water is already 1-2 ft high in some of the areas, and this is not even the surge yet - hope that I'm going to have home to go back to...
Please send prayers for all those that had to stay on the coast to provide emergency services.

[LBTC]

Lots of butterflies to everyone in the hurricanes (and tropical storms) paths!

Hugs, too,
~T~

[sundial]

This is going to be a Big Ugly.

Beth, thanks for checking in. I was concerned about you as well as our TX gals. The storm surge will be like Katrina's. This hurricane brings back memories of Andrew. In our town, cars are lined up to the streets waiting to get gas. I can't imagine what it's like in SE TX and NW LA. Everyone, please be safe!

[chicago]

i'm waiting for the first youtube. ike video...

[Aggie_Ama]

Txdoc- So glad to hear you were evacuated. The radio updates on the island are just so scary! Waves lready over the seawall, parts of town already flooded and landfall is 12 hours out. I hope your colleagues are safe. Why do hospital staff stay? I mean I know they want to help the people who stayed and are injured but it is so scary that they stay. I don't have the guts to be in emergency personnel that is for sure.

Just heard on the radio this storm occupies 40% (!!) percent of the Gulf.

[sundial]

I really feel for the Texas coast people. According to the experts it's only going to get bigger. My heart goes out to emergency personnel and medical staff who choose to remain behind. Please take a moment and say a prayer for those who live in this region and that they will find shelter from the storm.

PS, If anyone is headed to NE Arkansas, pm me.

[wackyjacky1]

Yeah, Ike is a big sucker. Looks like S.A. is going to get spared, though. Riding home after work this afternoon, the traffic was awful -- a lot of the evacuees have come here.

[Aggie_Ama]

Yeah, Ike is a big sucker. Looks like S.A. is going to get spared, though. Riding home after work this afternoon, the traffic was awful -- a lot of the evacuees have come here.

We have a lot of evacuees in Austin right now, I asked my husband if any of his friends were here but he didn't know. His college roommate lives in the Beaumont area but his sister is here, I assume he is here. He also has some friends in Palacios, haven't heard from any of them but I am guessing they found somewhere safe.

Looks like we will be dry and just crowded here.

[andtckrtoo]

Thoughts and prayers to all in yIkes way.

[sundial]

He also has some friends in Palacios, haven't heard from any of them but I am guessing they found somewhere safe.

Looks like we will be dry and just crowded here.

Palacious--hmmmmm. That's where I went to church camp. The mosquitoes carried us off every night.

Aggie, if you get too crowded, come to Arkansas and we can do some hills together.

[makbike]

I hope all who left took their pets with them and all are out of harms way.

[wackyjacky1]

My best friend and her family live in the Sixth Ward in Houston. They decided not to evacuate for Ike. They evacuated for Rita, and that turned out to be a total PITA (and ultimately unnecessary) so they didn't want to go through that hassle again. Needless to say I am quite worried about them!

[bmccasland]

N.O. - the flood gate was closed on one of the shipping channels, otherwise, it's just VERY gusty around here.

I've was "given the opportunity to excel" - begged into volunteering for damage survey crews by my boss. She wanted experienced staff, and I was one of the suckers who came to work today (we were given the opportunity to stay home because of the tropical storm weather). AND she sweetened the deal by committing to getting me the bonus money to pay the boarding bill for all my pets (and kept the promise when I gave her the cost estimate). I have a good boss

So tuesday after we look at the monday flight video, we'll be heading over to the southwest part of Louisiana to do damage surveys of federal property and other areas. They're expecting the storm surge to be as bad as Rita's. The only good news is that some areas haven't had time to rebuild - so maybe there won't be as much property damage.

But after working on restoration projects in that area, I know some of the locals, and I'm worried about them.

The NWS is predicting the storm surge to be 25 ft, which will overtop the 17ft breakwater on Galveston Island. Going to be a Big Ugly. For those staying behind on the island, I hope they're in storm bunkers.