Hurricane "Ike"

[Missouri Mule]

I couldn't find this posted yet but we might want to post our own experiences with this upcoming hurricane. It looks like a bad one and may make landfall Saturday morning as a Cat 4 which will be very, very bad. We will get a lot of rain out of this where I live but unlikely to be affected beyond that. But for the people in its path, better get out NOW! Already over 80 Texas counties are being designated as "Disaster" areas and it hasn't even hit yet.

[Missouri Mule]

My wife just advised me that the total number of Texas counties declared disaster areas is actually 88 and we live in one of those counties. I would guess that this from flooding. I would estimate we are about 200 miles, as the crow flies, from where it will make landfall. Expected path extends into the middle of the country.

http://www.nhc.noaa.gov/storm_graphics/AT09/refresh/AL0908W5+gif/144313W_sm.gif

[Riddley]

You going to get out MM? It might be an idea.

[Missouri Mule]

You going to get out MM? It might be an idea.

I'll be fine but we'll probably get some winds on the "dirty" side and a lot of rain. But if it hits as a Cat 4, it will be utterly devestating. The Cat 2 Gustav that hit 75 miles from New Orleans nearly breached the levees there and would have once again flooded the city.

What particularly makes this so dangerous is how slow it is moving. It is currently at 8 mph which means that it will stay over the area for a much longer period of time. I would not be surprised if some areas didn't get 30 inches or more. Some counties have already mandated evacuation. They are going back four decades for a comparison.

On the other hand it might fizzle. Let's hope so.

[Riddley]

Well good luck, take care.