Seven Years Ago and 48 Hours From Now
I've written a lot about what happened on that beautiful morning on this date over the years. This year, I'm going to let David Letterman and Jon Stewart speak for me, in their opening monologues during their first shows back.
It's fun to live 300 miles inland and still be wondering what a hurricane is going to do to your area. Right now, Ike is expected to make a beeline to North Texas when it comes on land. We're not going to get the devastating winds (though they are expecting gusts of up to 50 mph), but we will get multiple inches of rain.
Of course, what we get will pale in comparison to what the coast will get, wherever Ike ultimately lands. Of course, the storm is so huge that it might not matter where it lands, the entire coastline is expected to get at least tropical storm winds.
I'm most concerned about Beaumont/Port Arthur. The storm is still tracking south of Galveston, but the Golden Triangle is still very much in the cone of possibility. I really don't like the idea of another Rita hitting the area, even though I no longer live there. If I still did, I expect I'd be planning to evacuate already, like I did in 2005. Given that I don't like evacuating for hurricanes, I'm glad to be living so far north.
I'm worried about John's mom. After coming up here two weeks ago for Gustav (which, at least for Southeast Texas, turned out to be a dud), she's adamant about not evacuating again for Ike. To be honest, I don't think she needs to, since she's pretty far inland (about 60 miles) but she does need to get out of her house (a mobile home) and go next door to her sister-in-law's (an actual house) for a couple of nights. But if the storm continues to jog up the coast (which is highly possible)--well, she might be moving into my office, which doubles as our guest room.
Anyway, I need to get started with my day. I hope everyone stays safe this weekend.
[Update: John's mom is heading north after all. She's coming in tomorrow afternoon. This time, John wants her to stay with us instead of putting her in a hotel.]
It's fun to live 300 miles inland and still be wondering what a hurricane is going to do to your area. Right now, Ike is expected to make a beeline to North Texas when it comes on land. We're not going to get the devastating winds (though they are expecting gusts of up to 50 mph), but we will get multiple inches of rain.
Of course, what we get will pale in comparison to what the coast will get, wherever Ike ultimately lands. Of course, the storm is so huge that it might not matter where it lands, the entire coastline is expected to get at least tropical storm winds.
I'm most concerned about Beaumont/Port Arthur. The storm is still tracking south of Galveston, but the Golden Triangle is still very much in the cone of possibility. I really don't like the idea of another Rita hitting the area, even though I no longer live there. If I still did, I expect I'd be planning to evacuate already, like I did in 2005. Given that I don't like evacuating for hurricanes, I'm glad to be living so far north.
I'm worried about John's mom. After coming up here two weeks ago for Gustav (which, at least for Southeast Texas, turned out to be a dud), she's adamant about not evacuating again for Ike. To be honest, I don't think she needs to, since she's pretty far inland (about 60 miles) but she does need to get out of her house (a mobile home) and go next door to her sister-in-law's (an actual house) for a couple of nights. But if the storm continues to jog up the coast (which is highly possible)--well, she might be moving into my office, which doubles as our guest room.
Anyway, I need to get started with my day. I hope everyone stays safe this weekend.
[Update: John's mom is heading north after all. She's coming in tomorrow afternoon. This time, John wants her to stay with us instead of putting her in a hotel.]