Ike...reports from the ground

Miss Kitty, Glad you and PawPaw are safe. Just heard that the Kolaches are holding out in West, between Waco and Dallas. It was packed, but you can still get in and gas up while waiting in line for your Kolaches. It is not too late to ask any friends heading to Dallas to stop by and get you some to eat with your Spam. YUMMMMMM Also heard there were a number of caravans obviously traveling together. One lead car might pull off to get gas, etc. and would be followed by several others. At one point, some missed a turn and several pulled off and turned around.

Oh my gosh, DL. I luuuuuuuv me some kolaches!!!

My cousin and his very young wife and twin baby girls made it from Baytown to Fort Worth last night in just twelve short hours.
Glad they left.
Praying for those who stayed.

DD -- Kolache to you. And, Ouch, 12 hours in the car with babies. Glad they are safe in Fort Worth. Baytown is going to get whacked tonight.

DD -- Kolache to you. And, Ouch, 12 hours in the car with babies. Glad they are safe in Fort Worth. Baytown is going to get whacked tonight.

Cream cheese are my faves.
Yeah, I bet they were beat when they finally arrived. I haven't seen the babies, so if it doesn't flood tomorrow, I may venture over to take a look. He's 3 years younger than me, so I need to go over and give him the business about having babies at 52!!!!

Oh my goodness...you just made PawPaw's day...he is in media heaven!!! I wish you could hear him!!!

Thanks to all you PawPaw fanns out there. He is just the best daddy a girl could have and my anxiety level dropped dramatically when he pulled in the driveway!

How is sowal today? Have there been any pics posted of the beaches?

IBD...what's up in LA?

aww, you should post a pic of your PawPaw. (Kinda makes me miss my dad.)

Galveston getting pounded. Cantore and Geraldo both off the air til the eye passes. Wind gusts of 120 mph. Does not bode well for downtown Houston. They say the winds up at 200' in the air are about 140 mph. Lots of tall buildings downtown.

Galveston getting pounded. Cantore and Geraldo both off the air til the eye passes. Wind gusts of 120 mph. Does not bode well for downtown Houston. They say the winds up at 200' in the air are about 140 mph. Lots of tall buildings downtown.

I am watching Gerlado now. I swear I don't know what to think.

Galveston getting pounded. Cantore and Geraldo both off the air til the eye passes. Wind gusts of 120 mph. Does not bode well for downtown Houston. They say the winds up at 200' in the air are about 140 mph. Lots of tall buildings downtown.

I am exhausted, but can't get away from the TV. We found Houston's Channel 11 on my Direct TV. Luckily, PawPaw has gone to bed.

I do appreciate the footage and what Cantore and Gerlado are doing but are they CRAZY???

I am exhausted, but can't get away from the TV. We found Houston's Channel 11 on my Direct TV. Luckily, PawPaw has gone to bed.

You better get your rest Kitty. I'm heading that way..

I do appreciate the footage and what Cantore and Gerlado are doing but are they CRAZY???

Yeah, they're crazy. But I have to say, if I were about 20 years younger, I might be tempted to do the same thing. It's so facinating to me. Wait.....what am I saying? I HATE WIND!

CHUNKS are falling off the Bank of America building and all the windows blown out in downtown Houston!

You better get your rest Kitty. I'm heading that way..

...thanks, I did. It was surreal pulling myself away from the TV reports and going to bed. I was thinking.."how can I go to bed when the worst is about to happen!" My sister called and woke me up this morning and they are good so far.

CHUNKS are falling off the Bank of America building and all the windows blown out in downtown Houston!

Brennan's Restaurant burned down...three people (ne, an employee) were inside and either died or were badly burned. I remember Katrina and all the fires in the midst of water...mind boggling. Many fires in Galveston. One report says The Strand has 7-8 feet of water. That is the downtown historic district. I can't imagine how many people are either in their attics or drowned...reports were that 20,000 Galvestonians stayed behind.

My prayers are with all of Ike's victims and their loved ones.......

My prayers are with all of Ike's victims and their loved ones.......

Amen.

So sad to see the reports and the morning photos.

Prayers to everyone involved...

IBD...how is LA doing?

The mayor of Houston, Bill White*, is my hero. This man is so no nonsense and tells it like it is. He just spoke fluent Spanish on TV to all his Spanish speaking citizens. This man could go places.

*...PawPaw says Bill White was the first ever candidate for anything in Houston that came to his door asking for his vote.

My father and his wife live in Galveston and they heeded the evac order and went to Austin. Just heard from them. They have no idea if house is standing or if there's major damage.

My father and his wife live in Galveston and they heeded the evac order and went to New Braunfels near Austin. Just heard from them. They have no idea if house is standing or if there's major damage.

I am so glad they left. Thanks for checking in...keep us posted.

Nowcast as of 8:55 am CDT on September 13, 2008
Now
A hurricane wind warning is in effect along and east of a line from Athens to Hearne. A Tropical Storm Wind Warning is in effect along and east of a line from Jacksboro...to Stephenville...to Gatesville. A Flash Flood Watch is in effect east of I-35. At 9 am...the center of Ike was just northeast of Huntsville. Heavy rain has begun to impact Robertson and Leon counties...and the rain will increase in intensity and areal coverage as Ike moves north at around 20 mph. Rainfall rates may exceed 3 inches per hour. The center of Ike is expected to be near the southeastern corner of Anderson County around noon. Outer rain bands have already reached the I-35 corridor...from Dallas/Fort Worth to Waco. These and additional rain bands will affect much of North Texas throughout the day...with intermittent rain and wind. Residents are urged to be aware of the potential for flooding even in areas outside the Flash Flood Watch. Northerly winds of 20 to 30 mph have enveloped central and East Texas...and will continue to increase as the morning progresses. Wind gusts in excess of 40 mph have reached as far northwest as Hearne and Palestine. Gusts to hurricane strength are expected along the path of Ike...with tropical storm force winds likely across much of the rest of North Texas.

Forecast for Dallas
Updated: 4:43 am CDT on September 13, 2008Tropical Storm Wind Warning in effect until 1 am CDT Sunday...
Flash Flood Watch in effect through Sunday morning...

Today
Showers likely and isolated thunderstorms in the morning...then showers and perhaps an isolated thunderstorm in the afternoon. Very windy. Some thunderstorms may produce heavy rainfall. Highs in the mid 80s. North winds 35 to 45 mph with gusts to around 60 mph. Chance of rain near 100 percent.
?
Tonight
Showers and perhaps an isolated thunderstorm in the evening...then a chance of showers and perhaps an isolated thunderstorm after midnight. Windy. Some thunderstorms may produce heavy rainfall. Lows in the mid 70s. Northwest winds 25 to 30 mph. Wind gusts up to 45 mph are possible decreasing to 35 mph after midnight. Chance of rain near 100 percent.

Sunday
Cloudy. Highs in the mid 80s. North winds 15 to 20 mph. Gusts up to 30 mph in the afternoon.
?
Sunday Night
Mostly cloudy in the evening then becoming partly cloudy. Cooler. Lows in the lower 60s. North winds 15 to 20 mph decreasing to around 10 mph after midnight.

IBD...how is LA doing?

The mayor of Houston, Bill White*, is my hero. This man is so no nonsense and tells it like it is. He just spoke fluent Spanish on TV to all his Spanish speaking citizens. This man could go places.

*...PawPaw says Bill White was the first ever candidate for anything in Houston that came to his door asking for his vote.

WE are good. It seems that everything was just West of us. We have some wind but that is about it.

Just talked to my dad. Early reports from their local message boards indicate that no roofs were lost in their village (Bayou Vista) near Galveston. The mayor posted a message indicating minimal damage but no power. Roads remain closed. Boats are everywhere, but no houses took on water in living areas; except for 3-4 feet in basement-type storage areas with break away walls. Unofficial storm surge of 12.5 ft on mainland side of Galveston Island.

BTW- Their local message boards sucks compared to this one. I love SOWAL!!!

I've spoken with my sister who lives inside the beltway but outside of the 610 loop right off I-10 East. Her back yard slopes down and fronts a drainage ditch which runs from Green's bayou. There is usually a couple of inches of water in it all the time. This morning, she said it's about 70 yards wide of water.
Water is over her 5 foot fence and about 1/3 up into their back yard. No power, no trees down but lots of limbs. They have a generator and are using it sparingly. I just saw a report from Galveston where 3 houses burned down, some townhomes just disappeared, and some folks that said they were up to their necks in water in their house and were trying to walk to a shelter.

Spoke with my cousins in Houston just now. They are in the Bellaire area, near the Galleria. The power is out but landline phone still works. Let's hear it for old school technology. Lots of debris -- trees down and roofs damaged but no catastrophic damage that they can see. Very wet ground but the streets are passable. Now begins the fun-- cleanup, can goods and going to sleep at 8:30. Hope the heat is not too bad.

I have been absolutely glued to this coverage ... prayers for all those left in Ike's wake. And for those who are able - consider giving to the Red Cross.

Kitty...love you and have been thinking about you this whole time...

Thank God this storm didn't linger over Houston. This could've been much worse.