How This Hurricane Stuff Works
Okay, I live about 35 miles southwest of Houston proper. It takes me about an hour to drive to downtown Houston. The hurricane is going on the east side of Houston. That means I live on the “clean” side of this hurricane. Hurricanes have two sides – the clean side and the dirty side. You want to be on the clean side.
I feel really bad for the people on the Texas/Louisiana border. They are going to get punched. However, a direct hit on Houston would be catastrophic. You’re looking at 5 million people, a ship channel, Galveston Island, and a city that simply cannot evacuate because there’s only one direction you can get away – northwest.
Houston will get some high wind and way too much rain but it more than likely won’t be catastrophic.
We had what Bubba calls a two-day-hurricane. One day to put all the lawn furniture and plants in the shed and another day to put it all back. Those are days you gripe but secretly you’re relieved.
I’ve spent the day getting my potted plants back outside in case we get some good rain.
I’m still praying for you, JJ.
Here in St. Pete we have two kinds of hurricanes: the ones like Faye — which veered over to Orlando instead of hitting us [those are, by far the most common ones around here] and Irma — which engulfed the entire state. And most of Alabama. And all of Georgia.
Hurricanes have this nasty habit of veering.
1Where I am, they tend to veer away. Over in Orlando, they veer toward.
May Laura behave herself and do what the weather folks are saying she will.
God and good luck to you and yours.
Glad you are safe. I hope the bad side of the storm people are safe.
We had to put stuff away due to high winds yesterday, cold front came through
2We had to close windows last night, 51 degrees!
I’ve gotten numerous texts and messages from friends and relatives, concerned about us. The ones from Up North (Michigan) understandably don’t know about the clean vs dirty side, so I’m explaining to them why we should be just fine. Assuming Laura doesn’t suddenly veer to the left, of course!
3Like twocrows says says, I’m leery about depending much on path predictions. Hurricane Charlie in 2004 was supposed to be a direct hit on Tampa Bay and at the last minute, veered South 100 miles and took out my parents’ neighborhood. Maybe Texas hurricanes behave better.
4My family in northern Alabama has been assured that they will be right on the edge of the critter as it blows through and should therefore get only some rain and wind. They are 200 miles from the Gulf. That is supposed to make them safe. I went out today and bought a brand new unmarked, unstained Bible. And I give thanks that they have a storm cellar at the house that can also contain their very, very large dog!
5John @ 4:
Yep, that’s a common scenario around here. I had no idea when I moved to the Tampa Bay area that it was such a anti-magnet for hurricanes.
Some folks here say the ancient First Peoples burial ground protects us. Of course, that’s not true.
6The people put the burial ground here BECAUSE they realized that hurricanes veer away from the area.
It’s been going on for millennia — which means everyone else in the state is LESS safe — especially when the cone includes TB.
I’m glad the forecast continues to favor you JJ. While Laura’s projected path only nudged slightly to the west in the last day or two, the storm intensified significantly. As you noted, you’re on the “clean” side, so again, that favors Houston. It’s a relatively large sized storm, which means the outer bands should bring your plants some rain, with possibly tropical depression strength wind gusts, so not too bad.
Ever since the launch and deployment of the GOES-East & GOES-West weather satellites* a few years ago, hurricane forecasts have significantly improved. My rule of thumb is once the storm is 48 hours away, the forecast path is relatively accurate. (certainly not 100% though)
Disclaimer: I live in Hawaii and although I’m not a trained meteorologist, I’ve become an armchair meteorologist over the years during hurricane season. We’re only half way through.
* Thank you Big Government & Obama!
7Our local TV showed one track for Laura that would go right over you. She said it was obviously an outlier though.
8For anyone interested, here’s the GOES-East two hour loop of Hurricane Laura:
https://www.star.nesdis.noaa.gov/GOES/conus_band.php?sat=G16&band=GEOCOLOR&length=24
9Don’t get too comfortable. There’s a tropical wave in the eastern Atlantic just off the coast of Africa that looks like it could make it into the Gulf. Yes, it’s very early, but anyone who lives near the open ocean in the eastern U.S. should keep an eye on this at least until we know where it’s going.
https://www.nhc.noaa.gov/gtwo.php?basin=atlc&fdays=5
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