Wind gusts of 120+ mph and buildings collapsed in the Rockport area. Radar still showing 150 mph at 2000 feet above ground in the eyewall. Storms bring that down to the surface as gusts. Sustained winds are around 60 mph in Corpus and much higher in Port Aransas, even though its in the southern part of the eyewall. Ugly.
These people on the weather channel are ridiculous. Standing hunched over in the water and clinging to railings. We are going to do everything that experts tell everyone else not to do. And in the name of entertainment.
Be safe everyone!
Possible ground confirmation by chasers in Rockport of flocks of birds (seagulls, etc.) trapped in the eye of the hurricane . You can sometimes see this on dual pol radar. They get trapped in the hurricane as it forms and end up flying for a long time, well inland from their source. Obviously, many don’t survive without food during the event.
DH says they’ll be running Labor Day specials. And that’s Holiday Inn Express & Suites! 
DH is supposed to be at a conference in San Antonio next week…
@jym626 are you talking Monday or Friday? I don’t think it’ll happen if it’s Monday. I have a friend whose dd is trying to leave Austin at 5:30 this morning. Hoping that she gets out.
I’m in the Austin area and attended Red Cross volunteer training yesterday with an overflow crowd. This morning, we received an email that more than 1,200 people had signed up thus far. What a wonderful problem to have … too many helpers. I pulled many shifts during Katrina, when there wasn’t time to do training. I’m proud to live in a place that takes care of others.
In terms of ready, I did the grocery shopping Thursday and filled up the car yesterday. I told dh to go pick up a Rx yesterday evening. He said our grocery store was pretty calm whereas others here reported a lot of empty shelves.
As I type this, I can hear the rain becoming harder and the winds picking up. All my Houston family have elected to stay put. I think they are crazy.
@“Youdon’tsay” thank you for volunteering with the Red Cross. I know the services of Red Cross and other groups will be much needed in the affected areas.
Your Houston relatives are following the advice of our very experienced and knowledgeable Harris County Office of Emergency Management by preparing and staying put. The primary effects in the greater Houston area will be a lot of rain, with street flooding, and a moderate possibility of tropical force winds and the tornadoes that spin off around hurricanes. People who live in the coastal storm surge area or in houses that they know will flood if the bayous overflow, and people who cannot survive without power for medical reasons, should consider evacuation… Most other people need to prepare to be home for several days and stay off the roads.
Evacuation carries its own set of risks. Someone I knew died in the Rita evacuation. Other friends spent 12 hours or more on the road in terrible conditions, only to have to turn around and return to Houston. The people who needed to evacuate the storm surge area could not get out because the roads were at a complete standstill. It’s better to stay put when evacuation is not needed.
Gas prices in my part of Wisconsin were increased 10 cents per gallon overnight in anticipation.
@“Youdon’tsay” the conference starts Sunday, but we are currently out of town, returning home Monday night, and DH is supposed to leave Tues morning for the conference, which runs through Thursday night (he returns home Friday). The (#^#(&^#)& website says “we aren’t afraid of a little rain”… Say what??? That is beyond stupid, and dangerous, especially as many of the attendees are elderly, many are frail and on scooters, and many try to arrive by car. My H is an officer in the organization so wants to try to go. I am not happy. At.All.
Well, I am pleasantly surprised by the current lull here. That allows for the ground to soak up the rain so lessens the chance of flash flooding. @jym626 is this a direct flight? I’m feeling a little more optimistic in the light of day.
ETA: My Houston relatives are sending snarky photos of them reading in a hammock or having mimosas. :))
My daughter is in Corpus (She is a Sr @ A&MCC). Her apt was told to evacuate prior to the storm,. She refused to leave the city because she is a CNA and works at a local nursing home. She was worried about her patients, so asked her boss if she could stay. Good thing she did because they are seriously short staffed. She is working 24 hrs a day & napping when she can. The toilets have stopped working but they have a generator and plenty of food. She checks in with us often and is doing well. She is happy te wind has stopped blowing so bad!
The weather here says the storm weakened as it made landfall…which is good news in terms of flooding and winds.
Maybe this won’t be as long duration as originally thought. Or as severe.
I just talked to my Dad in San Antonio. He said currently it’s not bad at all, just some rain.
@4MyKidz – what an awesome daughter you have!
Yes, @“Youdon’tsay” its direct. But the still think it’s nuts.
Thanks @katliamom !!! We are very proud of her!!!
I have a friend trying to get to Austin from Nashville, going through Dallas. Her Dallas to Austin flight tomorrow morning has been cancelled already.
We’re southwest of Houston and it wasn’t bad at all. A few bands with strong wind, but most were just average rainfall. We got about 10". A few tornados in the vicinity, but we never lost power. It’s heading back our way in a few days though. And more thunderstorms tonight.
Prayers for those nearer the Texas coast than I am. I’m in the area visiting, north of Austin this weekend. Where I am it’s not bad at all. Just another windy rainy day, thankfully for us anyway. I have a flight out of Austin tomorrow late afternoon. It’s practically the only one from my airline not cancelled. Do I keep my hotel reservation and change my flight or head for the airport and hope it goes off ok? Dilemma. I’ll have to decide tomorrow morning.