Author Archives: Ubu Roi

About Ubu Roi

A City of Houston Public Works employee of over 15 years, through four mayoral administrations, I have a knack for annoying managers and supervisors, when I'm not busy being invaluable to them. An opinionated SOB that never learned not to share my opinion, I am unmarried and have no children, a fact which they'd thank me for if they could.

12:35

Out of power and back in again somehow. Media reports are constant that transformers are popping. Hope Bumblebee and the rest are fine…

Channel 13 is practically begging it’s field reporters to find some debris to put on camera. Constantly asking “have you seen any debris?” So disappointed by the “no” answers.

Report of a fire in downtown Houston: Brennan’s restaurant. 2 injuries. Update: 4 y.o. and 26 y.o; another transformer.

12:20 AM

Still here. Lost power several times, but it keeps coming back. Can hear the wind sometimes, despite heavy wood on the windows.

A dozen houses burned in Galveston. The eye wall is hitting Galveston now.

Update: Eyewall estimated to get here between 3:30 to 4 a.m.

Midnight

The rips in Ike disappeared (Can’t believe I said “rips in Rita” earlier. Definitely a brain fart.) The eye is tightening up on radar. Galveston getting winds of 60-80mph. The Transtar traffic cameras that are still working are giving some great live shots. Unfortunately, we can only get fuzzy stills on the web.

Update: Webster is without power now.

11:45 Update

Accidental double post due to power glitch. Losing it for 20-30 seconds at a time. Edit: Dickinson and League City without power.

Update: all Transtar traffic cameras on I45 south down. Baycliffe EMS has lost it’s roof. UTMB in Gaveston first floor flooded; water at 11′ on Galveston island, still rising. Eye still 2 hours offshore.

11:40 Update

Now 550,000 people out of power. Blinking constantly here now. Out for a good 25-30 seconds at one point.

Ch. 13 indicates that water is coming over the seawall in Galveston. Just waves, not complete overtopping yet.

11 PM

Another blink. Decided it was time to check the laptop I plan on trying to use after the power was out… and discovered it was completely dead. Power supply wasn’t plugged in, and apparently it wasn’t shut down, so it’s completely drained. Not enough time to charge it, I’d bet. So much for trying to stay online.

It’s raining here now.

10:50 Update

From Weather.com:

The Weather Channel’s Julie Martin reports the U.S. Coast Guard made 65 rescues on Texas’ Bolivar peninsula today. But no more rescue attempts will be made until conditions are calmer.

That’s the southern end of the seriously misnamed High Island, which is the next one northeast of Galveston Island.

The Hooters in Galveston appears to have been seriously damaged. That is a tragedy.

Here’s what I’m hoping about evacs: Even if Harris and Galveston County officials blew it, village and town officials in northern Galveston and southern Harris counties carried the day and saved lives.

Galveston Island

Kemah

Tiki Island

Bayou Vista

Omega Bay in La Marque

Bolivar Peninsula

San Leon

Bacliff

Freddiesville

Some Chambers County residents

Some Brazoria County residents—excluding Pearland and Alvin

People in low-lying areas of Dickinson Bayou, Tropical Gardens, the country club area, Bayou Chantilly and any homes that front Dickinson Bayou

Harris County areas in ZIP code areas: 77058, 77059, 77062, 77520, 77546, 77571, 77586 and 77598

Matagorda County

Jackson County

Orange County

Parts of San Patricio County

Why in the name of all that’s holy, would you not evacuate all of Galveston County? Are they that confident that the island will protect the mainland portion?

10:40 Update

Some confusion (in comments here) on the Galveston info. US Census 2006 estimate for Galveston County is 283,000. However, Galveston Island is only one part of Galveston County. Galveston city is smaller still, and has a population of 57,523. Given the performance of our press, whether the comment was really supposed to be for the city, island, or county is anyone’s guess. Most or all of the city is covered by the seawall, at 17.5 feet in height. That will not stop water from coming around the back side, and if Ike holds the surge in the bay long enough that can happen.

10:10 Update

Still here. Still no rain. Ike’s front edge may be getting sheared off, and it’s swallowed some dry air. If that makes it sputter, great, but the surge is still going to be there, no matter what. Too late for that to change.

Confirmed report of two fires in Galveston, unknown how many homes are involved in the second one.

Note about my earlier risk estimate: that’s based on the full zone A and B, and is a WAG. If it’s just the eastern portions closer to the bay, we may luck out and only have 2-300,000 at risk. I really, really hope that 40% figure is way high.

“Only,” he says.

9:55 Update

Some homes on fire in Galveston due to blown transformers. Storm surge has blocked GFD, they can’t get to them. No calls to the emergency management center from people asking to be removed. Do they have phone service?

Is Rita ripping up? Look at the gaps on the west side.

Freeport PD lost their generator, and 911 service for a while. They diverted another, which cost them their AC.

Just about everywhere is under curfew now. Power blinking….

9:40 Update

Still up….

San Jac river will rise 6 feet by tomorrow morning, backing up from Galveston bay. Flood warning called; if that’s all, it won’t be too bad.

Bear in mind that the water is supposed to be going to low tide right now. It will be moving to high tide just as the storm arrives. Joy.