Any Hurricanes in Katy or Sugarland (Houston, Humble: living in, moving to, area)

[EasilyAmused]

Hurricanes spawn tornados. Don't forget that.
100mph winds, 100 miles inland can still snap trees and throw all sorts of things through your windows. Power can be down up to two weeks in Sugarland or Katy, even if they don't get a direct hit.

[tstone]

Yeah, and Sugar Land/Katy are only 40 - 55 miles from the coast the way the hurricane files, not 100. You may be safer from the storm surge than I am, but you're not much safer from the winds.

[Va-Cat]

Originally Posted by tstone

Yeah, and Sugar Land/Katy are only 40 - 55 miles from the coast the way the hurricane files, not 100. You may be safer from the storm surge than I am, but you're not much safer from the winds.

My newness to the area is showing. It seems a lot farther when you are driving it! Thanks for the correction

[tstone]

Originally Posted by Va-Cat

My newness to the area is showing. It seems a lot farther when you are driving it! Thanks for the correction

It is a lot farther when you're driving it. Unfortunately the hurricanes don't use the freeways/tollways. Just look at Google maps and draw the shortest straight line from Sugar Land to the coast and you'll get 40 miles. The natural terrain of Sugar Land should be a clue as to where you're sitting --coastal grassland/prairie.

[texas7]

If we have a hurricane - all areas of Houston can be subject to high winds and/or water issues. Not as bad as the areas closer to the coast but if we had a hurricane, the would most likely feel some effects. As far as flooding - seriously, given enough rain in a short amount of time over one area - any place can get flash flooding. Its always good to have flood insurance (particularly if it isn't required - then its cheap ~$300/yr). Areas that have never flooded in the past, sometimes will flood due to a tropical storm or torrential downpour lingering over that area. Does it happen often? No only in certain areas but never say never - because too much rain, too fast and the water has no time to runoff and it has to pool up. A lot of the neighborhoods, particularly some of the newer ones are designed that the streets flood during these rains but your home won't and as soon as it quits raining they run off. They are used as waterways to protect your home -- but if you aren't home when it happens -- may be a while before you can onto your street or if you leave a car parked in the street ... well you get the picture.

I owned a home in Pearland many years ago and it got water in it (enough to cover the baseboards and run out) but the flood insurance adjuster told me that if we had a cat 5 - I could expect water to the roof.

[lovesroses]

Sugar Land gets more rain than Katy in general and being closer to the coast would get heavy rains and winds. Ive lived in both places and when some hurricane came through in '85 i think, we got 50mph winds there but minimal damage(only a small tree damaged).

The whole Houston area was spared the devastation of Rita, which was expected to take a direct hit on Houston, but made a turn to the east.

[kpo67]

Originally Posted by cla

Hurricane Carla's path took her midway between Houston and San Antonio (closer to San Antonio). Therefore, although Katy was probably affected by the storm, I would not say that Katy was "hit" by Hurricane Carla.

I moved to Katy from New Orleans after Hurricane Katrina. I have evacuated for every storm that appeared to headed for New Orleans since 1994 (after my daughter was born). I probably would not evacuate Katy if a storm was headed toward Houston. Being so much further inland than in New Orleans, I know that the winds would die down considerably by the time they would hit Katy - and the storm at that point would be no more than a tropical depression (which can still knock down trees, power lines, etc). And I have no fear of flooding in Katy. New Orleans is below sea level and surrounded by water. It was flooding that damaged New Orleans. There are no large bodies of water in Katy that could produce such devastation. If anything, the only thing that would worry me would be the possibility of tornadoes being spawned from a hurricane.

Any coastal city is a potential hot spot for hurricanes. You can move further inland to reduce your chances, but you can't eliminate the possibility. Another thing to consider is evacuation routes. I was in Houston after Katrina and evacuated when Rita threatened Houston. Highway 45 north was a parking lot. As was I-10 heading west. Fortunately, being so close to I-10, I was able to get north of I-10 fairly quickly and make my way north via back roads - once north of 290, it was clear sailing.

If you are curious, here is a great link that will show you hurricane paths by zip code, storm name, etc. you can specify the search radius as well.

" + theTitle + " (http://maps.csc.noaa.gov/hurricanes/viewer.html - broken link)

cool link!!! I keep telling people Alicia went right over my house in 1983...no one believes me...this proves it! 6027 Fontenelle, Houston, 77035

[ShelbyGirl1]

Originally Posted by phoenix_talons

A question regarding Hurricane Rita. When were the residents able to return to their homes (after mandatory evacuation on September 21)?

I live right on the coast...evacuated to Kingwood. We returned home the day following. We lost power the day of...and was on when we arrived back home.
We never had the surge of water they predicted...in fact, it was the opposite. The water was drained from the Lake! A very weird sight!
Coming from LA. the OP would not have expeirenced thunder and lightening storms like we do here. I think all the years we lived in Ca. I can remember 2 or 3 lightening storms at most. For him...the storms here will seem extreme.

[txstate]

Sugar Land, Missouri City and Katy have networks of Levees so the Brazos and some of the bayous wont flood these places, overall your safe, high wind lots of rain. Also the elevation of these places are 70-150 ft.

[Va-Cat]

For those of you that want to keep track of the tropics, here is a link to the National Hurricane Center.
National Hurricane Center

They even have an e-mail feature where they will e-mail info to you as storms develop and progress. Its very helpful.