Beaumont area in state of PANIC! (Houston, Port Arthur: how much, living, cost)

[Marlow]

I have seriously wondered if the local stores have paid off the weathermen to incite panic. For some reason, the news media seemed more careful in Corpus Christi this time, but for Rita and even Dolly, people went absolutely nuts way early in the game. HEB and Home Depot make out like bandits every time a storm even looks our way.

[southeasttexas]

Originally Posted by Marlow

I have seriously wondered if the local stores have paid off the weathermen to incite panic. .... HEB and Home Depot make out like bandits every time a storm even looks our way.

You are on the right track, but its not Home Depot or HEB. It's the insurance companies. They have connections to the NWS, thats why EVERY tiny disturbance is "investigated" to the N'th degree, even if they completely fizzle out way out in the Atlantic. More 74mph hurricains, more rate increases.

[destin04]

All I think about is all the videos I see of very scared people who chose to stay because they thought it wasn't going to be that bad....and then they got the poopoo scared out of them and now they swear they would never do it again. Heck...it's the weekend, if you have friends or family somewhere up north ...take a drive...go visit. Don't be a fool. If their isn't electricity....why stay....that's a bummer to sit in the dark with no AC.

[love roses]

Probably because they lived right on the beach and had never been through any kind of hurricane at all. What's a few hours without electricity? Unless of course, you have a health condition that requires equipment that needs to be plugged in. Light some candles and play cards or board games or tell stories. If it's daytime and the weather isn't bad outside, go out there and do some clean up work. It'll pass the time better than sitting around inside staring at the walls.

I'm just so sick of watching news anchors declare anything wet with wind in it the storm of the century. How may storms of the century have we had so far this summer? 3-4? All this Katrina backlash, and not story one on the aftermath of the floods in Iowa, etc...

[aiangel_writer]

I sincerely hope you guys are right. I hope the storm is not bad at all, and that the weather people have missed it majorly. Yet, I have been watching Jim Cantore for years and have never seen him really get nervous Before a storm but he is really concerned with the high water with this one. I just heard that Tropical Storm warnings have gone out for Dallas, this shows the power of such a storm.

You might be really tired of Katrina, but guys, she pounded our state all the way up to where I live, 6 hours North of the Coast! Major damage was just below Jackson which is around 2 hours inland.

They are only trying to keep people safe, and not have another Katrina on their hands, not intentionally bug you all.

Just stay safe...

[bluescreen73]

Uhh folks in Beaumont and Port Arthur had better check out the weather service's storm surge guidance. They're predicting a 22-24 foot storm surge in Port Arthur and the storm surge could very well make it all the way to Houston.

http://www.noaawatch.gov/2008/i45_gl2_EOHW.gif (broken link)

[Gone-2-Beach]

I see a few friends in here. Hi guys. I just came over to wish you all a safe next few days. Ike looks like trouble and I wanted you all to know that I'm thinking about you and hoping you all can stay safe.

[love roses]

I don't mean to downplay the tragedy that Katrina was, because it was a bad storm and lots of people died or were hurt and lost everything. But Texas isn't exactly as low as Louisiana. I imagine where my mom lives, there will be boats pushed out of the bay, wind damage (downed tree limbs, no power in some areas), flooding. But to hear them say that EVERYONE who does not leave WILL DEFINITELY die is a little much. As long as noone is out surfing, trying to fish, or playing in flood waters or gets stuck outside during the eye of the storm thinking it's over, then your chances go up at least a little.

Agreed, if the storm surge is that high, then it will spell a mess of water for Houston because all the rivers and bayous willl overflow.

[bluescreen73]

Originally Posted by love roses

I don't mean to downplay the tragedy that Katrina was, because it was a bad storm and lots of people died or were hurt and lost everything. But Texas isn't exactly as low as Louisiana. I imagine where my mom lives, there will be boats pushed out of the bay, wind damage (downed tree limbs, no power in some areas), flooding. But to hear them say that EVERYONE who does not leave WILL DEFINITELY die is a little much. As long as noone is out surfing, trying to fish, or playing in flood waters or gets stuck outside during the eye of the storm thinking it's over, then your chances go up at least a little.

I disagree. Have you seen the storm surge predictions? Orange - 21 feet, Port Arthur 20 feet, Galveston, 14 feet. This isn't a particularly strong storm but it's HUGE. 700 miles in diameter. The storm is nowhere near New Orleans but NOAA is predicting inland flooding from it along the southeast Louisiana coast.

If you're in a single story structure near the beach in Port Arthur there is a very high probability you will die.

[aiangel_writer]

Agreed with you that NO is very low, but remember Katrina also hit Mississippi which is the state I am in, and although it didn't get as much coverage, the damage was catastrophic. I went down to the coast last year and the change is still major. Our coastline is not below sealevel and is actually quite high as it was built up after Camile, but the storm surge went further inland than that storm and was quite high.

So if they are saying this storm surge is this high, and the tropical warnings go that far inland, then coastal communities are going to be devestated.

I just want everyone to be safe and weather conscience. Not intending to argue, just don't want to see another human disaster such as Katrina and i am talking about what happened in our own state, not in LA.