Ike ... #6

4 pm ... Ahhh! Three hours of solid, blessed sleep. (Don't think I'll be getting much tonight.)


Let's see. What's going on with Ike? Well, the pressure is currently at 955 mb, down a couple from 1:00. I'll check that wind pressure site, but I doubt if they have updated the figures from their last report. Hang on while I check, OK? ... Nope, not yet. They're still showing the 1:00 figures, which have my zip code experiencing maximum projected sustained winds of 83 mph and DD's at 82 mph.

Over 90 people have been 'rescued' from the Bolivar Peninsula! I said "some" residents in my last post. I should have said "many".

Nothing else of significance right now, except for the not unexpected news that several communities are now ordering curfews for at least tonight. Widespread power outages are expected and, unfortunately, criminal types abound even in the most dire circumstances.

I'm off to make some more ice cubes and watch the news to see what's going on. I'll keep you updated ... more later.


5 pm ... I just tried to get onto the site that projects the maximum sustained wind speeds for all zip codes in the immediate Houston area. I got the information that they were "unable to connect to server". I don't like the sound of that!!

Let me give you the URL address for that site. Maybe you can get on. (?) Here it is: http://houstonhidefromthewind.org/ ... ... if you can, perhaps you would check (by hovering over) zip codes 77099 (that's me, and I live on the southwest side of Houston, very close to the intersection of Highway 59 and Beltway 8) and 77450 (that's DD, who lives in Katy, which is north and west of me) ... and, if you would be so kind, post a comment on this post indicating projected maximum wind speeds for our zip codes as of the 4 pm NHC update.


6 pm ... The people across the street from me just boarded up their windows. Hurricane Ike is now classified as a Cat 3, altho his winds are currently at 'only' 110 mph.


6:40 pm ... Thank you, Steven, Chuck, and Whalechaser, for your warm thoughts and efforts to inform me of the maximum projected wind speeds for my zip code.

I was just now able to get back onto the site. They are still issuing projections as of 1 pm. According to that site, whose projections have changed since the last time I viewed it, zip code 77099 (me) will be receiving maximum projected sustained wind speeds of 77 mph (as both Steven and Whale said in their comments). Katy (zip code 77450, where my daughter lives, is -- according to the 1 pm 'now revised' projection -- due to receive maximum sustained wind speeds of 74 mph).

I'm having a humongous amount of trouble believing those figures, even tho I saw them for myself, but boy do I hope that they are correct!! If they are, we probably will not even lose electricity in this area. :) That would be a wonderfully-good thing!


To be continued ...


7:30 pm ... Just had a pretty good-sized wind gust here, and it sounded like something was coming loose out back. Went outside to see what was going on. (I have an awning/patio type of dealiebop that is attached to the house. It is not new, by any means, and that's been on my mind, for sure!) However, upon going out to look, everything seemed 'OK'. Sure didn't sound OK, but what do I know?


BTW, one of the biggest reasons I'm having trouble believing the 77/74 mph maximum wind speeds is that, just six hours ago -- when the hurricane was weaker -- the forecasts were for 83/82. I like the 77/74 projections ... just hope they're true!!


My next post will be #7. That's all for now. Going to fill up one of my bathtubs with water ... good for flushing the toilet, washing oneself, etc. Wishing all of you well.