Hurricanes Harvey, Irma, Jose, etc.

[onejayhawk]

This is a very unusual storm in that it is not traveling. There is a massive high pressure dome parked in the panhandle region, blocking the progress of the storm north and west. Another high pressure dome is over the Gulf toward Florida blocking progress to the east. So, the storm, now a simple tropical storm, stays in one place and drops unheard of amounts of rain. We are already seeing rain totals approaching a meter in places. Worse, this will go on for days.

What I am seeing is a slow steady rain that will do wonders for the grass. The total so far is still only a couple cm (under and inch) but weather patters are moving this direction.

Trump's vacationing at Camp David, where he claims he's "closely monitoring the situation." I'm surprised he has time, what with all the pardoning of racist, law-breaking sheriffs and bashing trans who only want to serve in the military in the military.

This makes [rechecking facts] one pardon. He probably has plenty of time.

J

 

[Zkribbler]

J! You're alive...and you have power! Congratulations!

P,S. Thanks for fact checking my Inglish.

 

[onejayhawk]

We are still on the fringe of things. Hopefully, we move outside the fringe, so this is all just a nice rain event.

Right now the state Capital is getting drenched.

J

 

[JollyRoger]

Heavy moisture is Dallas, but not out of the normal for a Saturday night.

 

[onejayhawk]

We are in the outer bands they show for impact regions. Total rainfall estimate has been nudged up to 4"-8". One county south is a very different story, though it should be noted that Texas counties are about the size of Delaware.

J

 

[onejayhawk]

Rainfall amounts near Houston. Yikes.



This is the forecast

 

[Disgustipated]

Anyone else bothered by the fact these yokels are driving around in a flooded city? I think anyone rescued from a car should have to pay for their rescue. Apparently 1 woman in Houston died while driving into a flood. Forgive me if my sympathy meter is low for that one. Now the people rescued from their houses are legit rescues. People should be staying at home, or better yet, they should have evacuated 2 days ago.

 

[Zkribbler]

Trump won't have to build a wall. Texas is building an inland sea. *Rimshot*

 

[Colon]

We are already seeing rain totals approaching a meter in places.

I need some context here.

 

[Disgustipated]

I need some context here.

39 inches. Or are you looking for a different kind of context.

 

[shadowplay]

This looks a lot like Katrina.

 

[Colon]

39 inches. Or are you looking for a different kind of context.

Yes. Was looking for a frame of reference.

 

[Zkribbler]

TIL Houston is the 4th largest city in the US.

Both major airports closed. All major highways affected. Two hospitals evacuated. One TV station off the air.

 

[onejayhawk]

I need some context here.

Annual rainfall is about 90 cm. They are getting that, and more, in 2-3 days.

The low pressure center is weakening, so the cyclonic action is breaking up. Only the worst affected areas are still getting heavy rainfall. However, there is a secondary effect. The massive amounts of atmospheric water is producing normal rainfall predictions of 1"-4" all over the Brazos and San Jacinto river valleys, both of which run through the Houston area. The Brazos in particular is prone to flooding.

Downtown Houston

 

[Colon]

Is the whole city flooded?

 

[onejayhawk]

The whole city is too large to be all flooded. Bear in mind this is a city with almost the population of Rome and larger than Warsaw, Hamburg, Paris, or Vienna.

That said, it's pretty close.

J

 

[Broken_Erika]

Here's a video from Houston
http://www.bbc.com/news/av/world-us...-harvey-streets-turned-into-rivers-in-houston

 

[Timsup2nothin]

Just got done listening to a Republican congressman who represents much of the Houston area.

Congressman: "Who could have predicted this level of flooding?"

Answer: basically every meteorologist, as of last Thursday.

Congressman: "Well, we didn't see any need to evacuate since the storm was coming in down around Corpus Christie. Who could have expected this unprecedented rainfall?"

Answer, again: basically every meteorologist, as of last Thursday.

SCIENCE IS REAL! Who freaking knew?

 

[Broken_Erika]

Did the Congressman remember to write his name and social insurance number on his arm with a sharpie marker?

 

[Colon]

So what's the situation exactly? Hundreds of thousands (millions?) stuck in their homes? Should we expect a lot more deaths?