grasshopper
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How is it that IAH George Bush airport is running no delay, high ground?
This weather is awful!! 2008-2021
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harley
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Here's the article I heard. It's not much more than a sound bite.
A lot depends on the soil. Both places we live are right about at sea level, but respond to rainfall completely differently. At our MD home, a massive rainfall like that would result in flooding for days. Water stands on the clay/sand soil for a long time. At our FL home, even that amount of water would drain through the loose sand in a very short time. I've seen it rain over 10" in a day, and the water was gone within a couple of hours. I've never seen the 20" in a day rate, but I suspect it would still drain through pretty fast. I don't know anything about Houston, but I certainly hope the flooding ends soon and people remain safe.
Big_Hitter
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High ground is relative in Houston. The Heights area may be 20ft higher than the rest of town.
IAH isn't near a bayou or creek iirc. That's why it doesn't flood, plus it has containment areas all around it.
Most of the flooding occurred in areas that are near bayous or creeks. Cypress Creek really went out of its banks.
Texas Proud
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Also a lot of clay around here...
It was interesting that the article was talking about building above the 100 year flood plain.... but most of what is flooding now IS above that... someone on TV said that this is a 500 year flood..
Down in the Meyerland area (southwest Houston) it is not, but their water has already gone down...
Also, when you look at the pictures that a flooded street is planned... they first want to fill up any retention ponds, then the bayous, then the streets before reaching any buildings... so reaching buildings means a lot of water...
This was yesterday, but someone said the amount of water that fell is the same as 88 minutes of the Niagara Falls...
Big_Hitter
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Lots of clay except where the pines grow (NW Houston) then it's sandier.
Still, too many people, too much pavement and too much rain.
Just heard water got in the Hearthstone club house.
Still, too many people, too much pavement and too much rain.
Just heard water got in the Hearthstone club house.
Nice 80°F day, then suddenly half-inch hailstones that completely covered the lawn. Ten minutes later, sunny again.
Hermit
Thinks s/he gets paid by the post
Pretty steady snow this afternoon. Its the real wet stuff. About 3 inches on the ground. I didn't think it was supposed to snow today. Friday we are supposed to get a bunch more.
Hermit
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W2R
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Yesterday we had a "slight to marginal" chance of severe storms today, with damaging winds, hail, and tornados.
Today we have a severe thunderstorm watch in place, and a 40% chance of storms here today, possibly with damaging winds(15%), hail(2%), and tornados(?%). Or not.
What an equivocal forecast! Radar shows that there's a solid line of strong storms marching across Louisiana and headed directly for us. The TV weathergirl is urging us to bring in anything in the yard that could become a projectile if/when blown around. My plan is to do that, and just assume that today will be stormy.
She also urges us to rush to get errands done pronto and get home soon because "you won't want to be driving around in these storms once they arrive". Not "if they arrive", but "once they arrive" (exact quote). OK....
Today we have a severe thunderstorm watch in place, and a 40% chance of storms here today, possibly with damaging winds(15%), hail(2%), and tornados(?%). Or not.
What an equivocal forecast! Radar shows that there's a solid line of strong storms marching across Louisiana and headed directly for us. The TV weathergirl is urging us to bring in anything in the yard that could become a projectile if/when blown around. My plan is to do that, and just assume that today will be stormy.
She also urges us to rush to get errands done pronto and get home soon because "you won't want to be driving around in these storms once they arrive". Not "if they arrive", but "once they arrive" (exact quote). OK....
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Hope you make it through that bad weather with no damage!
W2R
Moderator Emeritus
Thank you! I am just aggravated that they can't seem to decide on the forecast at all. If it was just storms popping up, I could see it, but with that solid line of red headed this way I'd really like for them to commit to a forecast for once. Maybe that is too much to ask.
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aja8888
Moderator Emeritus
We got pounded with a wild storm at 4 AM here in Houston early this morning. This just adds to the already wet conditions around these parts.
W2R
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I hope Houston doesn't have any more flooding from it!
I think that might have been the same line of storms that is moving eastward and headed for us. It's between Houston and Lafayette right now.
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Bestwifeever
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The Chicago networks have been doing the opposite--they go with the most dire predictions and then pull them back just a few hours before the storms were supposed to arrive. We had thunderstorms and hail etc. forecast night before last and then again last night. Not complaining, but still haven't seen a drop. Always good to be prepared but no one is going to take either your news meteorologists or ours seriously at this rate.
W2R
Moderator Emeritus
So true.
They really ought to do the forecasts like the lottery, with that spinning globe full of balls with numbers on them. The numbers could refer to percentages. "And today's forecast... is..... (spinning the sphere)... 49! A 49% chance of thunderstorms in New Orleans today. Thank you for participating in today's weather forecast lottery!"
aja8888
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Yes, that's the line of storms. Hopefully, they are less destructive. We have a tree down and seems like several are down in the area. Schools are closed for the day.
HFWR
Give me a museum and I'll fill it. (Picasso) Give me a forum ...
That line of storms passed through DFW around ten o'clock or so. The NWS was calling it a "PDS", or "particularly dangerous situation" (perty damned serious?). It rained hard for about an hour, with some lightning, but no hail or tornadoes, so all good.
dixonge
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Yesterday we had a "slight to marginal" chance of severe storms today, with damaging winds, hail, and tornados.
Today we have a severe thunderstorm watch in place, and a 40% chance of storms here today, possibly with damaging winds(15%), hail(2%), and tornados(?%). Or not.
What an equivocal forecast! Radar shows that there's a solid line of strong storms marching across Louisiana and headed directly for us. The TV weathergirl is urging us to bring in anything in the yard that could become a projectile if/when blown around. My plan is to do that, and just assume that today will be stormy.
She also urges us to rush to get errands done pronto and get home soon because "you won't want to be driving around in these storms once they arrive". Not "if they arrive", but "once they arrive" (exact quote). OK....
What the forecaster says and what we typically think it means is often different. The percentage expresses a combination of certainty and areal coverage. Also, the 'area' involved is typically 20-30 parishes/counties. It's kinda complicated, but here is a good explanation:
FAQ - What is the Meaning of
W2R
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Yes, I know what it is supposed to mean due to graduate education and career experience in meteorology.
My objection is receiving multiple contradictory predictions, often from the same source and often presented to the public as being equally weighted. To me that's just not demonstrating much consistency. If a particular prediction should be given lesser weight, that should be made clear IMO.
Texas Proud
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I think it is the same storm.... the good news is that it is fast moving and will go by quickly, the bad is that it is intense... our electricity was going in and out... lost it for awhile, came back, lost it again for who knows how long (I went to the gym)... now clear skies!!!
W2R
Moderator Emeritus
Good! Glad to hear it. It looks like it's still moving at a rapid clip and has passed Lafayette, still headed this way.
Edited to add: By now the NWS has increased our chance of storms to 80% so I have no more complaint. It looks like we are going to get clobbered by that same storm before too long. I am already hearing thunder off in the distance and it's looking ominous outside.
Edited again: It's dark as night outside and thundering loudly, and the rain has started. Visibility is about zero. I can hear the sirens of emergency vehicles all around for whatever reasons. The wind is just barely starting to kick up here. I think I'll just stay put, as the TV weather lady suggested.
My Venza is inside my garage, safe from any hail that might fall.
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W2R
Moderator Emeritus
And here we go again!
More severe storms are upon us right now. 60 mph winds, hail, thunder, torrential rains, and visibility is almost zero. This is the same storm that clobbered Texas yesterday, IIRC. Lots of energy in these spring thunderstorms!
I'm glad that we are safely at home, my car is safely inside my garage, and all is well. The storm should pass by soon.
More severe storms are upon us right now. 60 mph winds, hail, thunder, torrential rains, and visibility is almost zero. This is the same storm that clobbered Texas yesterday, IIRC. Lots of energy in these spring thunderstorms!
I'm glad that we are safely at home, my car is safely inside my garage, and all is well. The storm should pass by soon.
Staying inside sounds like a good idea. We just have cold (50°) and drizzle, little to no wind. But no incentive to go out either.
Hermit
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Snowing and 23 degrees here in the mountains. I just got back from the big charity event down in the city. I think the silent auction went very well. The drive home was quite slow. The roads were very icy on the paved roads and snow packed on the dirt roads.
W2R
Moderator Emeritus
No sense in going to bed! We have a thunderstorm bearing down on us.
The TV weatherman says to expect 70 mph winds and possibly tornados. Really? 70 mph?
Right now, lots of long, low, deep thunder rumbling. We'll be fine but there's not much sense in going to bed any time soon.
Just sitting here with my laptop unplugged, waiting for it to pass on through.
On the bright side, my new lawn needs a drink and Mother Nature will surely oblige.
The TV weatherman says to expect 70 mph winds and possibly tornados. Really? 70 mph?
Right now, lots of long, low, deep thunder rumbling. We'll be fine but there's not much sense in going to bed any time soon.
Just sitting here with my laptop unplugged, waiting for it to pass on through.On the bright side, my new lawn needs a drink and Mother Nature will surely oblige.
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