Tropical Storm Hermine headed right for me!

[audreyh1]

You Texans doing all right? Good to see you posting in the morning.

Just out of curiosity - what level of storm or wind speed begins to threaten RVs and what can you do to minimize the potential damage, aside from driving away?

Well, considering that I did at one time reach 80mph on the interstate with no problems.....

I have driven on highways with 40-45mph side winds as well, and been OK.

If high winds threaten, we may bring in the slides to save our slide toppers and reduce our wind profile. If the high winds come from fore or aft, then we barely even feel them. Side wind gusts can be uncomfortable, but the motorhome is too bottom heavy to tip over.

Things like tornadoes, and hurricanes though - all bets are off. Nearby tornado warning - we seek a building for shelter. Hurricane expected - we leave. Twisting winds or side winds exceeding 70mph - I would not stay in the motorhome.

Very little rain overnight last night, and I don't think we'll get much today. We ended up on the "dry" side of the storm. We could really use some rain. Looks like Corpus Christi and north of there is getting hammered.

Audrey

 

[audreyh1]

Normally about 6 hours, I think. With good driving conditions and no traffic snafus.

Really? It takes me 6 hours by car to get from here to Austin. 350 miles. I think it's quite a bit further to Houston from here. I know I can't do it in one day in the motorhome.

Well - looks like it's about the same distance - 356 miles. I guess things are farther apart when you are driving a motorhome.

Audrey

 

[ziggy29]

Now it's starting to come down pretty hard. Not driving down sheets where you have no visibility driving, but the rain isn't "light" any more.

 

[ronocnikral]

Good move, as Harlingen got 6+ inches in a fairly short amount of time last night. Wind gusts up to 53 mph in nearby Brownsville, and a brief tornado.

How long does it take to get to Houston from Harlingen? I'm not sure I would have made it back in one day...

Audrey

ziggy is correct. ~6 hours (including the border patrol stop). it took me about 10 hours to get down there, but i rode my bike from the house to ganado (a little north of victoria). i wanted to ride it back part of the way, but we decided to scurry back. i especially wanted to experience a border patrol check point on a bike.

Now it's starting to come down pretty hard. Not driving down sheets where you have no visibility driving, but the rain isn't "light" any more.

it's let up a little here in houston. since i commute by bike, auto-ists visibility is a major concern of mine...i've been in worse though...

 

[Alan]

Some heavy downpours here in the Houston area plus flash flood and tornado warnings. Good day to stay indoors and watch the footy.

 

[bbbamI]

Some heavy downpours here in the Houston area plus flash flood and tornado warnings. Good day to stay indoors and watch the footy.

Yeah....bunch of rain at my abode right now and thunder.

btw, what's a footy?

 

[Alan]

btw, what's a footy?

Football my dear (as in the game you play with your feet).

It's a big day in the European Cup qualifiers. I'm currently watching Switzerland v England, while monitoring the other results as they happen.

 

[bbbamI]

Football my dear (as in the game you play with your feet).

It's a big day in the European Cup qualifiers. I'm currently watching Switzerland v England, while monitoring the other results as they happen.

Oh...I see...I found a footy...me likey....

 

[HFWR]

Was quiet and rain-free for a few hours here, but round two (or is it three) is about to arrive...

 

[bbbamI]

Tornado warning for my county...Collin...until 4:13 p.m.

Hmmm...maybe I'll be online later...or maybe not.

 

[ziggy29]

Tornado warning for my county...Collin...until 4:13 p.m.

Hmmm...maybe I'll be online later...or maybe not.

Yikes! Be safe. Nothing like that here. We have had about 1.25" of rain in town from this event so far, and what's left of the "eye" (a large yellowish circular blob on the radar) is starting to pass through town, south to north.

 

[bbbamI]

All is well here so far...tornado watch until 8 pm. I think I just need to chill and turn the weather channel off...

 

[HFWR]

All is well here so far...tornado watch until 8 pm. I think I just need to chill and turn the weather channel off...

Don't worry, the sireens will sound if there's a threat.

No, that's not misspelled; that's the Texas spelling...

 

[haha]

Don't worry, the sireens will sound if there's a threat.

No, that's not misspelled; that's the Texas spelling...

There's a great folksong I think sung by Cisco Houston with this line

I'm takin' it easy, I'm takin' it slow, I ain't a gonna worry, till the sireens blow.

I looked on YouTube to find it but no luck.

Found it!

Ha

 

[bbbamI]

Don't worry, the sireens will sound if there's a threat.

They used to blast the 'sireen' just to make sure it was in working order....seems like each Wednesday. I haven't heard it in a long time...I guess it still works.

There's a great folksong I think sung by Cisco Houston with this line

I'm takin' it easy, I'm takin' it slow, I ain't a gonna worry, till the sireens blow.

I looked on YouTube to find it but no luck.

Found it!

Ha

Ahhhh great song Ha......

 

[ziggy29]

2.5" of rain now and still coming down. A couple of dead trees way in the back have some pretty big limbs down. There's a chain saw in my future....

 

[MichaelB]

2.5" of rain now and still coming down. A couple of dead trees way in the back have some pretty big limbs down. There's a chain saw in my future....

Stocking up on eco-friendly firewood? Hopefully no flooding and some of the water will find its way to the fields, although it doesn’t usually.

As to Audrey and the RV, after reading her stories about driving in high winds and other adventures, south of the border and after a couple of beers, the guys would say “esa mujer si tiene bolas” and it would be a compliment.

 

[bbbamI]

YouTube - Stevie Ray Vaughan - Texas Flood (Long version!)

 

[audreyh1]

As to Audrey and the RV, after reading her stories about driving in high winds and other adventures, south of the border and after a couple of beers, the guys would say “esa mujer si tiene bolas” and it would be a compliment.

Down here they would say "tiene huevos" -

 

[MichaelB]

Down here they would say "tiene huevos" -

A rose by any other name would smell as sweet

 

[HFWR]

Local weather station indicates 4.2" of rain since midnight.

 

[audreyh1]

Local weather station indicates 4.2" of rain since midnight.

I'm very jealous. We got less than 0.1 inches.

Audrey

 

[jblack]

here in Austin we got 12+ inches and several flash floods, but not much wind.

unfortunately the back of our lot (20' feet down from the house) is in a flood plain and much of our backyard + fence has been relocated downstream. we also discovered some new erosion problems that will need fixing.

all-in probably $3000-8000 worth of damage. grrr

 

[bbbamI]

Ok...our 'sireens' work...they're going off right now.

 

[audreyh1]

here in Austin we got 12+ inches and several flash floods, but not much wind.

unfortunately the back of our lot (20' feet down from the house) is in a flood plain and much of our backyard + fence has been relocated downstream. we also discovered some new erosion problems that will need fixing.

all-in probably $3000-8000 worth of damage. grrr

ouch!