Tropical Storm Hermine headed right for me!

[audreyh1]

Looks like the projected path has it going right over our house.

Fortunately, it should cross 100 miles or so of land before visiting us. We don't expect more than 50 mph winds - mostly heavy rain. Unfortunately, there is a house under construction right next door.

We just bought patio furniture yesterday. All of the stores around here were getting rid of their outdoor furniture on clearance, so we figured we better get it now before it all disappeared before next year.

Well, it's all put away in our storage unit now.

REWahoo - I think Hermine is expected to visit you too!

Audrey

 

[ziggy29]

It's expected to wallop us with wind and rain tomorrow. Hope the rain doesn't come down too much too fast to cause flooding, and hope the winds aren't damaging. But we do need the rain.

 

[bbbamI]

We have a flash flood watch from Tuesday to early Thursday. Depending on where you live in North TX, you might see two to six inches of rain. We need every drop.

 

[Nords]

We just bought patio furniture yesterday. All of the stores around here were getting rid of their outdoor furniture on clearance, so we figured we better get it now before it all disappeared before next year.

Isn't this your second storm since you bought the place? Is this normal for your area, or is it some sort of meteorological commentary on your new fixed-abode lifestyle?

 

[ziggy29]

Isn't this your second storm since you bought the place? Is this normal for your area, or is it some sort of meteorological commentary on your new fixed-abode lifestyle?

The weather out here tends to be mostly dry with occasional major downpours. Both extreme drought and flash flooding are fairly common out here.

 

[LOL!]

After having the winds of both Rita and Ike pass through the neighborhood, we don't think measly 50 mph winds will down any trees as all the weak or insect-damaged trees have been taken out already.

Also folks have pretty good short-term memories, so they won't do anything stupid until there are few years of no hurricanes.

 

[REWahoo]

REWahoo - I think Hermine is expected to visit you too!

Yes - but I won't be home: http://www.early-retirement.org/forums/f29/what-did-you-do-today-37868-273.html#post975329

We're currently overnighting in 'beautiful' Pecos, TX where my thermometer sitting on our campsite picnic table shows a temp of 102...

 

[W2R]

We're currently overnighting in 'beautiful' Pecos, TX where my thermometer sitting on our campsite picnic table shows a temp of 102...

Whew!! Toasty!!!

 

[obgyn65]

Please keep safe everyone. I hope the tropical storm Hermine will not create too much damage.

 

[WhoDaresWins]

Please keep safe everyone. I hope the tropical storm Hermine will not create too much damage.

Ditto. I know a couple of vacationing people who had to flee Earl and the Outerbanks last week.

 

[audreyh1]

Isn't this your second storm since you bought the place? Is this normal for your area, or is it some sort of meteorological commentary on your new fixed-abode lifestyle?

This is actually major storm #3. We were visited by Tropical Depression 2 a week after Alex which dumped a bunch more rain in the Rio Grande watershed and ultimately lead to a great flood.

I do wonder about the weather gods. They seem to rear their heads every time we buy something.

But we are about 80 miles inland from the gulf coast. And even though we aren't near an area of the gulf known for many named storms, in a busy season a few will head our way.

Normally we would be away for the most active storm months - August and September - and once our new neighbor's house is built our house will be relatively protected from high winds. But I guess there is a reason why our RV covered parking area was built to withstand hurricane force winds.

But, yes, it does seem to be piling up here this year. The great (40 year) flood we had since July 13 - the waters just receded finally a couple of weeks ago. The reservoirs are still pretty full, and it looks like a lot more water could be dumped into the Rio Grande watershed. Flood waters may rise again in a few days.

Audrey

 

[audreyh1]

Yes - but I won't be home: http://www.early-retirement.org/forums/f29/what-did-you-do-today-37868-273.html#post975329

We're currently overnighting in 'beautiful' Pecos, TX where my thermometer sitting on our campsite picnic table shows a temp of 102...

Whew! Ouch! Well I guess at least it's "dry" heat - LOL!

At least they grow great cantaloupes there. Worth stopping for.

We usually head for Davis Mountains State Park when in that area.

Hey - so smart to leave early! Good call! Hope you reach cooler mountains soon.

Audrey

 

[audreyh1]

After having the winds of both Rita and Ike pass through the neighborhood, we don't think measly 50 mph winds will down any trees as all the weak or insect-damaged trees have been taken out already.

Also folks have pretty good short-term memories, so they won't do anything stupid until there are few years of no hurricanes.

Around here winds have to get to 40mph for it to be considered "windy" - LOL! We can get gusts 45mph+ just in "normal" weather.

My main concern is the unfinished roof next door and the stacks of lumber in the back yard. We picked up boards that had nails sticking out of them.

Don't really expect much to go flying, but you never know. The highest winds are expected after midnight, so I may not be able to sleep much.

Audrey

 

[audreyh1]

Right now, Hermione is going straight north, and looks like it will go right over Brownsville, well east of us. It made landfall about 40 miles south of Brownsville 1.5 hours ago with winds about 60mph. They are now getting a huge amount of rainfall around Brownsville and Harlingen.

We got a narrow by heavy rain band about noon today, but no others yet. So far wide bands have fizzled just before reaching us. We still expect a lot of rain. Maybe the winds won't be bad at all (knock on wood).

The cane toads are singing.....

Audrey

 

[73ss454]

You can always jump in the RV and move.

 

[harley]

Good luck, everyone. May you Hermine treaat you as roughly as Earl did us. I left a beachball on the deck, and it didn't even blow away.

 

[audreyh1]

You can always jump in the RV and move.

This storm really organized too quickly for us to do that, and as of now the weather is quite a bit worse along our exit path than here.

But at 1p.m. today just when we decided that maybe we should put away our patio furniture, one of our neighbors had pulled out their rig and was hooking up the toad. Maybe they already had a trip planned and decided to leave early (like REWahoo). Too late for us, we would have had to decide to leave many hours earlier - like the night before - in order to be pulling out by noon today.

Until very late last night tropical depression wasn't expected to reach named storm status.

Hermine is already past us, it passed just east of us, and we didn't even get much rain - which we really need. Maybe we'll get some today.

Audrey

 

[Purron]

Good luck, everyone. May you Hermine treaat you as roughly as Earl did us. I left a beachball on the deck, and it didn't even blow away.

+1. We didn't even get a drop of rain from Earl. Hope you all get through this without any problems.

 

[ziggy29]

The edge of the storm is just about on us. The hour by hour forecast? 90-100% chance of rain every hour starting at 8 AM for about 24 hours or so...

 

[ronocnikral]

i checked the news at late sunday night from my hotel in harlingen. that was the first i had heard of any tropical weather. we packed up and scooted out of town yesterday around 10 am. just a lot of rain on the road back to houston.

stay safe, and dry.

 

[HFWR]

Nothing serious (yet), but looks like a rainy day in DFW. We need it...

 

[audreyh1]

i checked the news at late sunday night from my hotel in harlingen. that was the first i had heard of any tropical weather. we packed up and scooted out of town yesterday around 10 am. just a lot of rain on the road back to houston.

stay safe, and dry.

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

 

[ziggy29]

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

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

 

[MichaelB]

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?

 

[ziggy29]

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?

Still only a little drizzle here, and that's likely all it will be for a few more hours. By this afternoon I think it should be packing a little more punch up here.