Post by kennethb on Sept 13, 2008 21:41:39 GMT -6
Dear All: Baton Rouge got slammed by Gus. I finally received power on Thursday pm. (10 days) Even today, Saturday evening, there are a few areas still without power.
I finally got my phone line back up today after a fallen tree in the backyard cut the line.
I noticed on the previous Gus discussion thread that Zack posted the NHC forecast track for 10 am Sept. 1. He took the very north edge, if not more of that cone. We got whipped in that NE eyewall. Baton Rouge is a blue tarp city, including myself. I lost a lot of shingles. The rains the following two nights were slaps in the face as the water dripped in through my roof into my kitchen.
Fortunately, the tree that fell in my yard did not hit houses, though there are hundreds, if not more houses that had trees fall on them.
I went to the FEMA line twice for tarps and also have MRE's. Never thought I would ever do that.
I know JB and called him during the height of the storm and said this was as bad as Betsy. He cited a Weatherwise article where a gust of over 150 mph was recored somewhere in the city. I can't deny that as she was a stronger storm, though the offical NWS wind speed for Betsy was around 57 or so sustained with Gusts to 92 while with Gus it was around 58 or so sustained with gusts to around 91. So comprable.
With no power, I had little info in Ike. Computer withdrawal. Concerns about Ike, my tarps, water leaks, tree in the backyard down with underground power under the uprooted trunk and I slept very little and lost about 10 pounds. The hurricane diet.
With roof leaks, I have it bad, but after riding around and seeing the houses with trees through him, not as bad.
JB did give me a call around midweek with an update on Ike. He was very concerned about NO and South LA, but was not making a call yet. If Ike would have hit us as he hit Houston, my tarps would have ended up in North LA and I would have to move out of my house.
Not that I would have wished a storm for the folks in Houston, but I and others here in BR and south LA did not need the wind and another hurricane.
Back to Gus. He howled as we entered that NE eye band. I reviewed the Slidell NWS rader summary on Gus and some reds appeared right over my section of South Baton Rouge, in Kenilworth.
I did ride out Elana in Ocean Springs in 1985 and that was incredible. Though Gus was a little bit less than that, it is different when you own a house and your shingles are ripping off and water is dripping in the Kitchen. (indoor water feature).
Yet, like most of us, it is nature and it is incredible to see the energy that nature creates and appreciate it, though it does create grief for many.
As far as the coast. Well hurricanes are a part of the coast and is what keeps the coast healthy. It is just that people want to live there and want the marsh and barrier islands to remain the same. Yet where the water meets the land is probably the most dynamic parts of the world. The marsh will recover the way it is supposed to, but not the way man wants it to. Hurricanes reshape and energize the island and marshes. That is why we have great fishing and seafood harvests after storms.
Anyway, a long post, but after 10 days with no power and 12 with no internet, I needed to write.
I hope to drive down to the November gathering and meet some of you.
Kenneth
I finally got my phone line back up today after a fallen tree in the backyard cut the line.
I noticed on the previous Gus discussion thread that Zack posted the NHC forecast track for 10 am Sept. 1. He took the very north edge, if not more of that cone. We got whipped in that NE eyewall. Baton Rouge is a blue tarp city, including myself. I lost a lot of shingles. The rains the following two nights were slaps in the face as the water dripped in through my roof into my kitchen.
Fortunately, the tree that fell in my yard did not hit houses, though there are hundreds, if not more houses that had trees fall on them.
I went to the FEMA line twice for tarps and also have MRE's. Never thought I would ever do that.
I know JB and called him during the height of the storm and said this was as bad as Betsy. He cited a Weatherwise article where a gust of over 150 mph was recored somewhere in the city. I can't deny that as she was a stronger storm, though the offical NWS wind speed for Betsy was around 57 or so sustained with Gusts to 92 while with Gus it was around 58 or so sustained with gusts to around 91. So comprable.
With no power, I had little info in Ike. Computer withdrawal. Concerns about Ike, my tarps, water leaks, tree in the backyard down with underground power under the uprooted trunk and I slept very little and lost about 10 pounds. The hurricane diet.
With roof leaks, I have it bad, but after riding around and seeing the houses with trees through him, not as bad.
JB did give me a call around midweek with an update on Ike. He was very concerned about NO and South LA, but was not making a call yet. If Ike would have hit us as he hit Houston, my tarps would have ended up in North LA and I would have to move out of my house.
Not that I would have wished a storm for the folks in Houston, but I and others here in BR and south LA did not need the wind and another hurricane.
Back to Gus. He howled as we entered that NE eye band. I reviewed the Slidell NWS rader summary on Gus and some reds appeared right over my section of South Baton Rouge, in Kenilworth.
I did ride out Elana in Ocean Springs in 1985 and that was incredible. Though Gus was a little bit less than that, it is different when you own a house and your shingles are ripping off and water is dripping in the Kitchen. (indoor water feature).
Yet, like most of us, it is nature and it is incredible to see the energy that nature creates and appreciate it, though it does create grief for many.
As far as the coast. Well hurricanes are a part of the coast and is what keeps the coast healthy. It is just that people want to live there and want the marsh and barrier islands to remain the same. Yet where the water meets the land is probably the most dynamic parts of the world. The marsh will recover the way it is supposed to, but not the way man wants it to. Hurricanes reshape and energize the island and marshes. That is why we have great fishing and seafood harvests after storms.
Anyway, a long post, but after 10 days with no power and 12 with no internet, I needed to write.
I hope to drive down to the November gathering and meet some of you.
Kenneth
