Houston / East Texas evacuations

[Carrie Halliday]

As of now, all Galveston County residents are under a MANDATORY evacuation order. Parts of Harris County are being considered (near the Ship Channel, low lying areas prone to flooding). If there are more areas that are being ASKED or are MANDATORY evacuation areas, post here. Many in my area will be coming here to get information during this time before, during (if we keep power) and after.

 

[HAltschule]

I'm hoping you mean this will be an ADDITIONAL source for those orders since this is by no means the most reliable source of official evacuations. I would strongly reccommend that they get their evacuation information and warnings directly from the NWS or local government. Certainly, local media will have the most up to date info as well.

 

[carey libby]

she is telling the truth.
http://tinyurl.com/9rxb7

 

[Jim Bishop]

This isn't directly related to evacuations. But I live near downtown Houston and the grocery stores are running out of bottled water. It was a sureal experience going there to stock up on non perishable foods and water. I even went to Walmart and people were waiting in lines to fill up massive jugs of water. I'll be chasing this beast but it will also be chasing me.

 

[Anonymous]

Originally posted by Jim Bishop
This isn't directly related to evacuations. But I live near downtown Houston and the grocery stores are running out of bottled water. It was a sureal experience going there to stock up on non perishable foods and water. I even went to Walmart and people were waiting in lines to fill up massive jugs of water. I'll be chasing this beast but it will also be chasing me.

No water in Katy either. I tried to get some starting at 11 this morning, everyone is out of bottled and jugged. Kroger is slated to get a shipment early tomorrow morning....I will be there EARLY (6am) to get some.

Voluntary evacuations being asked of people in low lying areas, the elderly and infirmed in Harris County.

I will NOT be chasing this as my first hurricane. Cat 4 for a beginner?
No thanks!!

 

[B Ozanne]

I turned on the tv this morning at 7am eastern and saw a massive exodus on the highways. It was in and around Houston. Is this just the general population leaving the Houston metro? Couldn't possible be Galveston residents still, too many cars.

 

[Anonymous]

It's Galveston, plus Clear Lake/Webster/Friendswood, plus people in low-lying areas, plus and a ton of other folks. I have friends as far north as Spring and The Woodlands who are evacuating. Those areas would likely be okay to ride it out in, but they would rather not be without power. Also, many have small children or are pregnant, so they're being super cautious.

I have talked to friends and family this morning who left in the middle of the night and have traveled anywhere from 10-30 miles. It took a friend of my sister's 17 hours to make it to Dallas yesterday (normally 4 hours). Another friend's wife took 14.5 hours to get from Clear Lake to Austin (normally 3 hours). This is crazy.

They just announced that at 9 a.m., they will make southbound lanes of I-45 run north from Houston to Buffalo.

 

[B Ozanne]

They just announced that at 9 a.m., they will make southbound lanes of I-45 run north from Houston to Buffalo.

Yes, I can confirm. I-45 is contraflow from Houston area to Buffalo, not positive what time that starts.

First time Texas has ever done anything like this, it was never part of the evac plan.

 

[Colin P.McIntyre]

Just learned from my brother inlaw that his brother just evacuated
Houston and is now heading for Dallas.This storm is kind of afecting
me now.Thank god thease people are getting out.

 

[Jay Cazel]

Originally posted by Colin P.McIntyre
Just learned from my brother inlaw that his brother just evacuated
Houston and is now heading for Dallas.This storm is kind of afecting
me now.Thank god thease people are getting out.

I also have family in the Houston area, (Pearland) just south of Houston, I called them Teusday told them to get ready. Talked to him again yesterday afternoon he was shutting down his office and moving computers and files out. I hope he will leave and not try to ride this one out.

 

[B Ozanne]

I don't know why everybody is leaving but Houston is not under an evacuation order.

The mandatory evacuations are for low-lying areas, you should know if you live there. The other evacuation recommendation is for people in mobile homes or vulnerable structures.

The city goverment is just not prepared for the mass evacuation that is occuring. If anybody can find a link for a mandatory evacuation for the city of Houston please post it ASAP.

 

[Jeff Snyder]

If I lived in a non-eastern or non-low-lying suburb of Houston I would NOT evacuate right now. Landfall will likely occur east of the city, putting most of the city in offshore flow. If this occurs, which I believe it will, I don't think the folks on higher ground have a whole lot to worry about. Yes, there could be some wind damage, but I don't expect Andrew type of wind damage (houses crushed, etc). It may be better for folks to stay put, hunker down after making all other hurricane preparations, and stay off the freeways to let those who are in significant danger (those along the coast) to escape inland. The city of Houston is about 50 miles inland, so I wouldn't expect them to experience much above 80mph sustained winds. Of course, the Bay of Galveston is there, so if the storm was going to hit west of Houston, there may be a better chance of getting very strong winds uninhibited by land friction. This doesn't appear likely, though the 12z GFDL solution of the eye passing immediately east of Houston would bring some significant winds into the downtown areas as the western eyewall passes over the eastern part of the city. Though again, I don't think this is the most likely scenario right now. I guess we are still 36 hours from landfall, so I hope the freeways clear up by then. I'd certainly like to see the near-coast folks be able to get out of the areas of greatest danger.

 

[B Ozanne]

What's happening in Houston right now is a disaster.

Voluntary Evacuation: Consider leaving if you have special needs or live in a vulnerable structure.

Mandatory Evacuation: Leave now.

Otherwise be prepared to hunker down in place.

 

[Carrie Halliday]

Sheer craziness here. Went out for more supplies this morning and traffic is not moving on the roads due to those lining up for gas. WalMart threw whatever was left on most of the shelves in piles on the floor (grocery area) and people were picking it like a yard sale.
Line at Home Depot @ Fry Rd was over 2 blocks long (no kidding) of people with carts or just standing. I tried to get in to get a valve for my broken propane tank (no exchange tanks to be found since yesterday afternoon). They told me they wouldn't let me in and to go to the back of the plywood line. Needless to say, I said an expletive or two and left. Found out that a Ford Taurus can clear high medians and even SUV drivers will yield to mad Taurus drivers (no one is using traffic lights, it is survival of the fittest on suburban roads). Those who were able to acquire plywood were driving and holding it to their rooves (be it an SUV or a compact car). I should have taken pictures.
This morning was quite an experience!

We have taped our windows and picked up the yard. Just have to bring the swing in. Since we are looking like we are out of the worst of it, it is alot more relaxed and humor is starting to return to my homestead. Hopefully it stays here.

Last I checked, Beaumont was trying to evacuate and they were sending them on I45N. :shock:
Steaming media link to local TV news here: http://www.click2houston.com/index.html

 

[Tim Vasquez]

Turns out the long gas lines here in Palestine were due to people fleeing up US 287. Driving from here to Elkhart this afternoon (8 mi at 70 mph) I counted 347 vehicles headed northbound. There appears to be about 3 times the volume of traffic in town that there usually is (why people are hanging around here rather than scattering north to find hotel rooms doesn't make sense).

Tim