Contour Enthusiasts Group Archives Forums General Common Interests Rita Evacuees

Who's actually leaving? Staying? Waiting?
I thought I'd get a thread going for the Gulf-Coasters freaking out about this. . .I'll leave Houston if it's a category 3, I think, from what I hear, I can weather (haha) a Cat 1 or 2. . .I have a 2nd floor apartment, what do y'all think?

Suneil

My family was evac'd from Key West yesterday, they went up the Keys into our house in St Pete (which I am still paying to fix from last years onslaught, bleh).

Houston won't have a problem like the Keys, and N.O. Both are at or below sea level in most areas, which is what causes the major issues. Houston has a nice drainage system in place to handle this, so you should be ok.

E1

You'll be needing some of this stuff...

It'll take a Cat 4 or 5 to unseat me out of SW Houston; I'm 63 ft. above sea-level with two dikes protecting my area. Being 32 miles inland helps give me a stiff upper-lip, too...

I've also got excellent drainage around my neighborhood and since it hasn't rained in a while, the ground isn't saturated so I'm only marginally concerned about flooding (and covered if it ever happens; I'm out of the designated "flood-zone" but for $300/yr for flood insurance it's a no-brainer). With 3 stories, moving valuables/perishables upstairs is easy and not a concern.

Wind doesn't worry me too much, either; brick and rock construction rule.

Mama raised this former redneck as a Boy Scout, so I always have 2 cases of bottled-water around and enough canned/dry food to last a couple of weeks. Small Honda generator in the garage, gas canisters full, plenty of wine and cigars, enough guns and ammunition to hold off a dedicated siege by soccer-mom gangs in my neighborhood for a month or so...

...I think I'm good to go.

If it builds into something monstrous in the Gulf and turns it's eye directly towards Houston, though, my rear-end is high-tailing it up to San Antonio.

I went through Alisha back in 1983 in Houston. Just make sure that you have a good supply of fresh water, non-perishable foods,batteries,and candles because we didn't have electricity for almost 2 weeks back in'83. As for flooding in Houston, just use common sense. If the area has ever flooded, then get out. If you live in the first floor of an apartment, plan on hanging with the nieghbors on the second floor.