Out of Gas in the Heat

I watched CNN during dinner and was shocked to see the reports of thousands of people out of gas along Interstate 45 in Houston. Apparently the contra flow did not start until noon on Thursday.

It seems to me that this raises serious questions about trying to evacuate everyone from a city of 5 million. (Has there been an over reaction??)

Already there has been one reported death and wire reports say that the hospitals in Houston are swamped with people who got ill in the 100 degree heat and 100 mile long traffic jam.

Houston is no New Orleans.
It is above sea level and a cat 4 hurricane will not be enough to destroy well built strucures that far inland. If my parents or family were in Houston in a well built home, would I tell them to obey the so called mandatory evacuation. Not unless they were near the bay or in an area that slosh models show is very likely to flood.

After setting in the heat for 15 hours on Thursday, will these people go next time a cat 5 is headed their way. Some won't and I don't blame them.

If there was a mass evacuation plan for Houston on paper it sure does not seem to be a very good one. As a meteorologist, I am concerned about thousands of people trapped on a highway with a category 4 hurricane bearing down on them.

Last night in this blog I said if you have relatives down there, tellem to get out. I have changed my mind. Tell them to go to a sturdy building well above sea level and hope for the best.

This reminds me of what happened to long time Meteorologist Bob Breck in New Orleans LAST year during Hurricane Ivan. The roads were so jammed he told his viewers to go back home. He too saw the potential catastrophe of grid locked roads during a major hurricane.

He was attacked by everyone from FEMA to the local police chief and Mayor. Funny how that has apparently not come up this year. I told him in June that I could symapthise.
I've been there!
(If your in the Big Easy and need a forecast, Bob is the person to watch)

I bet Bob Breck sleeps well at night. I know I do.

One last thing to mention. Rita has weakened a bit overnight. It may come shore as a cat 3. The bad news..it is looking more and more like the steering currents will collapse and someone gets 25 inches of rain.

Ask Max Mayfield and he will tell you- it is the WATER, not the wind that kills.

Later,
Dan