IKE! Very grim!

First. Here's a link to a site with four of the major Houston TV stations on screen at the same time. You will have to mute and adjust the sound for each according to your preference. Shades of LBJ.

Four Houston TV-Stations - On Screen

At 8:20 AM, it appears that much of Houston and Galveston Island are flooded. More than 100,000 homes are submerged. Buffalo Bayou is breaching, Little Vince Bayou has breached, with others already over their banks. And it will worsen as the feeder bands come ashore later in the day.

Early indications are that this is the storm which experts have warned about since the 70s. The massive build up over the cane and rice fields, and swamps, around Houston has created a nightmare of subsidence and run off. Years ago this water would have been absorbed into the ground. Now it has nowhere to go

Rescue and emergency teams have not reported from Galveston island yet, but as the day goes on, I fear some heavy casualties...with this proviso, the storm surge went in North of the Island, so the anticipated 20-foot wall of water did not happen.

Here in E. Texas, we're already seeing light rain bands and moderate winds, as tropical storm force weather is expected later in the morning or midday. Pets are spooky and clingy.

We've battened down the hatches, cleared the yard of ornaments and things which can fly through the air, and while we still have power we will attempt to reach out and check on family in Houston.

Lights just flickered, ok, still on.

12:00 Noon. Still have power. Houston family members are accounted for, drenched, frightened and well. One lives out by Hobby Airport and went through 95 MPH winds--fence down, roof damage, trees down. Son in Missouri City reports trees down, one huge Pecan tree down across garage, but fine with generator working. Grandson and his mother have not reported in yet, but they are in a very solid building in Sugarland, well south of the worst of it, and should be well except for potential for flooding of that area.

Here, we've had rains and gusty winds which are starting to pick up some. Dogs and I romped in the rain an hour or two ago, now in the house for the duration. The storm is still a Cat1 hurricane and the leading edge is about about forty miles south of us, making straight for our neighborhood. It's going to be an interesting afternoon and evening! Dang!

7:00 PM Lost power at about 1:00 PM and it came back on a little after six. Gosh, now I regret eating that gallon of ice cream to keep it from going to waste. Buuuuurp!

Sorry, just joking? Kept the freezer shut.

Neighbors tree crashed down on their carport and car, but, other than that just a lot of wind and rain, which is now diminishing.

See you on the high ground, if you make it!