The Roanoke Times: Weather Journalwith Kevin MyattBig problem for Houston; drought continues here- September 12, 2008 Storm surge is already building at Galveston, Texas, as Hurricane Ike approaches, and authorities are warning residents living in small homes along the Galveston shore that Ike's arrival would mean certain death. Ike's projected path is very, very bad news for Houston and Galveston, placing Galveston Bay on the stronger east side of the eyewall, if the central forecast track is close to accurate. It will not be good for the American economy, either, since so much gas and oil infrastructure is...http://blogs.roanoke.com/weatherjournal/tropical_weather/big_problem_for_houston_drough.ht... Crazy Ike might yet be a player in our weather- September 11, 2008 Hurricane Ike has flummoxed forecasters today with strange behavior. Its clocked wind speeds are not strong as they typically would be with a storm of its lowered barometric pressure. The winds are more dispersed than is typical of a hurricane it its life stage. And it has a tiny eye, almost not discernible on satellite images. All that said, Ike is still headed to Texas, currently as a Category 2 storm with 100 mph winds, and there is potential for strengthening. Its forecast track has edged..http://blogs.roanoke.com/weatherjournal/tropical_weather/crazy_ike_might_yet_be_a_playe.ht... Ike is still out there, churning toward Texas- September 11, 2008 Infrared satellite picture of IkeIf you're like me, you've probably got tropical weather fatigue at this point, but let's don't lose sight of Hurricane Ike. It's a very serious issue for the coast of Texas, especially if it strengthens a notch or two from its Category 2 intensity (100 mph winds) it currently carries. Ike is projected to come ashore late Friday or early Saturday somewhere between Houston and Corpus Christi. The obvious large-picture impact is that it will be heading into a...http://blogs.roanoke.com/weatherjournal/tropical_weather/ike_is_still_out_there_churnin.ht... Mountain Lake: A consequence of long-term drought- September 10, 2008 If you haven't, be sure and check out today's story by Tonia Moxley on Mountain Lake and how the Giles County lake has almost entirely dried up. While there is a significant geological component to the lake's emptying, with historical evidence of an irregular drain-and-refill cycle over centuries, the ongoing long-term drought is the current issue most responsible for the lake's draining. While tropical systems in the last couple of weeks have helped most streams and rivers recover to a...http://blogs.roanoke.com/weatherjournal/current_conditions/mountain_lake_a_consequence_of.... Ike back out over water; expected to strengthen- September 9, 2008 Hurricane Ike has re-emerged over the Gulf of Mexico after a couple of days of hammering Cuba. It is forecast to regain much of the strength it lost and head toward Texas. We won't see any direct impact, but will watch to see if any moisture gets caught up with a passing front and pushed our way next week. Meanwhile, storms closer to us this afternoon have shifted to the south, leaving us high and dry.http://blogs.roanoke.com/weatherjournal/tropical_weather/ike_back_out_over_water_expect.ht... |