Tag Archives: hurricanes

Friday random ten: Hurricane season

Posted on June 29, 2012 by Charles Kuffner

We are officially in hurricane season now, and though Texas missed out on TS Debby, we know there’s more to come. So here are ten storm songs to get you through. 1. Full Force Gale – Van Morrison 2. Ready … Continue reading →

Posted in Music | Tagged , , | 2 Comments

Calculate your storm risk

Posted on June 11, 2012 by Charles Kuffner

That hurricane risk calculator is now ready for your input. Using the Storm Risk Calculator produced by the city of Houston and Rice University, users can enter an address and learn the risks for rainfall, power outage, storm surge and … Continue reading →

Posted in Hurricane Katrina | Tagged , , , , | 1 Comment

How bad would a big hurricane be to Houston?

Posted on June 4, 2012 by Charles Kuffner

Very bad. I trust you are not surprised by this. When a really strong hurricane next blows through Houston, its winds – not its waters – pose the greatest threat to inflict damage unimagined by most living here. Tropical Storm … Continue reading →

Posted in Hurricane Katrina | Tagged , , , , | Comments Off on How bad would a big hurricane be to Houston?

The Ike Floodgate

Posted on November 19, 2011 by Charles Kuffner

We have a recommendation for how to prepare for a future Hurricane Ike. A giant floodgate at the entrance to the Houston Ship Channel, coupled with a 130-mile wetlands recreation area, should be built to protect Houston from hurricane storm … Continue reading →

Posted in Hurricane Katrina | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , | Comments Off on The Ike Floodgate

Hurricane season is mostly behind us

Posted on September 12, 2011 by Charles Kuffner

Normally, this would be considered good news. Ironically, even as the Atlantic tropics reach their peak and Texas marks the anniversaries of 1961’s Hurricane Carla on Sunday and 2008’s Hurricane Ike next Tuesday, chances of a hurricane making landfall on … Continue reading →

Posted in Hurricane Katrina | Tagged , , | Comments Off on Hurricane season is mostly behind us

Friday random ten: Blowin’ in the wind

Posted on August 26, 2011 by Charles Kuffner

Those of us here on the Gulf Coast are quite familiar with hurricanes and all they can bring with them, so we have much sympathy for those on the East Coast who are in the path of Hurricane Irene. Whether … Continue reading →

Posted in Hurricane Katrina | Tagged , , , | 1 Comment

Time for the annual “Are we ready for a big storm?” story

Posted on June 2, 2011 by Charles Kuffner

The answer, of course, is no, not really. After Tropical Storm Allison’s devastating floods, the Houston area widened its bayous and hardened its infra­structure. After Hurricane Rita’s deadly gridlock, the state revamped storm communications and evacuation plans. Yet since Hurricane … Continue reading →

Posted in Hurricane Katrina | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Comments Off on Time for the annual “Are we ready for a big storm?” story

Time for the annual “We’re in for a busy hurricane season” forecast

Posted on May 24, 2011 by Charles Kuffner

And indeed, forecasters say we are in for another active year, as was the case last year. Here’s SciGuy with some discussion. [S]easonal forecasters did a pretty good job of calling last year’s extraordinarily active season. So while there’s no … Continue reading →

Posted in Hurricane Katrina | Tagged , , , | Comments Off on Time for the annual “We’re in for a busy hurricane season” forecast

Amicus briefs filed in Galveston beach case

Posted on December 31, 2010 by Charles Kuffner

Good for you, Vince Ryan. Harris County today joined other public agencies and activists in urging the Texas Supreme Court to reconsider a recent opinion that critics contend blocks public access to most beaches on Galveston island. County Attorney Vince … Continue reading →

Posted in Legal matters | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , | Comments Off on Amicus briefs filed in Galveston beach case

Patterson on the Open Beaches ruling

Posted on December 23, 2010 by Charles Kuffner

I must say, I enjoyed Land Commissioner Jerry Patterson’s op-ed on the recent Open Beaches ruling by the State Supreme Court. The man can bring the snark, I’ll give him that. Two points of interest besides that: Texans, you see, … Continue reading →

Posted in Legal matters | Tagged , , , , , , , , | 2 Comments

State Supreme Court asked to reconsider open beaches verdict

Posted on December 17, 2010 by Charles Kuffner

Good luck with that. Galveston has joined key state agencies in pleading with the court to reconsider a ruling that favors private property rights over public access to Texas shores. “I think the Supreme Court really needs to understand the … Continue reading →

Posted in Legal matters | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , | 2 Comments

The cost of closing the beaches

Posted on November 24, 2010 by Charles Kuffner

The recent Supreme Court ruling predictably leads to the enrichment of a lucky few. Although Carol Severance’s lawsuit killed the largest beach resanding project in Texas history, her four Galveston beach properties won’t suffer. Instead, she could walk away with … Continue reading →

Posted in Legal matters | Tagged , , , , , | Comments Off on The cost of closing the beaches

Is this the end for truly open beaches?

Posted on November 14, 2010 by Charles Kuffner

From last week: The Texas Supreme Court ruled Friday the state cannot take private property for a public beach when a storm moves the vegetation line landward — a decision that may lead to restricted access along the coast. Texas … Continue reading →

Posted in Legal matters | Tagged , , , , , , , | 9 Comments

House committee hearings on emergency preparedness in Houston on Friday

Posted on June 16, 2010 by Charles Kuffner

The House Select Committee on Emergency Preparedness will be holding some hearings in Houston on Friday at the George R. Brown Convention Center. From the email I got about this: Those testifying at the hearing include Harris County Judge Ed … Continue reading →

Posted in That's our Lege | Tagged , , , | Comments Off on House committee hearings on emergency preparedness in Houston on Friday

Active hurricane season predicted

Posted on June 1, 2010 by Charles Kuffner

Hurricane season officially begins today, and it looks like it will be a busy one. As we have previously discussed, there’s ample reason to expect a very active hurricane season this year. And so it wasn’t too surprising this morning … Continue reading →

Posted in Hurricane Katrina | Tagged , , | Comments Off on Active hurricane season predicted

The end is near for hurricane season

Posted on September 24, 2009 by Charles Kuffner

One of the better things about the onset of fall is the threat of a hurricane greatly diminishes. To be fair, more than two months remain before the official end of hurricane season on Nov. 30, and the seas remain … Continue reading →

Posted in Hurricane Katrina | Tagged , , , | Comments Off on The end is near for hurricane season

Locke’s crimefighting plan

Posted on August 26, 2009 by Charles Kuffner

In the past week or so I’ve had several Mayoral candidate issue papers hit my inbox. As there was one from each campaign, I thought I’d try to do a little analysis of each of them. We’ll start today with … Continue reading →

Posted in Election 2009 | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 7 Comments

Too quiet?

Posted on August 9, 2009 by Charles Kuffner

It’s been very quiet on the hurricane front so far this year – not a single named storm in the Atlantic as yet. The good news, as SciGuy notes, is that this means the projections for the number of named … Continue reading →

Posted in Hurricane Katrina | Tagged , , | Comments Off on Too quiet?

Hurricane season quiet so far

Posted on July 27, 2009 by Charles Kuffner

That’s nice, but it doesn’t mean we’re in good shape. Although the first Atlantic named storm typically forms by July 10, the real activity doesn’t usually begin until August, and a lull in early season activity doesn’t necessarily presage a … Continue reading →

Posted in Hurricane Katrina | Tagged , , , , | Comments Off on Hurricane season quiet so far

Hot enough for ya?

Posted on June 28, 2009 by Charles Kuffner

Yeah, it’s really hot out there. Houston’s relentless heat wave prompted the National Weather Service today to declare a “Heat Emergency,” a designation that air temperature and humidity is a potential health threat for all people and is particularly dangerous … Continue reading →

Posted in Elsewhere in Houston | Tagged , , , , , , | 1 Comment

Time to replace that portable TV

Posted on June 23, 2009 by Charles Kuffner

I don’t have a portable TV, so I hadn’t given the matter of their obsolescence due to the digital transition any thought, but if you have one, you ought to be aware of it. Though Americans were given four extra … Continue reading →

Posted in Technology, science, and math | Tagged , , , , | 1 Comment