Hurricane Ike roared across Galveston at 2:10 a.m. eight years ago this morning and with it came unparalleled destruction and a clean up that lasted for months. Its fury didn't discriminate and by sunrise on the 13th, many were left with nothing more than the sounds of dripping rain drops from their splintered homes.
Today in 2008, Hurricane Ike made landfall on Galveston with 110 mph winds. Surge up to 17' on Bolivar Peninsula. pic.twitter.com/2pHs8KiW4f
— Adrian Linares (@Adriansweather) September 13, 2016
Do you remember that morning? I do. I was working at a station in Bryan, Texas at the time. After working nearly around the clock for two solid days, I drove back to my parents home in The Woodlands, dodging trees, power lines and red lights laying in the middle of intersections.
As I walked down the street in my neighborhood, I remember noting how pitch black it was and the overwhelming aroma of pine -- like walking through a Christmas tree farm. Trees were everywhere, laying in all directions, on top of homes, cars and in the streets. It's as though mother nature had taken her frustration out on us. It was an incredible moment; one that made me feel powerless, like all the homes around me, and very small. Here are some pictures I snapped after the storm:
HurricaneIkewasthefirsthurricanetohittheHoustonareasinceHurricaneJerryinOctoberof1989andthefirstbighurricanetohitsinceHurricaneAliciain1983.IkeisthehurricanethatchangedtheSaffir-Simpsonscale,thescalethatrateshowstrongahurricaneis,asweknowit.Inthe''oldendays,''ahurricane'smaxsustainedwindsandestimatedstormsurgewerecorrelated,meaningacategorytwostormwouldproducecategorytwosurgeandsoon.Ikewasdifferent.Ikewashuge,atonepointtakingupoverhalfthesizeoftheGulfofMexico.AstormofthatsizeandtheforwardmovementwasenoughtoconstructanimpressivecategoryfoursurgethatliterallywipedtheBolivarPeninsulacleanofnearlyeveryhouse.Ittookmanybysurprise.Afterall,thiswas''only''acategorytwohurricane.Galvestonhadbeenhitbystrongerhurricanesinthepastanddidjustfine.Howeverbythemorningofthe13th,itwasclearIkewasdifferent.TheFlagShipHotelwasinruinswithalargechunkofthecurtainwalltornaway.TheBalineseRoomwasapileofsplinteredrubblestackedupalongSeawallBoulevard.SowasMurdock's.IndowntownHouston,manyoftheskyscraperstookheavyglassdamage.TheChaseTower,HoustonandTexas'tallesttower,lost40floorsofwindowsontheeastfacingside.Treesweredownforahundredmilesormore.Powerwasoutforoveramonthinsomelocations.ThewindsroaredthroughHoustonlikeafreighttrain.Here'salookattheestimatedwindsasthestormmovedthrough:
HuricaneIke'swindfieldwasenormouswith90mphwindsasfarinlandasLivingston.SustainedhurricaneforcewindsnearlytoLufkin.Here'salookatamore
