Emily 2005

South Texas Shelters

2005-07-18T20:00:00.000-07:00

Port Isabel:
Port Isabel HS
Opening Tuesday at Noon

Rio Hondo:
Rio Hondo HS
Opening Tuesday at 8 a.m.

La Feria:
Green Middle School
501 North Canal Street
Opening Tuesday at 1 p.m.

Mercedes:
Graham Elementary
Ohio and 8th Street

Mercedes Junior High School
Gym

Pharr:
PSJA North HS
500 East Nolana Loop
Opening Monday at 6 p.m.

Mission:
K. White Junior High
1101 West Griffin, Mission
Opening Monday at 6 p.m.

South MS
601 West Freddy Gonzalez
Opening Monday at 6 p.m.

South Texas Sandbags

2005-07-17T16:20:00.000-07:00

All courtesy of KGBT-TV:

It's going to be a long night in McAllen.

People can pick up sandbags until two this morning.

There are three places you can go.

The McAllen Public Works Department, the Mcallen Civic Center parking lot, and the soccer fields at Daffodil and Bicentennial Blvd.

In order to get your sand you need to bring your own shovel and proof of residence.

Mcallen Engineer Pelar Rodriguez explained, "Well be offering sand bags up until at least Tuesday evening, late Tuesday evening, well be open everyday from 6 am until 2 am."

McAllen is also urging residents to pick up any loose objects in your yard or around your home because they can become deadly flying objects.

You can take your brush and debris to the city recycling center on North Bentsen Road from 8AM to 4:30AM Sunday afternoon.

There are three places you can go. The McAllen Public Works Department, the Civic Center parking lot, and the soccer fields at Daffodil and Bicentennial Blvd.

In order to get your sand you need to bring your own shovel and proof of residence.

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Today the City of Pharr officials are making preparation for Hurricane Emily.

In order to meet the public's request city workers are busy filling sandbags.

On Monday, July 18, 2005 at 8:00am the citizens of Pharr can begin picking up sandbags.

Director of Public Works, Don Medina, says Pharr citizens will be eligible to receive six sandbags and businesses can receive up to 12 bags.

They ask residents to bring a utility bill when they come for the pick up.

The sandbags are free of charge and can be picked up at Pharr Public Works headquarters, located at 801 E. Sam Houston. They can be reached at 787-9772.

The Pharr Fire Department, located at 1901 N. Fir, the phone number there is 702-5391.

The West Anaya Road & International Bld. in the Industrial Park, phone number 787-9772.

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So many people have called the Action 4 newsroom wondering where to get sandbags.

Tonight, we know where people in Brownsville can go for them.

Starting at 9AM until 8PM, the Public Works yard will have pre-filled or bag your own sandbags.

Perkins, Vela and Stillman Middle Schools will all have sand available so you need to bring your own shovel.

You'll be asked for your drivers' license or a utility bill.

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Harlingen will distribute sandbags to its citizens toady at 4:00pm to 8:00pm.

Harlingen residents and businesses will be issued a maxium of six sandbags per household and 12 sandbags per business.

Sandbags will be distributed free of charge with proof of residency.

A diver's license or water bill will be required.

Sandbags will be available at the new waterhouse facility located on 404 S. 54th Street.

South Padre Island Prepares

2005-07-17T16:17:00.000-07:00

Courtesy of KGBT-TV:

South Padre Island city leaders are warning residents to get ready for a possible encounter with Hurricane Emily but are people getting that message?

Alfredo Hernandez is taking advantage of his weekend to board up his family's beach house.

"I really have to do it today if I'm going to do it at all," said Hernandez.

It's taken him and his nephew nearly five hours but, they believe their hard work will pay off.

"We've been at it all day. So I'm pretty tired already," explained Hernandez.

Hernandez is one of just a handful of home-owners getting ready for Hurricane Emily.

Most residents here are still hoping they won't have to.

Many residents are signing up for the residential identification cards they'll need in order to return to the island after an evacuation.

But beyond that, most are waiting until Monday, to decide whether they'll board up their homes.

Island leaders are taking a similar approach.

With a plan in place they are waiting to see whether or not, they will put it in action.

Mayor Bob Pinkerton will be in charge of calling an evacuation, if one is needed.

Pinkerton said, "Definitely a stronger category 2 or more with a direct hit or just south of us, we would definitely consider very seriously evacuating."

Regardless of whether an evacuation is called, Pinkerton is warning people to get ready.

"They're still going to need batteries, and they're still going to need water, and there are certain things they're going to need to have available," he said.

At least one man is making the effort to plan ahead.

The mayor's already calling for barriers to be put up along gulf drive to protect homes in case of a high surge.

Information

2005-07-16T10:47:00.001-07:00

Cameron County leaders are bracing for the possibility for Hurricane Emily hitting the Valley.

Dozens met in the commissioners’ courtroom Friday.

Tom Hushen, the county emergency management coordinator, says state leaders will set up a main shelter in San Antonio for people leaving the area.

They're not disclosing the exact location yet. But, they will have the shelter ready for special needs people on Sunday.

Everyone else can go on Monday.

"We encourage people to leave, I mean if your house cannot withstand a storm or you're in a flood prone area, then it's best for you to leave and evacuate somewhere to the west or north," urged Cameron County Judge Gilberto Hinojosa.

Hinojosa says they will set up shelters locally. But, will not disclose the locations until 24 hours before the potential hurricane hits.

The county has 18,000 sandbags filled and expects to have another 22,000 ready to go by Monday.

They will soon let residents know when and where they will disperse the sandbags and how many each household will be allowed to receive.

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Also of note: Air Jamacia has cancelled its full flight schedule for today. This includes all flights in and out of Jamaica and all inter-island service.

2005-07-16T10:47:00.000-07:00

Emily Gets Even Stronger

2005-07-16T10:39:00.000-07:00

Well, Emily gets stronger once again. After yesterday, when she dropped from a cat 4 to a cat 2, then back up to a cat 4, she now has winds of 145 MPH. I personally think that a cat 5 is within the realm of possibility. I hope that she is not as strong as she is wherever she hits land.

Anyway, hurricane warnings are up for Jamacia and the Caymans and a hurricane watch has just been issued for the eastern coast of the Yucatan Peninsula.

More later.

Hurricane John

The Port of Brownsville is boarding up

2005-07-15T16:24:00.000-07:00

Courtesy of Newschannel 5 in Brownsville:

BROWNSVILLE -- The Port of Brownsville is preparing for Hurricane Emily

Workers at the Port of Brownsville took the first steps Friday preparing for Hurricane Emily.

They began boarding up windows of the port’s main office. They will board up offices throughout the port next week.

Port leaders said they are also preparing for a large number of ships and boats seeking safe harbor at the port.

International law requires American ports to take in any vessels when there is a storm at sea.

Port police are following Homeland Security guidelines by checking each vessel that comes to port.

Emily a Category 3

2005-07-14T17:00:00.000-07:00

Emily is now a category 3 storm with 115 MPH winds and another pressure drop of 4 MB since 2 p.m. It is the 2nd major hurricane of the season. That is the average for the entire season and it is only mid-July.

A hurricane watch has been issued for Jamacia and a tropical storm warning has been issued for the watch areas of Haiti/Dominican Republic.

Stay tuned.

Hurricane John

Updated US Airways Information

2005-07-14T16:25:00.000-07:00

People flying to or from Antigua, Barbados, Dominica, Grenada, Nevis, St. Kitts, St. Lucia, St. Vincent, Trinidad or Tobago from July 13-15, 2005 may change their flights without penalty.

People flying to or from Aruba from July 13-18 may change their flights without penalty.

People flying to or from Belize City, Belize, Cancun, Cozumel, Kingston, Jamaica, Montego Bay, Jamaica or Grand Cayman, West Indies from July 14-18 may change their flights without penalty.

Updated American Airlines Information

2005-07-14T16:23:00.000-07:00

If you are ticketed for travel to or from Barbados, West Indies (BGI), Canouan Island, St. Vincent and the Grenadines (CIW), Castries, St. Lucia (SLU), Grenada, Windward Islands (GND) or Melville Hall, Dominica (DOM) from July 12-16, 2005, and your ticket was issued no later than July 12, 2005, you may change your reservations to travel as late as July 16, 2005.

If you are ticketed for travel to or from Port of Spain, Trinidad and Tobago (POS) July 14-15, 2005, and your ticket was issued no later than July 13, 2005, you may change your reservations to travel as late as July 17, 2005.

If you are ticketed for travel to or from Montego Bay, Jamaica (MBJ) or Kingston, Jamaica (KIN) from July 15-17, 2005, and your ticket was issued no later than July 13, 2005, you may change your reservations to travel as late as July 17, 2005.

If you are ticketed for travel to or from Cancun, Mexico (CUN) or Cozumel, Mexico (CZM) from July 15-20, 2005, and your ticket was issued no later than July 13, 2005, you may change your reservations to travel as late as July 20, 2005.

Updated Delta Information

2005-07-14T16:07:00.000-07:00

Hurricane Emily may impact travel in select areas of the Caribbean. If you are flying Delta, Song or Delta Connection flights and your destination is one of the following cities below:

Aruba
Barbados
Cancun, Mexico
Caracas, Venezuela
Cozumel, Mexico
Curacao, Netherland Antilles
Grand Cayman
Grenada
Kingston, Jamaica
Montego Bay, Jamaica
Saint Lucia

And, if you are scheduled to flight from July 14–18, 2005, you may reschedule your flight without penalties. However, if must be rescheduled no later than July 25, 2005.

Call us at 800-241-4141 if you need to make changes to your itinerary.

New Warnings/Watches/Emily Strengthening

2005-07-14T11:14:00.000-07:00

Well, since yesterday, Emily has strenghen from 60 MPH and a tropical storm to 100 MPH and a category 2 hurricane. Also, since 8 a.m., the pressure has dropped 15 MB! It will probably become a major hurricane today.

The following is the status on the warnings/watches:

All warnings have been dropped for St. Vincent and the Grenadines, St. Lucia, Barbados, Grenada, Martinique and Trinidad & Tobago.

A tropical storm watch has been issued by Haiti from Port-au-Prince to the Dominican Republic border and a watch has been issued by the Dominican Republic from Punta Salinas westward to the Haiti border.

Also, a tropical storm warnings has been issued by the Netherlands for the A-B-C Islands (Aruba, Bonaire and Curacao) and for the Venezuela coast from Pedernales westward to Punto Fijo, including Isle Magarita and the offshore islands.

Stay tuned.

Hurricane John

Emily Steady/New Warnings

2005-07-13T07:49:00.000-07:00

The 8 a.m. advisory still has Emily at 60 MPH winds and 997 MB. However, the Hurricane Hunters are forecast to be in the center very shortly to get the latest measurements.

Anyway, the new warnings:

The hurricane warnings has been discontinued for Barbados and a tropical storm warning is now in effect.

A tropical storm warning is now in effect for the northern Venezulean coast, from Pedernales westward to Cumana, including Isla Margarita.

Stay tuned.

Hurricane John

New Warnings

2005-07-12T23:21:00.000-07:00

At 11 p.m. AST, TS Emily had winds of 60 MPH and a pressure of 997 MB, a drop of 3 MB since 8 p.m.

Also, new warnings/watches were issued:

A hurricane warning has been for Tobago and a tropical storm warning/hurricane watch for Trinidad.

Finally, the outlook just came out and it looks like TD 6 could form tomorrow about 500 miles south of the Cape Verde Islands. Just one more thing to watch...

New Watches/Warnings

2005-07-12T17:14:00.000-07:00

As of 5 p.m. AST, Emily still has winds of 50 MPH and 1000 MB, but strenghening is forecast overnight.

The following watches/warnings have been issued:

Hurricane warnings have been issued for Barbados, St. Lucia, St. Vincent, the Grenadines and Grenada.

A tropical storm warning and hurricane watch has been issued for Tobago

A tropical storm watch has been issued for Martinique.

Stay tuned.

Hurricane John

New Warnings/Watches Issued

2005-07-12T17:00:00.001-07:00

Emily is still at 50 MPH and 1000 MB, but is expected to strenghen overnight. The warnings are:

At 5 p.m. AST, hurricane warnings were issued for Barbados, Grenada, the Grenadines, St. Vincent and St. Lucia.

At 5 p.m., a tropical storm warning and hurricane watch were issued for Tobago.

At 5 p.m., a tropical storm watch was issued for Martinique.

New Warnings/Watches Issued

2005-07-12T17:00:00.000-07:00

Emily Strenghening

2005-07-12T11:14:00.000-07:00

As of the 11 a.m. advisory, Emily now has winds of 50 MPH and a pressure of 1000 MB. The following watches have been issued:

Hurricane Watches have been issued for Barbados, Grenada, the Grenadines, St. Vincent and St. Lucia by their respective governments.

A hurricane watch means that hurricane conditions are possible in the watch area in 36 hours.

Tropical Storm Watches have also been issued for Tobago by the government of Trinidad.

A tropical storm watch means that tropical storm conditions are possible in the watch area in 36 hours.

Stay tuned for the latest developments. The NHC is issuing advisories every 3 hours now, instead of 6.

Hurricane John

First Post

2005-07-11T22:57:00.000-07:00

Hi everyone, hopefully this blog will not be posted to very much, as we all hope that the storm veers out to sea. However, that is not what the NHC is saying will happen. If this track is correct (which we all know is very rare), it is saying that TS (which is supposed to become a hurricane) could impact South Florida by Sunday-Monday of next week.

Stay tuned.

The public advisories are posted on the main blog: http://2005flhurricaneseason.blogspot.com

Watches/Warnings that are issued for Caribbean islands will be posted here, as will be airline cancellations, if any.

Hurricane John