Dolly In Charge

As I type, Dolly is still pounding on the rain with strong winds, though not as strong as earlier today. On a personal level, as a weather enthusiast, I am loving the scene outside because it reminds me a lot of winter and I love how a cold front makes an entrance on a hot, humid autumn day and just changes everything in a matter of minutes. But, yes the damages caused by a cold front pale in comparison to a hurricane so there are hazards to consider as well as reverence to Nature's power.

I think for the most part, the overall reaction to Hurricane Dolly have been calm. We didn't even board up at my home and have not lost electricity expect for our digital phone, cable and Internet for about half of the day. We heard a couple of transformers explode but the PUB came by later to remedy that. Most of the debris outside are from trees. Late in the afternoon, I went with my father to check on some of our properties in downtown Brownsville. On our ride, we found plenty of tree debris, resaca levels some 5-10 ft beyond their usual banks, and some flooding on streets next to resacas. To our surprise, we also found four big trees toppled over and partially blocking the road. I mean big ol' mesquite trees. One looked to be near the 100-year mark, so the winds have been quite strong.

I was also taken by the low, almost ominous "oooooooooo" sound of the winds high in the sky. Not having personal experience in hearing such a sound (this is the first hurricane I have ventured out into), it made me a little nervous as I checked for a funnel cloud. Fortunately, I didn't have to duck for cover.

There has been a lot of concern over low-flood prone areas and the strength of the levees. We can only pray that everyone in the effected areas are safe and in sturdy shelters, that the damage has not been extensive and if there are any injuries, that they may be minimal and taken care of. The total effect will probably not be known until Friday or so. So meanwhile, be safe and cautious! To those out of area, thanks for checking in on friends and family. Knowing people care is a great comfort that is most appreciated!


To see more pics of Brownsville during Hurricane Dolly follow this link:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/storinghoney/