Can we please wave bye-bye?

I think the only rational response to this is "AAAAAAAAAAUGH!"

The Caribbean tropical wave has improved its organization this morning and it now seems somewhat more likely the system may eventually become Tropical Storm Kyle, the season's 11th named storm.

The computer models are split about whether to bring the system through the northern Caribbean Sea toward the Gulf of Mexico, or turn it northward toward the Bahamas, and then into the Atlantic. The GFDL model favors such a solution, bringing a large hurricane toward Bermuda in five days time.

As reflected by the models it's really way too early to know where this wave will go, and indeed, whether it will develop at all. However the system does still have the potential to reach the Gulf.

*breathes into paper bag* Normally, I would take comfort in the extremely low odds of something like this heading our way this late in the season, but then I remember we were saying that about Ike a few weeks ago. So I think I'll remain nervous and on edge for a few more days, if you don't mind. The good news is that at least Ike made the Gulf waters a lot cooler, so if this thing does enter our neighborhood, it won't become a monster. Not a big monster, anyway. Having said all that, let me reiterate: "AAAAAAAAAAUGH!"

Power to the people update:

Power companies continued restoring electricity to customers in and around Houston Saturday, yet by the end of the day more than a million homes and businesses remained in the dark.

Progress was slow as the companies began the tedious task of renewing power to one block or one house at a time after completing key infrastructure repairs in recent days.

Even so, three of the four major power companies serving the area reported gains, while the other did not release updated figures Saturday.

[...]

CenterPoint Energy, the area's largest transmission company, said 1.04 million customers, or 46 percent, still did not have power as of Saturday night, down from 50 percent Friday.

Lights came on in parts of west Houston and in lesser-impacted neighborhoods circling the city's core inside Beltway 8, CenterPoint spokesman Floyd LeBlanc said.

CenterPoint expects most of metro Houston will see power restored by Thursday, while storm-ravaged areas near the coast and heavily-wooded areas like Cypress northwest of town will take longer.

Entergy Texas, with customers to the north and east of Houston, reported the biggest jump Saturday. As of late afternoon Saturday, it said 29 percent of customers were without power, down from 45 percent the day before.

Joe Domino, CEO of the company, an arm of New Orleans-based Entergy Corp., said Saturday the improvement came after a number of transmission lines were repaired and many residents in the Beaumont area received power.

Transmission lines are high-voltage lines that deliver electricity from power plants to communities and form the foundation for lower-voltage distribution lines that serve individual neighborhoods.

Hurricane Ike knocked out power to 99 percent of Entergy Texas' customers.

[...]

Sam Houston Electric Cooperative, with customers in 10 counties east and north of Houston, also reported increases Saturday. As of late morning, roughly 35 percent of its distribution system is still without power, down from 47 percent Friday, company spokeswoman Mary Kate Scott said.

Texas-New Mexico Power Co., with 115,000 customers in Galveston, Brazoria and Matagorda counties, did not release updated figures on Saturday. About 24 percent of its customers were without power as of Friday evening.

I'm just waiting to see when all the traffic lights will work again. The four-way stop thing isn't so bad when the roads are empty, but it's a major bottleneck otherwise.

Via email from Council Member Melissa Noriega:

Food Stamps

A family of four that earns up to $2,915 this month and lives in any of the 29 counties that have been declared disaster areas may qualify for emergency food-stamp assistance. The Texas Health and Human Services Commission sought and received a federal waiver to make this assistance available. Texans can apply by calling 211 or submitting an application at any HHSC office. Those who are eligible will get 2 months of benefits. You will need to show proof of your identity and home address, such as a driver license. If you can give more proof of income and resources, you might get benefits for a longer period. You can find the location of HHSC offices or more information by calling 211 or visiting www.hhsc.state.tx.us.

Disaster-related Unemployment Insurance

The Texas Workforce Commission (TWC) has announced that it is accepting applications for Disaster Unemployment Assistance (DUA) from individuals whose employment or self-employment was lost or interrupted due to Hurricane Ike starting September 7, 2008, and continuing. To file, one may log on to http://www.texasworkforce.org. or call the nearest TWC Tele-Center, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., at (800) 939-6631.

A reminder, via Mac, that Ike was a lot bigger than just the Houston/Beaumont area:

When the waves from Hurricane Ike receded, they left behind a mystery - a ragged shipwreck that archeologists say could be a two-masted Civil War schooner that ran aground in 1862 or another ship from some 70 years later.

The wreck, about six miles from Fort Morgan, had already been partially uncovered when Hurricane Camille cleared away sand in 1969.

Researchers at the time identified it as the Monticello, a battleship that partially burned when it crashed trying to get past the U.S. Navy and into Mobile Bay during the Civil War.

After examining photos of the wreck post-Ike, Museum of Mobile marine archaeologist Shea McLean agreed it is likely the Monticello, which ran aground in 1862 after sailing from Havana, according to Navy records.

"Based on what we know of ships lost in that area and what I've seen, the Monticello is by far the most likely candidate," McLean said. "You can never be 100 percent certain unless you find the bell with `Monticello' on it, but this definitely fits."

Other clues indicate it could be an early 20th century schooner that ran aground on the Alabama coast in 1933.

That's actually pretty cool. I hope they figure it out.

And finally, we may have gotten Hurricane Ike, but we won't get Hurricane Sarah:

That Sarah Palin campaign fund-raising reception in Houston, which we reported here three blog posts ago, won't take place at its scheduled venue and may have to be postponed or canceled.

The Republican VP nominee was set to greet donors at the River Oaks home of Bob and Mica Mosbacher, Bob being a money man for GOP presidential nominees since the age of 8-track tape players.

But the Mosbachers tell friends that trees felled by the storm damaged their dwelling quite seriously. They've moved to temporary digs and won't be able to host the Alaska gov on Oct. 3.

My sympathies to the Mosbachers. Whoever you are, and wherever you live, having that happen to you sucks. Best wishes for a speedy reconstruction.

Posted by Charles Kuffner on September 21, 2008 to Hurricane Katrina