Posted: 6/17/2006 4:55:18 AM EDT
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I awoke this AM to the sound of thunder. How far off, I didn't wonder, it was headed for a crash course on my location. Started thinking about the construction felt roof I installed last night on my shed construction project... Anyhow, storm tops at 60,000 feet and MESOCYCLONIC organization...and yes RAIN! An old roofer's saying is "nothing draws rain like fresh tar paper on a roof". And it worked again. |
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All but one course of roofing felt made it fine. I just repaired the damge in the little break of rain, using double the nails with tin lids. Luckily, I had a trimmed piece waiting. I hope the OSB that got wet will make it, it didn't feel mushy but got plenty wet. I also doubled the tin lids on the edges and seams. Only hit my thumb once  but that is one time too many. No, its not throbbing or even turning, only a light "love tap". Yes, I WISH I had a hammer tacker with magnetic head. |
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Got MORE this AM. A BUNCH more. This time, the construction felt held tight to the OSB decking, well, the pound of tin caps I used under the nails helped greatly plus the wind was much less. Once it dries out fully, I MUST get the shingles on. And then the siding. |
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Ms. Coz is having hell getting to the Beltway. Side streets are flooded so she's spending time on FM1960 vs. cutting across through the 'hood to get on the Tollway. Think I'll just chill for a bit before heading in to the office. I knew it would rain like crazy as a few days ago I programmed my sprinkler system to add more time to the dousings. Just like washing the car or doing a roof....it's a rain magnet Oh and welcome to the "mean season" once again..... |
What? Guys, it's RAIN. Not hell and fire, or tornadoes, or even bad lightning. Is there something i don't know about? Maybe i'm a west texas boy and used to worse weather of all sorts? I dunno... but a little RAIN isn't going to stop me from going where i need to go. ever. |
I am guessing you don't live where it is really flat. Couple that with nice porous gumbo soil and you have the potential for flooding when you get a large amount of rain in a short time period. |
Do you live in Houston? The main reason they want non-essentials to stay home is to save time and effort pulling low profile vehicles from flooding streets. Several freeways have deep water on them, and the Pasadena freeway has 4 feet of standing water. If the freeways on the South and East sides are passble, the frontage/feeders may be flooded. People are sitting in their cars on the shoulder of I-45 South stranded since 5 am.... It's not just a little rain, there have 30 -40 rescues from flooded homes in the Houston area this morning. It ain't Tropical Storm Allison, but it's not good..... |
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Just got done driving from downtown to IAH and back. There are stranded people up and down the Hardy Toll Road feeder, probably more than 30 on each side, still. I didn't see a single wrecker, either. The bayou up there is very, very full. Allen Parkway is still fine, but Buffalo Bayou is very high. Hopefully some of this will drain before more comes. EDIT: More is apparently coming this afternoon. Be careful out there. |
I live in Houston. 290 and the Beltway, close to the horsetrack. Actually i live in some apartments that someone on this board recommended. I just hate the Houston traffic. As soon as it starts to sprinkle a little everybody goes "OH SHIT ITS RAINIGNT THE SKY IS FALLING BETTER DRIVE 25!!" Gah... Houston traffic. |
In Midland when it rains this hard, some of the intersections flood. Wadley turns into a river. Unsuspecting drivers in their ford escorts drive through, and get stalled out. So, we pull them out... $5 for a POS car, $20 for a nice one (think mercedes or benz.) And if that gets boring, drive a few hours north and pull people out of the snow. |
These were full sized pickups. I saw the roofs of some smaller cars, but wasn't sure what they were. I suspect that the wreckers are busy elsewhere, which means that some places were really hard hit. It will be interesting to see what the final toll is tomorrow. |
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Looks like this low pressure area will be heading west, towards Cental Texas. I better get the drip edges and ridge vents on tonight to help hold the construction felt down. This storm is an extra-tropical low and as such, the media is not covering it like a full blown hurricane. But no less, it is dropping rain at tropical storm rates, just like Allison in 2001. |