There is nothing funny happening tonight as we keep an eye on Category 4 Hurricane Harvey with winds of 130 mph being reported. The Gulf Coast has been devastated by hurricanes before and we have seen horrible catastrophes. With Harvey predicted to make landfall and then stall over Texas, this could get ugly tonight.
When Harvey stalls out, as forecast, it could dump up to 3 feet of rain in some parts of Texas, coupled with up to a 12-foot storm surge. The Hurricane Center has issued a storm surge warning for a more-than-400-mile stretch of coastline from Port Mansfield to High Island.
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The wind patterns that will probably stall the hurricane present the biggest challenge to the area tonight. It is one thing for a hurricane to hit quickly and move on. It another thing for a hurricane to linger and produce tremendous flooding. Tonight, the Gulf Coast will face both.
“[Harvey] has the dual threat of both being very intense at landfall and producing widespread flooding at the same time,” [Texas State Climatologist John] Nielsen-Gammon told me. “It’s a lot easier to deal with one type of natural disaster than it is to deal with two different kinds of natural disasters at once.”
Texas Governor Greg Abbot has declared a state of emergency and evacuations of the area most likely to be affected have been ordered. There is a wholly different problem for undocumented immigrants in Texas, Customs and Border Patrol Check Points will remain open during the storm. This leaves me wondering where the administrations priorities lie. Are check points along an evacuation route worth slowing that traffic? How many might be affected by such a slowdown?
"Border Patrol checkpoints will not be closed unless there is a danger to the safety of the traveling public and our agents," according to a statement from Customs and Border Protection that was first reported Thursday by the Texas Tribune. "The Border Patrol is a law enforcement agency and we will not abandon our law enforcement duties.”
Governor Abbot has stated on MSNBC that shelters will not require documentation. But if you have to travel through check points to reach the shelters, does it really matter?
"It's my understanding, from what I saw from the border patrol instructions yesterday, that it will not be an issue. What everyone is focused on right now is ensuring all we can to protect life. We all have a high regard for life. We want to ensure the safety of all lives and we're prepared to take all measures to do so."
Lorella Praeli, American Civil Liberties Union director of immigration policy and campaigns, said:
“As people seek refuge from hurricane Harvey, they are likely to have to go north or west of Texas and would have to go through a checkpoint. By keeping checkpoints open, the Border Patrol is putting undocumented people and mixed-status families at risk out of fear of deportations.
“This is a disgusting move from the Border Patrol that breaks with past practices. The Border Patrol should never keep checkpoints open during any natural disasters in the United States. Everyone, no matter the color of their skin or background, is worth saving.”
Astrid Dominguez, ACLU of Texas policy strategist, said:
“At a time of emergency, CBP must prioritize safety for everyone who lives in Texas. It is unconscionable that the Border Patrol is sending a dangerous, wrong message to our community by refusing to temporarily suspend immigration enforcement during an evacuation, as they did in 2016 and 2012. We call on CBP to put public safety first and ensure that, no matter their status, families who wish to leave the area can do so unimpeded.”
As of this posting, the eye of the hurricane has made landfall with winds up to 156 mph. The worst is still ahead of us. Tonight, we join together in hope.
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from ursulafaw:
barbara by the bay wrote this wonderful comment. It was made in my diary, "Cooper Hefner of Playboy..." I love the comment because it encapsulates what Harold Washington was about. He was a change making progressive Democrat. He was a part of history and but for his untimely death he would have made even more of an impact. I just alluded to him in my diary, but barbara by the bay really captured what Washington was all about.
from foresterbob:
In today's Pootie Diary, a picture of a purple-tinted bird brought forth a mixture of awe and skepticism. Jrfrog posted an image of the bird, properly colored, which led to a humorous exchange.
from durrati:
raptavio does it again in durrati’s Turd Reich diary
from your humble diarist:
equern and iLuvReading have the proper analogies in reaction to Trump Administration to induct Ronald Reagan into the 'Labor Hall of Honor' by Hunter.
A great thread on naming Hurricanes and retiring the big ones.
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