Results tagged “hurricaneike”

Not that Bush or Clinton--just the ex-presidents George H. W. Bush (41) and Bill Clinton. The two men, who formed that Bush-Clinton Coastal Recovery Fund last month, toured Hurricane Ike damage on Galveston Island. The Houston Chronicle reports that Bush described the scene as "abject devastation."

Governor Paterson did his part in helping prepare Texas for the carnage caused by Hurrican Ike, sending down 33 local personnel and military aircraft as part of the relief effort. The group included five pararescue jumpers from Long Island's National Guard there to be "another pair of eyes" in rescuing those hit by Ike. Newsday reports that the North Shore Animal League is also trying to curb the disaster sending down their mobile unit to rescue animals in shelters evacuated by the hurricane. Although residents were ordered to evacuate ahead of the storm, up to 140,000 are reported to have stayed behind. Ike has claimed four victims thus far in Louisiana and Texas and Houston will have an imposed curfew this week since the city is still without power.

If you were planning to rush home tonight in time to catch the season premiere of Saturday Night Live, don't get your hopes up at catching Barack Obama making the cameo that had been announced earlier this week. A spokeswoman for the senator late last night said, "In light of the unfolding crisis in Texas, Senator Obama has decided it is no longer appropriate to appear on Saturday Night Live tomorrow evening." As for Ike, the storm has been ravaging its way through Texas and causing blackouts throughout the day, but appears to have struck a less severe blow than had been predicted and thus far no casualties have been announced.

WCBS 880 spoke to oil analyst Peter Beutel who says that New Yorkers should expect a 50 cent increase in the price of a gallon of gas in the next 72 hours. And that's because Ike is about to hit Texas. And NY's prices aren't as bad as Chicago, which will get a 75 cent hike, and Houston, which faces a $2 increase. Beutel explained, "I'm looking at the wholesale prices that gasoline resellers or the people who sell us the gasoline are going to be paying for the gasoline that we're going to be getting. So this price increase has already occurred. It is a fact already, and it's just a matter now of working it's way through the distribution chain into our tanks."

In 1900 the barrier island city Galveston was the shiny, growing metropolis of the Texas coast. Houston was a swampy backwater. On September 8th of that year a hurricane struck Galveston, killing over 6000 people in the city (10,000 - 12,000 overall) and destroying 3600 buildings. In the rebuilding process the city of Galveston was raised several feet and a seawall was erected to protect the city.

Almost half an inch of rain fell during yesterday's dramatic thunderstorms. The weather today and tomorrow won't be nearly as dramatic. Mostly clear skies, with a few non-threatening cumulus, and slightly cooler than normal temperatures should be the rule until Friday. We can expect a high in the mid to low 70s on both days. Tonight's low should drop to the 50s in the city and possibly into the 40s on eastern Long Island.

How would you like to enjoy two seasons in one week? Well, you don't have much choice if you're in the city for the next few days. Today will be a sunny and mild summer-like day with a high in the low 80s. While Hanna didn't have much impact Saturday night, the swells from the storm will be generating rip currents today.