Hurricane Claudette: A Burnt Orange Weather Report
By Jim Dallas
GALVESTON -- Hurricane Claudette roared into town this morning, shutting down island schools, closing businesses, knocking out power and the ferry service between Galveston and Port Bolivar.
UTMB remained open.
I was out early this morning trying to get to work downtown from my folks' house on the West End of the Island. Large parts of the West End, which is not protected by the seawall, were flooded this morning and major sections of beach were eroded by high waves.
On the Seawall itself, street signs were knocked over by high wind and crashing waves sent pillars of wind-driven salt water dozens of feet into the air, drenching the few passing vehicles (including ours) which were out there. Seaweed and debris covered the road surface.
Downtown streets flooded, shutting down most businesses on the Strand, a major tourist draw.
The eye of Hurricane Claudette, which made landfall near Port O'Conner early in the afternoon, passed about 60 miles south of Galveston. Claudette has been downgraded to a tropical storm and the remnants are expected to bring heavy rain to Central Texas in the coming days.
Posted by Jim Dallas at July 15, 2003 06:23 PM
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