Tuesday, September 2, 2008

Pearlington

7th Av off Hwy 90 in Pearlington, MS is OK.

Link to WLOX forum for more information

If you would like information about a specific area, we recommend posting at:

http://www.wlox.com/Global/Link.asp?L=338647 or you can go to the www.wlox.com home page and click on the WLOX.com's Hurricane Gustav Message Board link. You will find information that the public has provided on various areas, and if you are unable to find what you need, you can post and request information from anyone who may have it.

Various Locations Update in Ocean Springs

Late yesterday, we rode through various areas here in Ocean Springs. Areas we did not approach were: East Beach, Front Beach, Halstead Av., Holcomb Dr., Inner Harbor Drive, Beachview. Those areas listed we'd heard were closed to the general public on the ends nearest the water so we did not approach them at all.

What we saw:

Few trees down - only two. Neither had affected homes or power lines. Hwy 90 in Ocean Springs is in good shape. Little to no damage and power is on. Damage to an awning at Patterson Pharmacy, three small trees in front of Ocean Springs Hospital slightly uprooted and leaning. Culeoka Subdivision is OK, Parktown Subdivision is OK, Waterford Village Subdivision is OK, Downtown area of Ocean Springs is OK, all schools - Ocean Springs High, Ocean Springs Middle, Magnolia Park, Oak Park, N. E. Taconi appear to be in good shape. We did not drive by Pecan Park, but that general area seems to be OK. Old Spanish Trail from OSMS to where is becomes Government street OK, Government Street OK. Drove the loop from Goverment St, down Magnolia Av to Kensington St to General Pershing St and back north to Government St. All OK there with the exception of the backside of Inner Harbor which is completely flooded into the parking lot but not all the way onto Kensington. Houses in that area appear to be fine, though water is near the house on the north side of Kensington just before the entrance to the Inner Harbor's marina. Though water is near it, it did not appear that it flooded. Water was not over the bridge on Kensington at Inner Harbor.

We had contact with friends at the lower end of Holcomb Dr who reported that though they are near the beach area, they did not receive any water in their home.

Hurricane Gustav Photo Link

We are providing a link to the SunHerald's Photo Gallery which has many excellent photos of Gustav. By excellent, we do mean excellent quality. The subject of the photos is sad and, in many cases, disturbing. That said, we shall be grateful it wasn't what it could have been, and the cleanup begins here again. Our thoughts and prayers go out to those who are suffering in southern Louisiana.

http://www.sunherald.com/414/gallery/783371.html

Monday, September 1, 2008

Cherokee Glen - Ocean Springs, MS

One report from the Cherokee St. area of Cherokee Glen in Ocean Springs, MS - No damage, currently has power.

Reports from Various Locations

12:52 pm

Parktown Subdivision in Ocean Springs is OK.

One report from Covington, LA - don't know exact location - but is OK.

One report from Kiln, MS - area near Forest H Necaise Rd is OK.

Byrd St in Ocean Springs, MS is OK.

High Wind Gusts Here in Ocean Springs, MS

We still have power and phone service at 9:55 am in Ocean Springs, MS. We are north of Hwy 90 and do not know about nearer the beach. As was just reported on WLOX, water is over Hwy 90 West of Keesler AFB near the old St. Charles Apartment complex. We have been told to expect about 4 to 6 more hours of wind and gusts up to around 50 mph.

Our two-story house is really "feeling" the wind upstairs. Surrounding houses are one story and afford no protection from the wind.

We will be attempting to contact others in the area who we know have remained for conditions in their neighborhood.

Sunday, August 31, 2008

First Band Coming Through

Just did Front Beach, Inner Harbor, East Beach Drive in Ocean Springs. Was clear when we left, but dark, dark cloud over the water. By the time we got to East Beach - hard driving rain with wind. Band coming through. Magnificent cloud and no, didn't have my camera. Water was calm - bird on posts - pelicans, tern, gulls. Birds in a tree on Front Beach - mourning doves, starlings. All sitting - waiting, facing the same direction - away from the shore.

Boats tied up together in groups - not to mooring or post, but together. People still doing tie downs. All boats moved away from the mouth of the harbor to the inner side.

People out walking, taking pictures, out with dogs. Lots of cars in driveways - can tell many did not leave.

Forecast still shows NW track, so less impact here in Jackson County. Praying for all west of us.

Sunday, August 31st traffic alert for I-10 Eastbound

We have just received a traffic alert at approximately 8 a.m. Here is that release:


For Immediate Release
Carrie Adams, MDOT public affairs, (601)359-7017
MDOT Urges Motorists to Avoid I-10

JACKSON, MISS., Sunday, August 31, 2008---The Mississippi Department of Transportation (MDOT) would like to announce the following traffic alert.

Traffic is severely congested along the Mississippi Gulf Coast at this time. There are major delays from the Biloxi-Ocean Springs area to the Mobile Tunnel.

Evacuees will not be allowed to enter Alabama on I-10 eastbound but will be diverted north on Highway 63 into Mississippi at Exit 69.

MDOT urges motorists to call for traffic information and log onto our website at MSTraffic.com. The Call Center hotline number is 1-866-521-MDOT (6368).

Link to Pearlington, MS blog

This link is to the blog of "Canada" Jon White and is entitled "Pearlington Resource and Recovery Center". It is associated with C.O.D.R.A. (Coalition of Disaster Relief Agencies). C.O.D.R.A. is an association of independent relief organizations which assisted Pearlington after Hurricane Katrina. Mr. White has begun posting regarding Gustav. You can link to him at:
http://www.pearlington.blogspot.com/

Saturday, August 30, 2008

Ocean Springs Schools Closed

Ocean Springs Schools, closed already for the Labor Day Holiday, will be closed on Tuesday.

Links for Gustav Information

We recommend the following for Gustav updates:

www.spaghettimodels.com which has numerous graphs including the "spaghetti models" which are the single line computer model tracks that you often see on forecast models.

www.ibiseye.com which will allow you to click on the hurricane symbol at various points along the previous, current and projected path. This will bring up a pop-up data box that gives the following: data time, latitude and longitude, wind speed, heading, bearing, category, pressure, forward speed, pressure, hurricane radius, tropical radius. On the data box, you can also click on "Show Storm Track" and it will put all the latest computer model (spaghetti models) in place.

www.wlox.com is the local television station for the Mississippi Gulf Coast. Located in Biloxi, MS, they are updating regularly on hurricane track, evacuation information and other related news.

www.wdsu.com is a New Orleans television station. They cover New Orleans and surrounding areas. They are updating regularly on hurricane track, evacuation information and other related news.

Friday, August 29, 2008

Site set up for local updates, if needed

This blog has been created by www.hurricanewatchdog.com for the purpose of passing along any known information about locations on the Mississippi Gulf Coast should Hurricane Gustav affect this area. As Hurricanewatchdog.com is located in Jackson County, MS, mandatory evacuations may cause us to operate from another location. Should that occur, we will attempt via cell and text to obtain any information regarding damage reports and/or link you to forums for more information. Please be aware that information is often sketchy and errors do occur. Should any information be reported, we will attempt to verify accuracy before posting, but will apologize in advance for any incorrect information. Should we determine that we have received inaccurate information, we will correct as quickly as we can.

If you have information to submit, please send an email to bigdog@hurricanewatchdog.com and we will contact you and then post that information here on the blog. We are taking these measures to ensure that legitimate and accurate postings are placed.

Thank you.