Some late night thoughts about Laura, and hurricanes in general

I have come to the conclusion that hurricanes are fascinating and horrible. But mostly, horrible.

Three years ago, at this very hour, those first, tremendous rain bands from Hurricane Harvey were pushing through Houston. It was a Saturday night. The storm had come ashore the day before, and Houston had seen a few bouts of heavy rainfall on Friday night. Most of the day Saturday was reasonably sedate. And then, BOOM. Ten inches of rain on the west side and then the first band moves over to the east side of Houston. And then it. Just. Stopped. Twelve inches of rain in two hours at one gauge near my home. Like for many of you, that was the longest and worst night of my life. Rising waters. Flooded homes. No idea if it would ever end.

Radar image of Tropical Storm Harvey at 9pm CT August 26, 2017. (Space City Weather/Intellicast)

And now tonight we are watching another devastating hurricane, Laura. This one is a completely different animal from Harvey. Though inland flooding from rainfall is not a concern this is a monstrously intense storm, stronger than anything ever recorded in that part of the Gulf of Mexico, pushing a wall of water toward Louisiana and lashing the state with 150-mph winds. I have never experienced that. I never want to. You run from that hell. And you run fast.

I feel immense relief tonight that Laura is not barreling down on the west end of Galveston Island, bringing 130- or even 140-mph wind gusts across broad swaths of the Houston community and leaving a path of devastation. At the same time, I have something akin to survivor’s guilt knowing that I will sleep comfortably in my bed late tonight. I’ll hear some wind. Maybe some rain. But these will only be distant echoes of the horrors unfolding a couple of hundred miles away, on the beastly right side of Laura. So many will lose so much tonight. Some will pay the ultimate price. Others will see their lives and livelihoods destroyed. So hurricanes are horrible.

Houston came pretty close to feeling Laura’s wrath. Many people closely watched the radar today, anxious to see whether Laura would in fact turn fully to the northwest, and then the north, as forecast. This gives you some insight the difficulty in forecasting a storm like Laura. As recently as Monday morning—less than three days ago—Laura was still a tropical storm more than 1,500 miles from Houston. The trick was figuring out when that turn to the northwest would occur, and getting it right to within dozens of miles. Because if Laura had waited a few more hours to turn, we all have an idea of what might have happened here.

Hurricane Laura is about 50 miles south of Cameron, Louisiana, at 10:10 pm CT. (RadarScope)

Hopefully this will inspire a younger generation to become interested in meteorology. The reason I got into weather science is because, quite selfishly, I wanted to know what was going to happen. I got caught unawares by Tropical Storm Allison way back in 2001, surrounded by rising waters beneath sheets of torrential rainfall. Never again, I vowed. But forecasting is hard work. Especially as Matt and I have, improbably, found ourselves with a voice in the community. A lot of people, and my goodness there are a lot of you kind souls, in this area now look to us for guidance. That’s a lot of pressure not to screw up. We do sometimes, but we try our damnedest not to, all day and pretty late into the night. But we want to make sure you’re never caught unawares, either. Anyway, it’s now been 11 days since we first started talking about the systems that would become Marco and Laura. It is good to be finally seeing them head toward the exits. We’re exhausted—mentally and emotionally.

We’ll be back with one more post tonight to wrap up conditions for the greater Houston area (they’re not going to be serious at all), and assess some of the preliminary effects of Laura on Louisiana and southeast Texas. That probably will be posted around 2 am CT.

169 thoughts on “Some late night thoughts about Laura, and hurricanes in general”

    • Thank you for all that you do! Your passion and kindness towards humanity comes through and we are so grateful for you and Matt. Lifting our neighbors to the east in prayer tonight.

    • Eric, remember you with Ike first and how much I appreciated having the science presented to me and explained so well. I hope you and Matt will get some much needed rest soon.

    • Having lived on the Island when Ike hit… the heartache I feel for those in the direct path of this storm is real and deep. I know what it feels like to wait for daylight to see how bad it was… only to find out it is actually your worst nightmare. I am struggling to feel relieved and grateful for the near miss we’ve had here. You’ve done a great job and we thank you both.

    • I am so thankful for having you as my source of information about weather. I also feel survivor’s guilt because we have family in the path of Laura. They could lose everything they worked so hard to earn. I pray for them and hope they can recover from this. We are so lucky we aren’t in their place.

    • Thank you. I remember Betsy’s eye passing over my house. I went outside and saw a starlight sky. And I remember Camilie’s howling, the freighters and tug boats pushed onshore in Biloxi. My brother survived in a third floor closet at St. Stanislaus in Waveland MS.

      We in Pecan Grove received over 55 inches of rain from Harvey. The levees held.

      I do not know which is worse, the howling wind, the sounds of houses being torn apart or the incessant tornado and flood warnings from my mobile phone.

      • Started listening to you all before Harvey u absolutely nailed it on the head. Harvey did as you predicted. I was scared to death knowing what was coming. Luckily for me the rain stopped when it did or I would have joined my neighbors enduring a flooded dwelling. This time for some reason I wasn’t frightened. I thought it might be like Rita and hit East Texas and Louisiana. It did turn into East Texas and Louisiana. God bless those poor souls

    • I so appreciate all of the work you guys do in helping us understand what is happening. Just as much, I appreciate your thoughtfulness and kindness as you have openly processed your own feelings towards all who will be seriously affected. I am glad that I have found you guys to follow. I work for Methodist Hospital and Space City Weather is who they suggest we follow, too!

    • Thank you Eric and Matt! Your hard work and dedication are a gift to Houstonians, especially during hurricane season. Have a well-deserved nap!

    • You are correct in stating you and Matt are our Go To People in the Clear Lake Area for our weather updates…We think of you as a friend and neighbor we trust…So we thank you for your tireless efforts to keep us safe and informed…But this morning I want to thank you, personally, for so eloquently putting “our” thoughts and feelings in black and white, so we can process them in an attempt to release all these pent up emotions of the past 10 days…It’s now time for us to get back to doing what we do…We’re blessed to have you both sharing your love of meteorology, and especially blessed that you share yourself w/us…Thank you…

    • You guys do an amazing job and provide a much needed service to all of us in the gulf coast area. Thank you for your awesome commitment to accuracy, honesty and, most importantly to me, clear facts over drama. I hope you now take a breath and get a little R&R. You more than deserve it.

    • Thank you for all your dedication and hard work. I can’t imagine how much pressure y’all are under. I’m grateful for you because you were our calm versus listening to some of the other hype. You’re very much appreciated.

  2. You do good, Eric (and Matt!). It’s all we can hope for. I feel your words tonight. Thank you, thank you, thank you. You are a blessing to our community.

  3. Eric, wasn’t Allison in ’01?
    And yes, hurricanes are horrible. I’d rather deal with these than with earthquakes, tornadoes, or wildfire, though. Hurricanes at least give you a chance to plan and decide. Thanks in no small part to thinkers like you and Matt.

    • Allison was a 2001 event. It was a multiday event, but Thursday, June 7, is the date I will always remember because nearly 12 inches of rain fell on Sugar Land as I commuted to work.

  4. Thank you. You all add tremendous value to our community.
    You’re spot on. Survivor’s guilt isn’t real. Countless Houstonians are feeling it. It was a headline on every conference call today.
    I’m also concerned that we need more investments to prepare our city for a storm like Laura in the future. It’s not a matter of IF but WHEN. What policies/regulations/investments should Greater Houston citizens advocate for to ensure we are ready for the next one?

  5. Houston dodged a damned missile, and I totally grok the survivors’ guilt. Felt some of that during Harvey too.

  6. Y’all are the best!! I have been reading you daily since Harvey. Thanks for all that you do! I also feel survivors guilt tonight 😥

      • Thank you for always giving good info and not hyping up what doesn’t need to be, you an Matt got me through harvey an Laura. Seriously Thank you so much from my family and I.

  12. Great post Eric and I echo your sentiments for our friends bearing the onslaught of this terrible storm and what they are going through and how they will suffer from Laura. You are a great meteorologist and a great man. Thanks for all you and Matt do.

  13. Thank You for your work. My wife and I were talking about the survivor guilt. We were evacuated during Harvey and my son spent his 5th birthday sleeping on bleachers in a high school gymnasium. Tonight, we breathing a sigh of relief for us and praying for those who were not so lucky.

  14. Thank you for what you do. You provide a tremendous service, and emotional support, for all those affected by severe weather.

  17. I so wish the 2020 hurricane season was over, but alas, we could be going through this again.

  18. Thank you both for what you do…I look to your reports before anyone elses! You are appreciated.

  20. Eric, thanks to you and Matt for being here, Storms can be monsters, and it helps to have you both watching the skies.

  21. So grateful for both of you. God bless you for your faithful reports during these weather disasters, but also for your steady assurance during the “normal” weather days. Y’all are the best!!

  22. Thank you both for all that you do in keeping Houston up to date! Praying for everyone that’ll be impacted by this mess….

  24. Thank you for keeping us all so well informed. I hope you and Matt both get to take a few days off after this.

  25. Thanks, and please thank your families as well. I really appreciate you all’s hard work. I tell everyone about your site and tend to trust your forecast more than the others.
    Your hard work has not gone unnoticed.

  26. So thankful for you and Matt… prayers for those in the path. Hope that we can all find a way to help in the next few days…

  27. Thank you for keeping us calm and informed. I appreciate the lack of drama and the wealth of helpful information, especially in times of extreme weather. Thank you for all of the hours of work put into this and for keeping our minds at ease, as much as you could. God bless.

  29. Your sense of responsibility and ownership to protect and inform Houstonians to the best of your abilities is beyond compare and so appreciated!!!!

  32. Thank you so much for your expert analysis of this storm event. Spacecity was the only commentary I chose to listen to. You deserve an award for your hard work. Please get some rest. I know I need some!

  33. I want to say that you both are a Blessing! Thank you for all you do. Your concise honest answers keep us all focused on the truth and reality of what can be. Praying for Cameron Parish Tonight and our Louisiana friends. Thanks again Matt and Eric for your sleepless nights, your honestly, no hype forecasts that are grounded in as much truth as possible. You are an asset to the Houston community!

  35. You all do the best that you can do, and we appreciate you all for it. You were the voice of reason during Harvey, even with the rising waters. The same today, helping our sanity. I think we are all worn out, mentally and emotionally, but i will be waiting for that 2 am post before trying to sleep. Sleep I did not get for Allison and Harvey.
    Prayers for those to the East.

  36. You both are amazing. I discovered you during Harvey when you didn’t tell us what we wanted to hear, but instead what we needed to hear. Now you are the only weather site I go to. We have family and friends in Lake Charles and feel so helpless and worried. Thank you for all you do to provide clear and honest information.

  37. You and Matt have done a yeoman’s work these couple of weeks. Hopefully the both of you can get some rest. Thank you!!!

  40. You guys are amazing. I am so grateful for your knowledge, dedication, and humanity. You are real. Consider doing your fundraising right after a near-miss hurricane, as your followers are at their most grateful. In addition to your hurricane coverage, I appreciate your daily feed as well. You two are funny! I watch The Weather Channel to collect funny quotes by reporters (like today’s quote, “The water is where it has been all day.”) (Duh!) But when I really need to know something, I’m checking my email for news from y’all. A heart-felt thank you from this appreciative Houstonian.

    • Thank y’all so much for you hard work to help all of us figure out what we needed to do for this severe weather event! Also we are praying for our neighbors to our East and are hoping for the best in this situation.

  41. You guys are real troopers. Y’all are so dedicated to everyone’s safety and we appreciate it. Thanks for your hard work and be safe.

  42. We are most grateful for the integrity you display and the intense effort you both expend to be sure the information you share is the most accurate possible…Having discovered you during Harvey, I have come to trust your daily forecasts and have been able to face the trauma of this past week with both Marco and Laura threatening our area with much less anxiety and though I have vowed not to get trapped in a massive evacuation…if you guys ever say Go! I will head out the door to places unknown…

  43. Thank you both. So many of us appreciate all of the time and effort you put into deciphering all of the data for us. Sleep well when you sleep.

  44. I’ve been following your posts since you were know as the Chronicle’s SciGuy. I can honestly say I’ve kept part of whatever sanity I have thanks to you and Matt. I can’t imagine going through the many storms I have without your steady hand. Thank you for all you do!

    I think it’s high time for another t-shirt fundraiser.

  45. You truly are good people and good at giving real and honest forecasts. You are a good voice to have looking out for your community. Thank you again for your exhaustive work you both have done on this.

  49. Thank you for your reporting and sharing your knowledge and guidance. We appreciate your work. I’m currently in Anchorage , Alaska and my wife is in our home in Spring, Texas. Thanks Again !!

    Randy Moore

  50. Matt I am in the same place i was in three years ago tonight. I had evacuated to Austin with my kids and my husband stayed behind to tend to the house that had flooded five times before and just three weeks before Harvey. It was terrifying to talk to him as the flood waters overtook our home. Tonight I am in Austin again not willing again to deal with this wrath but with many friends, family, business and committee members that could have been part of this imminent tragedy. Thanks for doing what you do for this community. It is beyond the call of duty.

  51. Your vulnerability is a beautiful and much needed thing. Thank you for your devotion to our community and your passion for learning and sharing your knowledge with us! Blessings to you and your families.

  52. Thank you so much for all of y’all’s hard work. Y’all are my first choice when it comes to weather. I always know I can count on a straight forward report that I can trust. You guys are very much appreciated!!! My family and I feel the same guilt about being spared from the nightmare this time, and we’re praying for all of those in Laura’s path. 🙏

  54. Eric and Matt, I echo thousands (if not more) grateful people when I say what a refreshing and ultra-welcome change your reporting makes from TWC and local news channels. They spurt platitudes and soundbites with condescension and patronizing glee. Tonight you could see them with a hard-on (apologies for the crass analogy) that Laura would reach Cat 5. One of the presenters in the studio could not stop smirking when he was talking about mass devastation in SW Louisiana:( . I do not condone violence but if I ever see him in the street, he’s getting a right-hander to the Adam’s apple!
    Thank you from me and many for your no-nonsense, factual and informative reporting

  55. You guys aren’t “alarmists” …. You tell the scenarios good, bad, or otherwise…. It’s very helpful in making decisions…..it was so helpful in Harvey….

  56. One more voice for the chorus: you both are so appreciated for what you do. I’m sure it weighs heavy. Get some rest when you can.

  57. Eric, you’re a poet. This moved me to tears. (I’m also hearing my brother’s movie in the background with sad music.)

    God bless you two, and your families. Thank you for being our watchdogs. I’d send y’all homemade cookies and soup if I could.

  59. I guess, in part, Harvey got so much attention because it plowed through such a large metro area. I remember going from house to house to help with cleanup, and still think about soanu who lost so much. I say that because I don’t want to downplay their very real losses. But they got off easy.

    Most houses I cleaned out still had good bones. Many lost four feet of drywall and the floor. A few lost much more. So many lost treasured personal effects. But they still had a home to build around. I cannot fathom what much of SW LA will lose. Not just personal effects, not just the drywall, but their entire homes. Nothing but a concrete slab to work from. Their lives become a blank slate.

    Even harder, they don’t have professional athletes, philanthropist furniture moguls, and millionaires in their backyard. I don’t know who will lead the fundraising charge, but the comments here give me hope that at least they will have our hands, legs, and backs to hell them rebuild.

  60. Thank you for this thoughtful post. I’m feeling the same way. Feeling very lucky and grateful yet saddened and fearful for our neighbors to the East. When you choose to live so close to the Gulf of Mexico it’s a risk you take. Thank you for not being a sensational weather guy. We have enough of those. If you want real, concise facts with emotion left behind this is where to get the truth. The emotional posts, such as this post, comes after your work is done. Thank you.

  61. Matt and Eric, Thank your for your intensive work that gives us clear direction through this stressful moments.I told my husband that If I knew about you guys during Harvey I will probably knew exactly what to do and what to prevent. We got flooded during Harvey and now live in another area. Do not wish anyone to go throw this horrible experience. So thank you. Thank G-d this system did not turn on Houston. Sad there is always a team that loses.

  63. Just want you to know that we appreciate you. I told a friend in Virginia today that you are who we turn to for our forecasts rather than local or national weather reports. I sent her a screenshot of your midday update and she calmed down. Your work is really appreciated and helpful.

  67. I’ll echo the many who have come on here thanking you this past week. You guys have become THE go to weather source for Houston. As usual you guys have been on point this week, and I can’t thank you enough for being a steady, reliable, and reassuring guide for all of us out there trying to figure it out. Enjoy some rest!

  68. so grateful for you and matt and your keeping us informed… especially in times when mother nature is threatening. i also appreciate the men you are- this post is a fine example. thank you.

  71. Thank you both for all that you do. I’m sure this isn’t easy, but it is very appreciated. Your posts have kept me grounded today when I started letting others make me panic.

  73. Lost track of you after SciGuy disappeared. Finally found you again as Space City Weather. What a relief. There is no other weather I look at for honest information on any weather. Most especially during hurricane season. I recommend you to everyone. Good job these past 10 days. You got us through it. Looking forward to just the daily weather posts again. Prayers for those east of us.

  74. Eric, I remember in the days of Harvey, I waited anxiously for every next update. I find myself here again for every step of Laura, almost as a sort of constant in a situation i cant unpack the data of myself. Really have appreciated all you guys pour into this. I think to most every one i know (word spreads fast) yall are our hurricane captains. Thank you for steering the (very large) ship yet again.

  75. Wow! Beautifully written, Eric. You guys are the best. This is an amazing recap. Thank you for your incredible reporting over the last few days. You are the go-to place to learn about these amazing storms. Thank you for informing and teaching us.
    Prayers for our friends to the East. God bless them!
    Mike Carlen

  76. Thanks to both of you for your always-understandable reporting and forecasting and for giving useful and fascinating information in a digestible form, and never being condescending to your readers. I greatly appreciate you both.

  77. 2020, you had your fun. Now please send the rest of the storms to the fishes.

    Kudos to the NHC for getting the track right. It must be very tough when anyone can look at a model and conclude that it is going to be the worst outcome. They do have trouble predicting intensity, so they should predict these storms like Category 3+ or 3R for having a large chance to rapidly intensify. People don’t read the discussions and think the “2” or “3” on every weather graphic will hold.

  79. Eric and Matt,
    Thank you for the tireless efforts and your exacting knowledge. This is why I follow your science and know that you will describe it as is and in terms that people understand and relate to and not with fanfare, dramatic music and “the sky is falling headlines”. I followed your reports during Harvey and I could relate to the desperation the written post conveyed on the second and third days when the rain kept coming down in buckets with end in sight.

    Like you, a lot of people breathe a sigh of relief now that Laura has turned and, like you, we will feel the guilt after we comprehend what happened to our brothers and sisters not far from Houston. It is up to everybody to roll up sleeves and help them any way we can.

    Now, please go to bed and get some rest.

    • Eric/Matt – The thing to remember about Gulf coast survivor guilt is that hurricanes are a part of living on this coast, just like seafood and long summer days on the water and mosquitos. All you have to do is look at the long parade of storms over the years to know your number comes up eventually – Allen, Harvey, 1900, Ike, Rita, Audrey, Laura, Katrina, Camille, Frederick, Michael, Ivan, Charlie, Labor Day, Andrew…and that’s off the top of my head at 11:45 at night. We’ve all been in that hell one time or another, which is where that survivor guilt comes from.

      Having a platform where we can get honest and reliable information helps with understanding and coping in that hell, and thats what you guys do best.

      This is a heck of a platform you’ve built. Keep up the good work!

      (Starting tomorrow or course. Please get some rest.)

  80. I remember three years ago I was glued to your website on my phone wondering how much worse Harvey would get and experiencing the horrors of a hurricane first hand. Am (so very selfishly) glad that we’re not in the path of the storm…and can only imagine what’s happening an hour or two to the east knowing very well that it could so easily have happened to us. Grateful for little miracles, and to both of you for spending umpteen nights and days preparing us, educating us, and informing us! A heartfelt thank you!

  82. I am on my rooftop deck enjoying the breeze and feeling a huge amount of survivors guilt. I have friends in Louisiana and I worry about their safety.

    I started following you during Harvey. I appreciate the time you guys spend letting us know what is happening without the drama of the media. Keep doing what you do and get some well deserved rest after tonight.

  83. Perfectly said. I feel the exact same about the relief that this is not going to hit us alongside the immense lump in my throat when I think of all of those that will wake up or come home to mass destruction. I’ve told my kids over and over tonight how fortunate we are and have thought of how can we help those who are going to be hit so hard. We’ve prayed together for those who are about to be hit. Thank you so very much for all of your updates and for the work and late hours you guys put into keeping us updated. As a little girl I wanted to be a meteorologist. I heard you had to be really good in math and veered away. Wish I would have stuck with it. Thank you for everything!

  84. I subscribe from Nebraska because I have 13+ members of my family (representing 4 smaller families) in Houston area. I appreciate the science you share, your common sense, non-panic way of sharing information and your human touch. Thank you! Rest well when this is behind you.

  85. Goodnight Matt and Eric, thank you for caring and for all your hard work. Will be praying a hedge of protection for Louisiana, and giving thanks we were spared Hurr. Laura’s fury.

  86. Eric and Matt, I cannot thank you both enough for everything you do for us. Yes, we have come to depend on you because we can trust you to be honest and straightforward, without a lot of screaming, beating drums, clanging cymbals, or other hype designed to scare us or get ratings. Thank you for being voices of reason, for explaining and teaching, and for everything. God bless you and your families, and I hope you can get some rest. You deserve it.

  88. We are so grateful for the many tireless efforts made by you and Matt to keep us informed. More importantly, we appreciate the absence of fear mongering in your posts. You have stayed true to your “without the hype” motto, and that is so valuable. Thank you for all of the hard work and sleepless nights.

  90. Thanks for all you do. Is 36 too old to get into forecasting? Looking for a big reason, and what’s bigger than the weather? Seriously. Thank you, and let me know if you need an under qualified apprentice.

  91. Thanks Matt and Eric. You’ve done a great job with this situation. Because of your commitment lots of folks sleep way better at night.

  92. Thank you for reliable, no drama reporting. Your fatigue is palpable and deserved. Sending you and Matt much light and love.

  93. Harvey is when I first found the wonders of Eric and Matt…Space City Weather. I have not paid attention to any other weather authorities since. I am actually sitting outside enjoying a nice breeze while thinking of the dire situation folks are in or are going to be in. My heart goes out to them. Prayers are being sent!!
    I know you read this often but, I do truly thank you guys for all that you do. Your a pretty spectacular duo!!

  94. I want to thank both of you for all your pain staking hours you’ve spent to keep us informed. I commend you. I pray for those poor souls that refused help in Cameron. It’s a sad night in my home state. I was born in Lake Charles. Thank you.
    Diane McManus

  96. Thank you both for the grounding information throughout these past few days. Having gone through Harvey and 3.5 feet of water in my childhood home, seeing Houston dodging a bullet is seriously having me count my blessings tonight. Dear humans on the east side of the storm are in my thoughts tonight.

  97. You guys are TRULY the best, & about 16 hrs ahead of all weather station news & do not speak in general, you speak frankly w/no sugar coating & that’s what we need. I trust you more than anyone & wanted to say “THANK YOU” – “I appreciate y’all both”!!!!!

  98. Appreciate all you guys do. Was forwarded your site by a friend. I absolutely was glued to my email waiting for all your next updates so thank you for the straightforward and factual information!

    You guys will be my main source of weather news for Houston from now on! Get some rest after your last post tonight because you guys deserve it!

  99. I’m among the voices thanking you both, profusely and without shame, for your measured, calm and reliable insight. I found you during Harvey but I look to you, almost daily, regardless of conditions. We are extremely lucky to have you both. Please go enjoy some much deserved rest.

  101. What a compelling post! Your humanity and your passion for what you do really shone through. Yes, survivors’ guilt is real. As someone whose life changed forever due to Hurricane Katrina, 15 years ago this week, I would never want to go through that kind of trauma again and am grateful our area will mostly dodge a bullet, but my heart breaks for our neighbors in far southeast Texas and southwest Louisiana. This afternoon, my eyes filled with tears at the thought of all the people desperately fleeing Laura’s wrath, then sitting scared and in shock at some shelter or hotel room, dealing with kids and pets and maybe cranky spouses/partners, and grappling with the fear (though they really can’t grasp it) that they will never be going back home (or at least, not to much of anything left). Some have surely already lost their their job or a family member to COVID-19, and been struggling to home school their kids. If they had two cars, but piled into one to head out together, the left-behind car could well be lost in the storm — and maybe there’s still a car note to pay or can’t get to work without it. If they took off in a hurry, without important personal papers or ID, they may be further stymied in getting help and getting back on their feet. What about any last-trimester pregnant women stuck in shelters? What about nursing home residents who may not even understand where they are and what’s happening? You are right; hurricanes are horrible. I’ve been SO grateful for the expert insights, hype-free perspective and timely updates from you and Matt to help me literally and emotionally prepare for this one, which clearly now (fortunately) will have little, if any, impact on me here in far west Houston. One little bobble in this direction by Laura could have changed that dramatically — so, thanks to you and Matt for your unwavering commitment to sharing frequently, comprehensively and calmly.

  102. Praying for our fellow Americans to the east of us tonight as well. They will need a lot of help recovering from this.

    Thank you for carrying the mantle of our source for unbiased weather reporting. Blessings to both of you and your families.

  103. Once again I’m so very grateful for all that you both do! We were devastated in Harvey and I’ve been a nervous wreck the past few days! Now, I too am feeling survivors guilt and my heart breaks for our neighbors to the East. My prayers are with all those in harms way and my thankfulness goes to Eric and Matt for the care and love they show our community through their awesome and accurate reporting! Get some much needed sleep! You’ve earned it! ☺️

  104. I am so glad that I learned of your website a couple of weeks ago. My profound thanks for the time and effort you gentlemen put in to providing factual, rational, no BS information. I am thankful to have an alternative to the hype and hysteria of the media.

  106. Beautifully put. My parents are in Port Arthur right now, and I too am feeling that survivor’s guilt. But it is what it is. You live on the gulf, you’d better know what to expect. Thank you for always posting clear reports and not sensationalizing anything. I respect, appreciate, and admire y’all.

  107. I’ve been fascinated by meteorology since I was about six years old. As a kid, I used to recite Frank’s intro on KPRC when watching the news, swapping his name for mine. I just couldn’t get enough. Now at 34, I still cant get enough. Weather in general has always danced this delicate balance between being amazingly beautiful and downright horrifying. The analysis you and Matt put out has afforded me an outlet to completely geek out and feed a burning passion, and for that, I am beyond grateful. You two are Houston staples, and I’m really not sure where this city would be without y’all.

  108. So good to have found you again. I worked at The Chronicle during Katrina, Rita and Ike and, like many Houstonians, came to rely on your uncanny ability as the ‘hurricane whisperer ‘ So happy we dodged a bullet. We are in Alvin and were without power for 10 days after Ike. I quit worrying about Laura after reading your first post this morning. Though, I confess to missing the “I’m in Katy. Should I evacuate?” shenanigans. Thanks!

  109. Thank you both for all you have done and continue to do to be a voice of calm and reason backed up by the science. You are a Godsend for our community.

  111. Eric, I remember one night during Harvey when you said you were just so sorry to have to tell us that Harvey STILL wasn’t moving on, and I could hear your voice in your writing. You were 100% with us and feeling everything we were. And no matter what you were going through personally with Harvey, you were still working to help and reassure us. You and your family, and now Matt, are true Houston treasures ❤

  112. I live in Georgetown TX and an very grateful for Space City informative articles, Your information is a big help because my daughter and family live near downtown and the Buffalo Bayou. I’m able to keep abreast of the changing atmospheric perils of life on the coast. Thanks for all your hard work!

  114. Thank you for what y’all do! I felt your post in my heart. Thinking of all of the people in harms way and hoping for the best.

  115. You fellas carry a lot in your shoulders. Please take care of yourselves. I experienced a bout of severe anxiety and panic during, and after, Harvey. We didn’t have much physical damage, but my mind and soul were damaged – I’ve never been so afraid. I’m grateful for your endless work, honesty, professionalism – and the incredible gift you have at giving me peace, even in the craziest of moments.

  116. Beautifully written and needed. Been following you since shortly before you left the Chronicle, when I first moved to Houston. I am one in a sea now of appreciaters, and I hope you feel very much appreciated!

  117. A huge thank you Eric and Matt for the tremendous service and long hours that you all provide by giving it your best shot at trying to predict and forecast what Mother Nature’s latest severe weather is going to unleash on the Gulf Coast and surrounding areas.
    Space City Wx will always be my go to source to get my “weather briefing”.
    All the best from a survivor of lots of serious Wx in my career in aviation.
    Pat Willcox

  118. Thank you again for yr dedication and accuracy in reporting. You are def my go-to source for honest updates in this horrific storm. Keep up the good work and hopefully get some rest one of these days.

  119. I wonder what all the other communities along the Gulf Coast and Atlantic seaboard do during hurricane season without their own version of Matt and Eric, giving them forecasts without the hype or hysteria. Truly value how y’all don’t just tell us WHAT is going to happen, but also WHY it is going to happen. Be that as it may, soon the sun will come out again and we will look toward out neighbors to the east and do what we can to help them in their time of need. Just as they have done for us in the past. We are all in this together.

  120. Gratitude – we feel it for good reason. Y’all are so kind, and nerdy, in the best possible way. You shoot straight, and that’s the only way I can deal. Having y’all expertly analyze and share the most recent data, it’s not just helpful, but feels supportive.
    Thank you,
    Lori F.

  121. Pretty good writing for a couple of weather nerds….If more scientists had your literary skills (and sensibility most of all), perhaps science in general would suffer less from the terra incognita syndrome, and people could learn as they go, or went. Or whatever it is they believe time to be at any given moment. And we could all be ushered toward a deeper comprehension of this bewildering and mysterious world we sometimes delightfully share. So thanks, guys—for a job well done. Across the board.

  123. Great work, gentlemen. Your city truly appreciates the way you both use the voice that your have. Keep on keepin’ on and we’ll be with you every step of the way.

  124. It’s hard to express what you all mean to me and my family. Or Houston. Our eyes and hearts are to the East.

  127. Damn fine letter, Eric. Thank you for all you and Matt do to inform and assist so many others. Survivor’s guilt is a form of compassion, I believe, which can become a compassionate act if we but reach out to help, in any way we can, the thousands suffering now from Laura.

  128. Definitely relieved for us here in Houston, but very sad for folks in Laura’s path.
    Meteorology IS a tough gig. My husband of 48 years started his college career planning to major in it, but realized he really wanted to live out his life in his hometown and not move place to place throughout his working years.
    Although, he chose not to pursue that path, he’s always retained his interest in it and has been quite skilled in analyzing and tracking these weather monsters, especially as our technology has provided us with more information
    You and Matt are right up there with your analysis skills as well and I appreciate the facts without all the extraneous hype.
    I’m a native Gulf Coast Texan. I know what these storms can do and I know what has to be done to be prepared, no matter what path they may take. I don’t need to be stirred into a frenzy. I just need the facts. Thank you for the facts.
    And, yes, Harvey was not fun at all. I’m getting too old to keep bailing water out of the front of my house. Ugh.

  131. Eric…just wanted to give you another THANK YOU! I found you during Harvey and for the past three years I’ve appreciated your educated, calm voice for Houston. It can be scary as hell to live here but knowing we can trust y’all to give us no nonsense weather advice. Don’t worry, we all know forecasting isn’t perfect. I’m just so very thankful for what you do! And I also echo your feelings on this three year anniversary of Harvey. Just crazy!

  132. Thank you for all of the effort and hard work y’all put into giving us accurate weather information in the most timely manner.

    I can’t tell you how many times I have sent a link this week to your services. You have been my go-to source for weather for literally YEARS….and it all started when I found you in the middle of a hurricane (I can’t recall which one!).

    Your work is the most precise and thoughtful of anyone in this industry hands down.

    Clearly weather is unpredictable, but even so….y’all lay the possible scenarios out and never play the hype man or incite fear. Just the facts as you see them! I GREATLY appreciate this!

    Just wanted to write a note of gratitude this morning for both of you. Once again, you proved to be accurate and for sure timely. I hope you’re able to catch some rest!

    PS. Survivors guilt is real! Like you, I’m incredibly grateful Houston didn’t get hit but it’s so hard to watch our neighbors to the east dealing with this. 🙏🏻❤️

  133. Eric and Matt – Thank you. You are my go-to guys for truth. I am 73 and have been thru several hurricanes. We have had wind damage a few times and flooded 3 times – the last one Harvey with 8 feet of water. Guess who I was paying attention to – you guys of course. First sign of weather impacts and I check in with your reports. Keep at it – We appreciate it even more because I know you care about what you report and you care about the people who are impacted. Way to go guys!.

  134. We appreciate you guys so much. You’re educational but never condescending, rationale when so many want to use fear for clicks, and honest about the limitations of your tools or knowledge. You’ve earned your audience through your honesty and transparency, not through being perfect so don’t worry, we’ll still be here even if you occasionally get it wrong (sometimes it be like that)

  135. Thank you for all that you do to help the greater Houston community stay informed about weather – every day, not just during the big events.

    A storm like Laura is so worrying, in part, because it feels like the Houston area is so woefully unprepared for a monster storm roaring up I-45 from the Gulf. I hope that you guys will use this opportunity to to educate the community about what we need to do to get our local and State leadership on board with facing the reality of what these storms will do (not can or could do, the next Ike or Harvey is just a matter of time) to our city.

  136. We found you and SCW during Harvey, and we’re so very thankful we did. I’ve been very pensive, thinking back to 3 years ago. We had additional family sheltering with us, and I was 7.5 months pregnant. Little did I know that my daughter would arrive two weeks later, a month early. Harvey brought all kinds of chaos to us. 😊 (Baby girl was a preemie NICU baby who is now a perfectly fine and healthy almost 3-year-old!)
    My heart has been with Louisiana – so relieved that Laura spared us, but battling survivor’s guilt for sure! Thank you for all you do. You are an immense blessing to so many of us.

  137. Love and appreciate you and your steady and thoughtful work. I’ve shared you to many friends and rely on the information I receive

  138. Thank you so much!!! I just discovered you guys and will def stick to ur predictions since you r quite spot on! Again thanks!

  139. My wife and I experienced out first hurricane in 1965, shortly after moving to New Orleans, when Betsy hit the city. Fortunately we were not on the east side of the city that flooded, but wind damages to our house and car were significant. Between 1967 and 1980 we managed to be in different locations, thereby missing all hurricanes. In 1981 we settled permanently in Houston and have since then lived through every tropical storm and hurricane that hit Space City. Thankfully we escaped all flooding and only had minor roof damage in one storm. As a result of seeing all the damage caused by hurricanes, we are very thankful for the work you do in keeping is informed. We live in Spring and are far enough inland to not have to evacuate, but knowing the direction and strength of a storm is very helpful. Before Harvey hit Houston, we finally installed a permanent backup generator, as we were without power for 8 days after Ike. Thanks again for your work!

  140. I enjoyed your SciGuy column in the Chron and followed you here. I doubt I’ve watched 5 minutes of TV weather since you guys launched SpaceCityWeather. We really appreciate what you do!

  141. POST SUGGESTION: I think we would all appreciate a post on your analysis on Houston’s preparedness for hurricanes of these magnitudes. I saw your tweets yesterday, but 140 characters just doesn’t do your good work justice. You deserve to have your expertise seen and heard.

    I’m beginning to question if living here is truly worth it. I grew up outside of New Orleans (during 2005’s Katrina) and saw how living in bowl below sea-level didn’t work out for so many. I’m wondering if Houston is a similar catastrophe waiting to happen with the right circumstances. What is our version of the levees breaking?

  142. Thanks for all your hard work and your realistic – but not sensationalist guidance and advice. As many others have said – your calm and thoughtful approach really help when the stress is so high with these things. Thank you both – the community really appreciates y’all!

  143. Thank you for your dedication and honesty (without all the hype). You two are my go to meteorologists. I appreciate what you do.

  144. Thank you. We are all so grateful for your efforts.
    My great grandfather went thru the 1900 storm in Galveston. No family ever talked about the horrors of that night. It was years later, after countless other storms- one I spent with them in the house Alicia in 83- that I started to understand. Some started to share what had been unspeakable before. My great grandad stayed, to rebuild- to bury the dead they found at sea, only to have to help pile the bodies on East Beach and burn them because they floated back… thank you because with that insight they did not have back then, hopefully that many will never be caught unprepared again.

    https://www.1900storm.com/

    Amy

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