Over 3 hours and we’ve made it to Liberty, TX. So much for the back road idea. (Liberty is 45 miles east of Houston). This isn’t fun.

Yes, it is 4:00am CDT and I am blogging. It’s truly a sickness.

Here’s the 4:00am update of this cam shot. I wonder how many from the earlier shot are still sitting there for this one.

I wanted to thank everyone for the kind emails, comments and prayers. They mean more to us than you know. It’s a weird feeling taking pictures off your walls in case the walls aren’t there after the storm. It’s not a feeling I want to experience again.

I’ve just been informed the normal 30-45 minute commute from downtown out to the suburbs is currently a 4 hour commute.

Here is the Houston traffic map indicating trouble spots and slowdowns. Click on a camera to see the live view from TranStar.

It’s now as big as they come.

Compare and contrast.

courtesy: Mayor Bill White

New Orleans evacuation

courtesy: Mayor Ray Nagin

Update: Seems some are commenting (Ed. Comments were lost when the blog was moved) on the “empty” bus at the end of the Houston picture. Okay, so try this one on for size:

Personally, I doubt this will make any difference to the liberals who can only complain and point blame about everything on the planet. They’ll point out the fact people haven’t been stacked sideways on the roof as proof of a “failed plan”…

Mayor Bill White has just asked that all companies in the Houston area not require employees to stay and work on Thursday or Friday (except essential personnel).

It’s weird because I am not seeing any middle-of-the-roaders today. People are either completely serious about evacuating or completely laughing at those taking it so serious. Some have said there’s no way the storm will reach certain areas north of Houston… and I’m reminded that Katrina was still a Hurricane over 100 miles inland.

Frankly, I’m leaving town because I sweat… alot. And the chances are pretty high that we’ll lose power (because we lose power when someone burps too loud - thanks Reliant Energy) and that means no A/C.

And I can afford a nice hotel room because… well, I’m a Republican.

Winds 131-155 mph (114-135 kt or 210-249 km/hr). Storm surge generally 13-18 ft above normal. More extensive curtainwall failures with some complete roof structure failures on small residences. Shrubs, trees, and all signs are blown down. Complete destruction of mobile homes. Extensive damage to doors and windows. Low-lying escape routes may be cut by rising water 3-5 hours before arrival of the center of the hurricane. Major damage to lower floors of structures near the shore. Terrain lower than 10 ft above sea level may be flooded requiring massive evacuation of residential areas as far inland as 6 miles (10 km). Hurricane Charley of 2004 was a Category Four hurricane made landfall in Charlotte County, Florida with winds of 150 mph.

Officials said between 800,000 and 1.2 million people could be asked or ordered to leave in the Houston area.

Say a prayer for us, this looks like it’s gonna be nasty.