Weather report for here in Haughton- Princeton

[RV_]

We have had 17 inches of rain in the last two days, we are facing another 5-10 inches more over the weekend by Sunday. We are on high ground and have our normal flooded front yard after any heavy rain, but nothing close to the house or foundation.

 

I went out yesterday to pick up a few things down the road to the Haughton Brookshire's and Fred's. Going down my road to Hwy 80 I saw where a flash flood had run over the road and brought some big tree limbs up onto the road and another that ran the driveway gravel out to the road. Then halfway to the stores about five miles West on 80, I saw that the Eastbound 2 lanes were down to one because of the bridge flooding over on one side. But the traffic was backed up for miles. It seems that they had to close I-20 between The Racetrack in Bossier and the Haughton exit due to flooding. 20 and 80 run parallel there only a few hundred yards apart in some places. So all the I-20 traffic was being re-routed through the now one lane Hwy 80! It took 30 minutes to go that few miles and I got started way ahead of the backed up traffic. There was no back way I later found out as all alternate routes were flooded.

 

This is the worst rain and flooding since weather has been recorded here. This is nowhere near the Red River like the lat flooding that compared to this was minor, except to the folks who lost their home then. If you are the only one it is a major loss.

 

This was due to a rain event that soaked here and pretty much avoided most areas West of us. Most subdivisions around me are flooded to the roofs in some parts and 4 feet in others.

 

We won't see any bank overflows of the Red here but those downstream my see some. IT is not over, and the water is not receding like lesser flooding does after a rain. We had a break in the rain this afternoon. We were lucky in that all our friends and family members were in between the flooded areas.

 

I'm sure you've seen it all on the national news by now I am sure. Our shelters are full and it has been declared a disaster area. Most of the folks are only getting out by boat rescues. I heard they were blocking off and shutting down traffic East and West through Shreveport Bossier on I-20. I would suggest, that since the flooding is going to be here according to the news locally to the middle of next week, that anyone not living here avoid this area for now.

 

By Sunday I suspect we will be stranded here with no available roads or alternate routes. Yesterday All my alternate routes were flooded worse than Hwy 80. We have a large freezer in addition to the side by side reefer, and a Nat.Gas 25KW 4 cylinder Water cooled whole house generator with auto switchover and back. Our old one was a Propane 15KW that had trouble running the A/C and the other loads. That house had an electric water heater, but Nat. Gas range and furnace. This one has all gas water heaters and furnace in addition to cooktop, stove, and Generator. We never had our Natural Gas go out for any power or straight line wind/tornado damages.

 

So we are set for as long as it takes. But this area of the ArkLaTex is devastated.

[bigjim]

I had been wondering if you were getting hit with this. Sure feel for people there. Hope your situation doesn't get any worse.

[Jim & Alice]

Derek, You have my prayers and best wishes. I remember back in May of 1978, we had a 11 inch rain in a few hours over the Bossier-Shreveport area... Some folks in Shreveport were washed off their front porch while watching the rain. My wife and I had to roll up our pantlegs and wade a half a mile to our house.

 

If it helps any, I have a nephew over South of Atlanta, TX that is stranded in their home out in the country - Can't get in... or out.

 

I'll be watching and praying for you.

Jim

[RV_]

Thanks Guys!

Sorry I missed this until late last night Jim and Jim. The rain just started again for the second wave of inundation. Again I am on the side of a hill and always get my front yard flooded while it is raining about three inches deep like a river running through it going to the natural drain. SO far the natural drain is fine because it would then block the only way out we have.

 

I didn't realize that my road was completely washed out up past me about a half mile. I am told two vehicles are in the washout but the barricades were before a curve so we could not see exactly how bad it is. We never go out that way but like many places, we now have two of our four exit options blocked. The authorities and Mayors are saying that we are going to get worse until the middle of next week and that the flooding will take a few more weeks to recede.

 

The Red is now threatening too because it can't take the overflows to help drain downriver. My only concern is the little creek that flash flooded the first night between me and Hwy 80. Jim, it is that first low spot behind that VW junkyard and car repair place on the corner with Hwy 80, it runs through my friend's yard. He owned the parts and junkyard biz but sold to a new store on the corner that sells discount sporting goods and does deer and other game processing. If it washes out we, along with a lot of others, will have to cut through a subdivision, which beats being trapped.

 

I have been here on and off since first being assigned here in 1971. Never saw anything like it here anywhere in Shreveport Bossier. Only New Orleans when I could help and did rescues, and folks close to the Red River getting flooded but most of them learned from once and built higher or built embankment and taller levees. If we get just the 5-10" forecast, things could get a lot worse.

 

Our little five acres is on high ground, our freezers are full, and the generator is ready. We are on a boil advisory but I am all gas here except A/C so we should be fine. If any of your family is here and needs help Jim, shoot me an email or call. I can take a couple in.

[Alie&Jim's Carrilite]

Stay dry up there. We're down in St. Benard, Chalmette area. Mississippi is high here, but the canals and the lake seems to be ok.

[RV_]

Our water will make it down there eventually. Hey! The sun is out and nothing for tonight shows on the Doppler radar I just checked! WooHoo!

[bigjim]

I wish google earth were current so we could look down on it now. For some reason I just thought of Uncertain, Tx over on Caddo lake. I wonder how they are fairing. I was supposed to be leaving tomorrow and planning on stopping in Txarkana for a day or so but am considering staying put for another week or so. There is some road flooding in this area. Memphis,tn area.

[RV_]

Jim,

I'd wait at least until Wednesday of next week to see how things shake out. Barring another major deluge tomorrow, they say all the flooding will have peaked by then. stay safe bud!

[Jim & Alice]

Thanks for all the updates, Derek. I know that creek well that crosses your road... along US-80. Same US-80, incidentally we're camped just off of here in Wellton, AZ. Great history.

 

Saw some internet pics of Tall Timbers Subdivision, flooded. Derek, I can not imagine that one. Stay safe, friend!

Jim

[RV_]

Thanks Jim,

OK we had storms yesterday some very severe, but all up North of us. Our weather here has been sunny now for two and a half days and all but some of the worst flooded from the Red Chute bayou are slow in receding or still stable and not receding as of noon. Dogwood/racetrack.

 

A good friend of mine, a horse trainer, came up from down south and was helping evacuate the horses from the Downs when it was ordered to evacuate. Those horses won't be brought back up until the next thoroughbred or quarter horse season, I forget which, as I don't race or bet. It is going to be mid 80s and sunny for a week. While folks like me are now over it, our friends and neighbors will be trying to recover for the next year or more depending on whether they forked out for flood insurance. It remains to be seen what federal relief funds, if any, are made available.

 

Personally it is over. Many have lost everything whether insured, or relief funds are made available, or not. I have pictures and antiques that cannot ever be replaced. But many are already digitized and my on site backup drives would go with us. I need only take one plastic storage box with about ten mixed 2.5" and 3.5" drives and our tablets. We can rebuild the rest. But this has made many second guess our previous apathy being far enough from the river to not be at risk from the Red overflowing.

 

Safe Travels Jim, let us know when you're going to be near.