| About Stuart | Stuart Robinson (38) is an experienced tornado stormchaser and hurricane hunter as part of is part of Oxford University's Hurricane Research Organisation.
He has seen 17 tornados and some of the most powerful Hurricanes in recent years.
He lives in a quiet Mountsorrel in Leics with partner Alison who refers to herself as a “Weather Widow”. |
One person dead......$6billion worth of damage....and floodwaters up to nine feet deep. That was the terrible cost of Hurricane Rita, which hit Texas and the Louisiana coast in America. People fled in fear of a repeat performance of the devastating Hurricane Katrina.
But not me for I am a stormchaser and on 24 September I was able to penetrate the Western eye of Hurricane Rita as she passed right over me – this is my account of how I achieved this, my recollections of the experience and the problems I had to overcome. The beginning... Rita had not even formed but long range weather forecasting models hinted that a full blown CAT4 hurricane would form South West of Florida in about 6 days times before going on to make landfall on the US coastline.
I started to make plans and gather equipment. Three days later tropical storm Rita formed and by day seven Rita was indeed a CAT4 hurrican., Day eight and Rita was now an intense CAT5 Hurricane and the third strongest hurricane in history - heading towards America. – I immediately booked a flight and left Houston immediately Day Flight in…
The flight was uneventful – but as we circled over Houston I could see traffic jams with cars bumper to bumper on all roads North , East and West – people were taking Rita seriously and getting out of the way – I was nervous. Houston, the fourth largest city in America had shut down completely at midday. The airport departure terminal was full – everyone was leaving , all retail outlets had shut - there was no where to buy food or petrol (luckily the hire car had a full tank). We found a corner shop that was still open and stocked up on water, sweets and snacks – I was glad I had packed 24 hours worth of dried British Army ready to east meals. I was however some what surprised to find a room in Houston and even a open a bar! | "Was I scared? Yes! But that keeps you alert. Would I do it again? You bet! " | | Stuart Robinson |
And that night we had a our own 'hurricane party” – making plans before eventually grabbing a few hours of nervous sleep – what on earth was I thinking? And what would the following days bring I remember saying to myself. At dawn the next day I noticed high level cirrus clouds starting to hide the sun behind a milky shield. Going outside I was struck by the silence – every one has gone save for a police cars ad the last evacuees that were heading north. Looking at the model forecasts – landfall would be some where around Sabine Pass on the Texas Louisiana boarder – at night! Looking at the map the only towns that could offer hardened shelter was Winnie or Port Arthur. We drove towards Winnie on totally deserted roads and through hamlets that were just ghost towns every one had gone (people taking notice after New Orleans and Katrina). After spending some time in Winnie I was dismayed to see that there was no hardened shelter to be found – in fact nothing much made out of concrete – there was a small regional hospital – but this was ground floor only and would have mostly likely been under water – time to go to Port Arthur. I really wanted to see the coastline and stand where the centre of Rita would make land Road 87 runs parallel and only a few metres from the coast. Already there was evidence of sea surge on the road with seawater and seaweed covering large stretches of the read. and no wonder – as we looking over the small sandbank the separated Highway 87 the waves were already building and only a few metres from the sand banks.
The rising tide and the approach of the now large waves meant that we only spent a short time at this location. As I stood there observing I knew that in 15 hours this area of the coast would be roughly where the centre of Rita would pass with all her fury – and this area of the coast would be changed for ever more. Suddenly with the rising tide a wave came in and soaked me over the ankles – the surge was coming in as I looked towards the north at the flat terrain – I knew that we had to leave this area and coastal communities – fast!
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Model guidance now suggested Port Arthur would be the landfall area and that is where we heading. Port Arthur is an industrial town – one thing that struck me was the amount of petrol refineries – huge industrial complexes. A hour spent scoping out Port Arthur told me all I need to know – there was no shelter that we could park out car off the ground that would offer us resalable strength . The GPS unit told me that we were only 13 feet above sea level and that Port Auther would most likely be underwater – we need to find some height now – and so headed inland to the town of Beaumont. Beaumont. An hour in Beaumont and we had found four multiple car parking lots that could provide shelter. The first I discounted because it was not steel reinforced and therefore most likely fail during a CAT5 impact. However one alongside the main hospital in Beaumont seemed perfect and it was only 200m away from the interstate which would be our escape route if Rita became CAT5 – I would not stay for that intensity! By now the weather was starting to deteriorate I recall feeling the first gust of wind, followed by rain - Rita had arrived. I quickly made up a meal as I knew that I would not be eating for some time, checked the video equipment and staring in nervous wonder at the beast that was heading in my direction.
Over the next hours as day turned to night and with every passing rainband both the winds and the rain started to increase and increase – Checking the laptop and downloading another satellite loop Rita looked to be CAT3 at landfall just to East of Port Author.
I went on top to take another weather reading – pressure now starting to fall and wind increasing. It was here that I was caught in the first real deluge and promptly got soaked – no point in trying to keep dry – I would be soaked all night anyway. I then saw the most bizarre sight! – out of nowhere a skate border flew right past me on the street, holding an umbrella out in front of him and being propelled along by the wind (Mary Poppins fashion!). Hurricanes always seem to bring out bizarre people – surfers and now skate boarders – The weather was not yet extreme and I guess that they were in no real danger providing that they had a car to go North soon.
 | | The winds pick up around Stuart |
A few hours passed, with the howling wind outside now becoming so strong that was becoming hard to stand up in. I knew that I would not be able to make many more trips outside when suddenly there was a bright flash on the horizon followed by a loud bang that sounded like a canon going off – the wind was starting to knock the power poles over.
Over the next two hours I must have heard 50 such bangs with one being quite close, even making my ears ring! – I saw a huge blinding flash and a fountain of sparks that shot up into the sky – when I got my vision back I could see the offending power pole with transformer lying in the street. It was not long after this that all the power failed (normally some emergency lights remain) and I was plunged into a inky blackness that was to last until dawn – on the horizon I could see flames leaping up into the sky (this was the main power distribution substation for Beaumont which had exploded) – other fires in the far distance seemed to becoming from the refineries at Port Author? Luckily the cell phone towers were still operating so I was able to keep in contact with people, even some friends from the UK! By now Rita was unleashing her full fury – the wind noise was incredible and you had to shout to be heard the rain was so painful as it hit you on open skin. A report from a friend told me that the eye has made land fall East of Port Arthur and that the western edge of the eye would pass over my location in Beaumont.
During the next hour the winds became so strong that the whole parking lot was trebling – nothing to worry about. I finally buried myself in a corner with my feet wedged against the curb as Rita reached her full fury – I was talking to someone on my mobile phone and I recall having to pull the hood of my jacket hard over and my head and shouting in order to be heard when it happened. Then the noise just suddenly stopped.
It took me a moment to realise what had happened – the rain had stopped the winds had fallen – and I was in the eye. I just stood up and carried on my conversation as normal – with no need to shout. However it was so dark – I could not see the buildings even across the road. The sky above was still cloudy. I took a pressure reading from the weather station – 947mb and savoured the moment of knowing exactly where I was – in the eye of the storm. From the south I could hear a sound like an approaching train. When suddenly it starting to rain and violent wind arrived – but this time from the other direction. I just had time to run to another opposite corner and wedge myself in. the next hour was very intense and very loud again but I knew that from this point forward the winds would decrease in strength. Once the winds had decayed down to gale force I drifted off into sleep. Dawn woke me up and I started to look out across Beaumont town – in the distance a fire raged and there was about a foot of standing water on the ground. Two hours later the water had all but gone and we drove out of our “home” to look at what remained of Beaumont.
We had to drive around fallen trees, downed power lines and a roofless building – the GPS helping us get around, as many roads were blocked. The looters were out early today but within three hours of daybreak police started to pour into the town from the North in order to regain order – we made our way down to Port Arthur but our way was blocked by power line. With the strong smell of gas in the air (from the refineries?) and our own supplies of petrol running low we started to thread out way back to Houston in order to try and get a flight out of the airport.
The further West we travelled the less severe the damage became. However there was no power – all electricity had failed. We made it back to Houston after a tricky journey with our fuel supplies almost all gone – however we were followed by another stormchaser who had 45 gallons of petrol so we would have been safe. By a complete stroke of luck we stumbled across a rundown hotel that allowed us to have a room overnight – with no running water, no power and no air conditioning, I curled up into a corner and snatched an hour of sleep.
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The following day I awoke - and what a change! The sky was blue, birds were singing and cars could be seen moving around. Sirens could be heard as convoys of emergency managements started to head west towards where we had come from. We gave all our remaining supplies to other people at the hotel and headed towards the airport. Houston Airport was not damaged and was slowly opening I caught my flight (which is where I am now) and have just drunk my first hot drink in four days. However I am lucky, my thoughts are with the residents of Texas and Louisiana whose lives will be changed forever by the impact of Rita. I actually feel selfish that I am returning to a normal life with all the comforts that come with it – indeed I will be sat at my desk at work tomorrow as if nothing had ever happened. Questions Was the trip a success? Yes and no – I was able to get into the eye of the Hurricane but it was dark so I was unable to shoot any video or take pictures.
 | | Some of the storm damage |
Was I safe? Yes, as safe as you can be – indeed I would say safer than skydiving. But, again, I am experienced and understand severe weather – I don't take risks. How do I feel getting my “kicks” while other lives are ruined? Intense Hurricanes will continue to make landfall in American, if I am there or not, much the same as tornados occur weather I am there or not.
I cannot control the weather – but by using my forecasting skills and by being able to show and share with people my severe weather experiences – I hope that people are better informed and therefore aware of the power of these storms. Was I scared? Yes! But that keeps you alert. Would I do it again – you bet! However for now I am back at work tomorrow…… | 
