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News >Storm Central
SAM HOUSTON EC IS STEADY THROUGH THE STORM
 From
the Piney Woods in the east to Lake Conroe in the west; from
the Angelina Forest up north to the grassy plains down south;
and all the gentle rolling hills in between, the area we call
home has a little something for everyone. Truly our part of
Texas is blessed with an abundance of natural beauty and good
folks, which we enjoy year round in our temperate climate.
However, there are times when Mother Nature can take a turn
for the worse. Thunderstorms, ice storms, tornadoes, hurricanes,
flash floods, tropical storms and other natural catastrophes
can not only knock out electrical service; they can also put
life and property in peril.
No matter how severe the storm, you can rest assured that
Sam Houston Electric Cooperative won't leave you in the dark
during these trying times. Not only are our 160 employees
working hard to ensure your power is restored in a timely
manner, we are committed to providing you up-to-date information
during outage situations.
When your lights go out - so do we. Twenty-four hours a day,
365 days a year, Sam Houston Electric Cooperative is here
to serve you.
2008 HURRICANE SEASON
Experts predict the 2008
hurricane season will be above average. As of April 9,
Philip J. Klotzbach and William M. "Bill" Gray,
Ph. D, head of the Tropical Meteorology Project at Colorado
State University's Department of Atmospheric Sciences, predict
there will 15 named storms, eight hurricanes and four intense
(above Category 3) hurricanes. Klotzbach and Gray project
the probability of the Gulf Coast (Florida Panhandle to Brownsville,
Texas) being hit by a hurricane this year at 44 percent. This
is higher than the historical average
Compared to the
historic 2005 hurricane season - 2007 was relatively calm
with only Hurricane Humberto making landfall near High Island
Sept. 13, just southeast of Sam Houston EC's service area.
In 2005:
- A record twenty-eight tropical and subtropical
storms formed
- Fifteen became hurricanes, also a record
- Seven strengthened into major hurricanes
- A record-tying five became Category 4
hurricanes
- A record four reached Category 5 strength
- Of the major hurricanes, Dennis, Emily,
Katrina, Rita and Wilma made a combined 12 landfalls, caused
over $1 billion in damage and more than 2,000 deaths.
- Hurricane Wilma proved to be the most
intense storm ever recorded in the Atlantic basin while
Katrina is the costliest hurricane in U.S. history.
In 2007, there were 15 named storms, six
hurricanes and one hurricane (Humberto) that made a U.S. landfall,
which is slightly below the average tropical cyclonic activity
from 1950-2000.
As Humberto began to develop off the Texas coast, Sam Houston
EC applied the lessons learned from our experience with Hurricane
Rita. Fortunately, our area was spared from most of the damage
this storm wrought.
We have contracts with crews and suppliers ready to assist should
another disaster occur. We've strengthened ties with local,
state and national government officials in order to provide
accurate restoration information. And the family of cooperatives
around the country is stronger than ever and ready to respond.
As the old saying goes, we're hoping for the best and preparing
for the worst. Rest assured, should a hurricane affect our service
territory, Sam Houston Electric Cooperative will do everything
possible to ensure a timely restoration.
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