Re: hurricanes (minimal Alfa content)

[BHIGGINS2@xxxxxxx]

It is true that the eye of the storm is usually small and what ever it passes
over suffers the worst wind damage.  However, the "periphery" of the storm can
be quite different and damaging depending on where you are in relation to the
center.  On the Gulf coast if you are East of the eye - you are on the "wet"
side of the storm.  If you are West of the eye - you are on the "dry" side of
the storm.

Tropical storm Frances was 100 miles Southwest of Galveston a month ago.  We
were on the wet side of the storm.  Although wind gusts lashed at near
hurricane strength it was the rain and storm surge that did the damage.  We
had in excess of 15" of rain and a storm surge of 7'  My garage is 5' above
sea level (do the math!) - all my 17" jackstands are being replaced with 24"
ones.  Galveston suffered worse flooding and storm surge damage than the
direct hit of Hurricane Alicia in 1983.

I learned:  You can't have tall enough jackstands, Alfa brakes and saltwater
do not mix, cars with rubber mats are much easier to hose out, and those
pretty aluminum tire valve stem caps with the Alfa logo weld onto the valve
stem when bathed in saltwater :(

Ben
Galveston, Texas

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