Hydragraphy

A common complaint by homeowners is that water entered their houses. Water saturated everything even though windows were not broken and only a few shingles may have been damaged by the wind. How was this possible?

The study of water movement over roofs is a little known engineering discipline called Hydragraphy. Much of the work in this field, actually most of it, was completed by Leonardo di Vinci in 1494. Students, both of them, are typically referred to as "drags", are both Republicans, and are generally considered bores by their peers. The science of Hydragraphy can help explain this phenomena.

The water droplet shown at the left may look harmless but let me assure you that it is not. The winds that hit Lake Charles measured around 135 mph. At this wind velocity, rain also travels at 135 mph or more impressively - at around 200 feet/second. At this speed, water does run uphill. Up a roof, under the shingles, up under the flashing and lapped roofing felt, through the plywood decking to drip throughout the house below. It would literally rain inside a house.

And interesting, since the water is vaporized at such speeds, water hitting human skin is actually absorbed. This explains the large number of large people in Lake Charles. Water weight.

And although not as fast as a speeding bullet, a water droplet traveling at 200 feet/second would hurt a lot, probably knock the breath out of a Black-footed Ferrit and damn sure kill a Chickadee.