Hurricane Rita Live Thread, Part IV

NHC - NOAA ^ | 22 September 2005 | NHC - NOAA

[NautiNurse]

Extremely dangerous Category 5 Hurricane Rita continues to threaten the Greater Houston Metropolitan area. The forecast track has shifted slightly to the northeast, increasing the risk to Southwest Louisiana, and a significant portion of the oil and gas operations in the Gulf of Mexico. Texas Governor Perry is urging all coastal residents between Beaumont and Corpus Christi to evacuate as soon as possible.

The following links are self-updating:

Public Advisory Currently published every 3 hours 5A, 8A, 11A, 2P, etc. ET
NHC Discussion Published every six hours 6A, 11A, 6P, 11P
Three Day Forecast Track
Five Day Forecast Track

Rita Forecast Track Archive
Forecast Models
Buoy Data Western Gulf of Mexico
Houston/Galveston/Beaumont/Lake Charles Wx Watches/Warnings
Current Weather Warnings and Watches for Texas
Current Weather Warnings and Watches for Louisiana
Hi Res Houston Flood Zone Map Slow load, great detail

Images:

Storm Floater IR Loop
GOM WV Loop
GOM IR Still Image
Visible Storm Floater Still (only visible during daylight hours)
Color Enhanced Atlantic Loop

Streaming Video: (coverage may be intermittent)

KPRC-TV/DT Houston - KPRC-TV/DT Houston - http://mfile.akamai.com/12944/live/reflector:38616.asx
KHOU-TV/DT Houston: mms://beloint.wm.llnwd.net/beloint_khou
WWLTV NOLA

Additional Resources:

FReeper Sign In Thread Check in to let us know whether you are staying, going, and when you get there
FReepers Offering Lodging To Rita Evacuees People and/or Pet Friendly FReepers Offering Shelter
Coastal TX Evacuation Maps
Beaumont TX evac Routes
Lake Charles/Southwest LA Evacuation Map
KHOU Houston
KTRK ABC News Houston
KPLC Lake Charles Evac Routes, news
KFDM Beaumont/Port Arthur News, evac info
Hurricane City
Wxnation Houston
Galveston Webcams
Golden Triangle Weather Page Provides Galveston Weather, Warnings, Radar, etc.

Category	Wind Speed	Barometric Pressure	Storm Surge	Damage Potential
Tropical Depression	< 39 mph < 34 kts			Minimal
Tropical Storm	39 - 73 mph 34 - 63 kts			Minimal
Hurricane 1 (Weak)	74 - 95 mph 64 - 82 kts	28.94" or more 980.02 mb or more	4.0' - 5.0' 1.2 m - 1.5 m	Minimal damage to vegetation
Hurricane 2 (Moderate)	96 - 110 mph 83 - 95 kts	28.50" - 28.93" 965.12 mb - 979.68 mb	6.0' - 8.0' 1.8 m - 2.4 m	Moderate damage to houses
Hurricane 3 (Strong)	111 - 130 mph 96 - 112 kts	27.91" - 28.49" 945.14 mb - 964.78 mb	9.0' - 12.0' 2.7 m - 3.7 m	Extensive damage to small buildings
Hurricane 4 (Very strong)	131 - 155 mph 113 - 135 kts	27.17" - 27.90" 920.08 mb - 944.80 mb	13.0' - 18.0' 3.9 m - 5.5 m	Extreme structural damage
Hurricane 5 (Devastating)	Greater than 155 mph Greater than 135 kts	Less than 27.17" Less than 920.08 mb	Greater than 18.0' Greater than 5.5m	Catastrophic building failures possible

Previous Threads:
Hurricane Rita Live Thread, Part III
Hurricane Rita Live Thread, Part II
Hurricane Rita Live Thread, Part I
Tropical Storm Rita
Tropical Depression 18

[Blogger]

http://maps.wunderground.com/data/images/at200518_model.gif

Who is the organization whose computer model shows this thing hitting the Texas Louisiana border?

[dirtboy]

Do you have a link for the latest models?

[CajunConservative]

I'm checking in to let you know that Calcasieu Parish south of I-10 is under mandatory evacuation. I live south of I10 so will be bugging out to Lafayette to my sister's house and if this witch keeps going east will go north on I49.

[padfoot_lover]

I'm a little north of Spring, they're not in a mandatory evacuation zone at all.

[JFC]

http://www.950kprc.com/audio.html good sorce for those of us who are not in Houston area to listen to on line.....


Best of luck to you fellow Texans.... no rain, no water and lots of room on the roads out here in West Texas.

[Knitting A Conundrum]

Here's a link to a pic of water vapor. Dry stuff is in orange:
http://www.easternuswx.com/bb/uploads/post-2603-1127398463.jpg

The air to the west of the storm is drier today. I am praying that Rita peaked yesterday, and the drier air and the eyewall cycling will weaken her...

[janetjanet998]

yes.. a hit 15 miles east would be much better then a hit even 30-40 miles west...

[Strategerist]

Right now basically all the useful models have landfalls from Galveston to the LA/TX border.

Both NOGAPS (Navy) and the UKMET (British) models have the LA/TX border landfall at the moment.

[Knitting A Conundrum]

Thanks for the link. Back when I lived there, I used to listen to that station a lot...

[ContemptofCourt]

For reference, Bouy 42001 is approximately 82 NM WNW of the 5am center of Rita.

[abb]

Mayor of Lake Charles live on Moon Griffon's radio show now.

[kassie]

Yes, we're moving the missiles in right now. All of our neighbors are staying too.

We live on a cul-de-sac. All our neighbors are staying too. That makes it nicer. We won't feel so isolated.

[OXENinFLA]

I was just looking at the latest loop.

Is Rita getting smaller?

[Blogger]

Is the track the eye, meaning anything to the East of the eye gets hit strongest? If so, NOLA May have some problems.

[truthandlife]

The air to the west of the storm is drier today. I am praying that Rita peaked yesterday, and the drier air and the eyewall cycling will weaken her...

That is what is so strange right now in Houston. I have lived in Houston most of my life and have never felt heat like this in September with very low humidity. My own prediction is once this thing starts to get close to land, the dry air will suck the energy out of this thing. I think it will be a true miracle of God.

[kimmie7]

smart gal

[Double Tap]

I'm in Spring. We are 70 miles as the crow flies Northwest of Galveston. We are not in any evacuation zone.

[Blogger]

Are you getting out, friend?

[texianyankee]

Now I'm hearing that the best models are showing Galveston Island being the highest chance of getting hit.

This is from the ABC affiliate out of Houston.

[Strategerist]

NOLA is a heck of a long way from the TX/LA border.