Hurricane Rita Live Thread, Part V

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

[NautiNurse]

Extremely dangerous Category Four Hurricane Rita continues to move toward landfall along the northwest Gulf of Mexico shoreline. Mandatory and voluntary evacuations continue across Texas and Louisiana coastal areas. Lake Charles LA is providing evacuations by bus for residents who have no transportation.

Traffic gridlock in the greater Houston area was compounded by gasoline stations without fuel, long lines at those stations still carrying fuel, and record breaking temperatures on the first day of autumn.

Offshore drilling platforms and rigs, as well as oil refineries, petrochemical and natural gas plants are in the path of the storm. Wave heights recorded by buoy have exceeded 38 feet. The refineries threatened by Hurricane Rita are on higher ground than those affected by flooding from Katrina. As a result, speculation abounds regarding future prices for winter heating fuel and gasoline.

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
KPLC-TV Lake Charles KPLC Streaming
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 IV
Hurricane Rita Live Thread, Part III
Hurricane Rita Live Thread, Part II
Hurricane Rita Live Thread, Part I
Tropical Storm Rita
Tropical Depression 18

[jpsb]

I will be fine, I am back hme in San Leon and will open for business tomorrow, we were open today, one of the very very few. Then the glass goes we will do happy hour prices, then the roof goes dollar beers went the walls go it is serve your self on the honor system.

[AFPhys]

Today, on several talk radio shows, I heard testimonials from folks who did just that: stayed off the major roads, and easily got either west then north, or simply north on a minor road. These folks on the interstate are really acting like lemmings rather than thinking...

[DrewsMum]

and when they talk about people evacuating houston, they are including all the little suburbs,,,you have several suburbs that were under mandatory evac,,,,for example, in La Porte, we are only 3-4 miles from the water/bay,,,,you have to evacuate those little places,,,,so it's not so much just people from the "city"

[lainie]

That's what I was wondering, too. Even if I didn't know my way, I'd take back (more open) roads and keep heading inland. Doesn't matter where really.

Have they at least opened all the interstates to be outbound-only at this point? What's the state of the traffic? I'd think that people are running out of gas at this point.

[stocksthatgoup]

The Media now believes everyone should check in with them. Arrogance on parade.

[fishntex]

That is what I told him too.

[RoseyT]

"What happens if the Toad crosses the border?"

Ok, ya got me on that one...

[jeffers]

http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y138/jeffers_mz/02J.jpg

[Centurion2000]

It's never a *good* day to be a looter in TX, but it's just gotten a lot worse. See the Texas code on "civil unrest" and "state of emergency".

You mean the ROE against criminals gets even easier?

[johnb838]

I know what you mean, but, and this may surprise some people, I think we're a pretty darned friendly city.

[conservative in nyc]

Maps of Contraflow Areas.

These are not in Houston proper and you won't see them on these cameras:

I-45 - FM-1488 to Fairfield, TX:



I-10 - TX 6 to Seguin, TX:



U.S. 96 - Evadale, TX to Jasper, TX



U.S. 69 - Lumberton, TX to Woodville, TX & Zavalla, TX to Huntington, TX:

[Rte66]

Hmm, nope--Doctor Neil Frank used to, too. I googled Dungan and he's been at WFAA since 1976, long after my time in Dallas, but he did some time in Houston before that, so that's probably where I saw him. He's a Baylor boy, thus the bow tie.

[Zacs Mom]

I'm signing off for the night, too. I'm beat and think I'll go see if I can catch up on some of the sleep I missed these past 2 days.

G'night, all ~ stay safe and stay sane.

Prayers for us all!

[RoseofTexas]

This is off subject, but related to the MEDIAWHORES, I'm listening to Bill O'Reilly debating that WHORE Donahue...WHAT A FREAKIN disgrace!! I hate to say BILLY got his butt whipped by that liberal asshole!! These arsenate rats are going to bring a civil war upon this country...AND I'LL BE IN THE FRONT LINES!!

[Txsleuth]

LOL---

I didn't even think about stocking up on THAT!!

[AggieMom x 3]

I'm sure it's a little of both. Folks just feel nervous, especially with 2 to 38 inches of rain over our heads!!

[publana]

Was Troy Dungan an Oklahoma met at one time? His name sounds so familiar. Or maybe here in Houston?

He's been in Dallas for close to 30 years. I don't know where he was prior. Everybody gets a kick out of him... reason he's still around I think.

[BurbankKarl]

already burglarizing the town...geez

[CindyDawg]

Very friendly (off the freeway:')

[Rte66]

You're in San Leon? Well, I guess I can find some Magic Marker remover for my new SS# tattoo, all the way "up here."