Tropical Storm Rita Live Thread

NHC - NOAA ^ | 18 September 2005 | NHC - NOAA

[NautiNurse]

Tropical Storm Rita has developed from TD 18 in the Atlantic Ocean. TS Rita is currently located north of Hispaniola, the eastern tip of Cuba, and ESE of Nassau, Bahamas. Hurricane watches and warnings are in effect for portions of Florida. Check for local weather statements.

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
Forecast Models
Buoy Data SE Florida
Current Weather Warnings and Watches for Florida

Images:

Storm Floater IR Loop
Visible Storm Floater Still (only visible during daylight hours)
Color Enhanced Atlantic Loop
Florida Radar/Sat Loop Caution: Broadband users only!
Miami Long Range Radar Loop
Key West Long Range Radar Loop
Miami Experimental Radar Still Image
Key West Experimental Radar Still Image

Streaming Video: (coverage may be intermittent)
WFOR-TV/DT Miami (WMP) - http://dayport.wm.llnwd.net/dayport_0025_live"
WSVN-TV/DT Miami (WMP) - mms://216.242.118.141/broadband

Other Resources:

Florida East Coast Surf Reports Lots of great info here, including surf cams
Central Florida Hurricane Center
Hurricane City

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

[WhyisaTexasgirlinPA]

Hey stranger - Trust me, I'm watching!

[Orange1998]

Yup but they have two designated evacation routes out of galveston.

[RDTF]

No! Then then the looney left will argue that so many illegals came here this week for a reason and to give them permanent residency. (eyes rolling)

[Arrowhead1952]

All the models I've seen have it making a mid Tx coast landfall. I'd like to have something to break us out of the high temps. We are in the upper 90s today and expecting low 100s by Sep 21.

[Miztiki]

There's a Houston ping list? Please put me on it!

[Flyer]

"Safe" is relative. You could get many trees down, flash flooding, lose electricity, maybe a few shingles off the roof. . . but structures other than mobile homes are probably safe. Except from the tornadoes.

[WhyisaTexasgirlinPA]

Hope you are watching this -

[johnb838]

no.

[Arrowhead1952]

I am having serious FR withdrawal at work. I just log on from home now, but that is better than no FR at all.

[johnb838]

Oh no, we're not going to GO that way... we may need things. I guess we better plan on getting them from the north and west though.

[BigSkyFreeper]

I just heard on Fox that Mayor Nagin is getting ready to have a press conference...so MAYBE he is getting ready to tell the mayors in Texas how to handle evacuations for Hurricane Rita...

Comic relief!!

[SaveTheChief]

That's what I was thinking. Thanks.

[shield]

What happened to Ft. Bend County? I'm not in the surge area since I'm in far west harris county...on the Ft. Bend Line.

[1riot1ranger]

thanks for the ping. You can bet I'll watch this one from here in occupied Clear Lake City.

[No Blue States]

click on "storm surge" then click next 5 times to play a short flash movie showing the storm surge for Houston or Galveston:

http://www.chron.com/content/chronicle/special/05/hurricane/index.html

(my directions were not right on the previous post)

It looks like Galveston is almost submerged with a 20' surge.

[Alkhin]

Oh yeah! and they graded the area to lower levels as well...used to be much higher than it is now...

[bwteim]

Thanks for link.

The story dated February 2005 is interesting.

It was written in light of Fla's hurricanes, not Katrina.

Feb. 19, 2005, 10:06PM
Officials: Region lacks plan to help vulnerable survive
Residents with special needs would have few options to find a way out
By JOE STINEBAKER and RUTH RENDON
Copyright 2005 Houston Chronicle

http://www.chron.com/cs/CDA/ssistory.mpl/metropolitan/3046591

[johnb838]

I'd like to have something to break us out of the high temps.

Well, being up to your ass in muddy water would certainly do that, now wouldn't it. Have you been here long? Were you here for Allison? Flooding is bad enough, toss in 100mph+ winds and a storm surge backing up the ship channel and the bayous, and we'd have a rat nahce sitiation on our hands. I'll be out of here and I'm takin' my electronics with me.

[Dane]

Galveston evacuation routes

The links to the evacuation routes are in PDF.

[No Blue States]

Thanks, im glad someone read that.
I found it very interesting also.

Hopefully Rita will fizzle or go to Mexico.