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

[rodguy911]

Hi Peach,
The storm is almost due South of us now it's heading at a weird angle towards Key West. The angle keeps a lot of the action away from us here in Islamorada. I would say we have sustained winds of 40-60 right now with some bigger gusts, off and on rain, high tide at noon could coincide with some minor flooding, we will see. I parked my car on higher ground(11 feet, a mountain here). By tomorrow this thing will be a memory for us.
The local feed on channel 6 is showng the Islander Motel now MM82 right on the ocean. Guess what it is a storm and it is raining lol. GLad to have this thread. NN and sleuth are to be congratulated for their hard work.

[CindyDawg]

Yeah. I'm watching this one really close. I'm stocked up. Today, I'm trying to figure out what to do with my two horses. I'm looking for a temp stable. If I'm gonna get them out, I need to do it tomorrow so I won't be worrying about them if I have other stuff that needs doing this weekend.

[kassie]

The local news were doing interviews last night. The people from LA were screaming and yelling. They were MAD about having to leave the Houston area. A lot of these people had NO plans on EVER going back to LA.

I am sure there are people who are thankful someone is looking out for their welfare. And I'm sure there are people who are trying to fit in here, in the Houston area.

But my daughter says the new children at her daughter's school are causing trouble in the classrooms. Post Traumatic Stress Syndrome??? Or just children who were allowed to act anyway they wanted in the past?

But back to the evacuation of the evacuees, Reliant was never intended to be used for evacuation purposes. Too much glass.

[NautiNurse]

Thanks for checking in. Good to see you are still online.

Stay safe...

[WhyisaTexasgirlinPA]

My daughter might not have to get a job at all - she can lease out her couch in Lubbock!

[TXBSAFH]

We can cancel these reservations as late as Thursday night, but we are prepared. In fact my dad, he is retired is getting plywood this morning and we will start boarding up tomorrow.

[LBelle]

I concur with Rodguy's report. We are also in Islamorada, bayside on higher ground and so far so good. Lights have blinked twice. There does seem to be some strange angle to the path that has benefitted us so far. Let's hope it lasts.

The media are desperately trying to make this storm a hurricane when it passes thru. The last advisory has them wailing and gnashing their teeth in despair that it's still a strong TS.

[Peach]

Hi, Rod. You be careful. I know sometimes we make too much of these storms, but they often spark tornadoes and having lived through one of those in Connecticut (of all places) in the 70's, you can't be too careful.

[rodguy911]

Sure,no problem. the eye is over one of the greatest fishing spots in the area the Cay Sal Bank. Just checked the local buoys. Mollasses Reef is about 65 miles due north of the eye, it is reporting 44 knot sustained winds with gusts to 54 and the barometer is dropping fast at 29.63 as of 8am Eastern.
Sombrero reef light off Marathon basically, not much further from the eye due to the angle, shows 36 knots with gusts to 44, baro of 29.66 and 85 degree water.
No one is mentioning the 15 mph forward speed of this thing. That is the whole ball game. It is cranking and will prevent lots of damage for the Upper Keys. No telling about the lower keys however.

[NautiNurse]

Good to know you are safe. Thanks for checking in.

Recon pressure 985mb.

[Peach]

Hmmm. Good points. Stress brings out the best and worst in people and, imo, it generally portrays the real person.

[rodguy911]

Mainstreamers are like fish out of water without a tragedy on their hands. Glad to hear you are all right. Bayside always the place to be.

[NautiNurse]

We'll take a fast moving storm any day over a pokey one. Great local info - thanks.

[RDTF]

My sympathies to you - the Redskins actually won last night and I am sure that the Cowboys thought they had it in the bag. I am here in the DC area and just can't get behind this group of players that can't act like a team. It's sad.

[rodguy911]

Thanks Peach will do, and you are absolutely right, tornadoes or water spouts are always a huge concern.

[rodguy911]

Sure, no problem, you are the one doing all the work, have you gotten any sleep at all?

[mhking]

Good morning (I'm headed out the door to go vote and go to work, so I'll be out of pocket most of the day):

Bryan Norcross at WFOR just came on and said that Rita is now officially a CAT 1 hurricane; the new update will show such at 11A.

[RDTF]

http://www.nhc.noaa.gov/text/refresh/MIATCUAT3+shtml/DDHHMM.shtml

ZCZC MIATCUAT3 ALL
TTAA00 KNHC DDHHMM
HURRICANE RITA TROPICAL CYCLONE UPDATE
NWS TPC/NATIONAL HURRICANE CENTER MIAMI FL
915 AM EDT TUE SEP 20 2005

DOPPLER RADAR DATA...SATELLITE PRESENTATION AND PRESSURE FALLS FROM
THE RECONNAISSANCE AIRCRAFT INDICATE THAT RITA HAS REACHED CATEGORY
ONE HURRICANE STRENGTH ON THE SAFFIR/SIMPSON HURRICANE SCALE. THIS
WILL BE REFLECTED ON THE 11 AM...1500Z ADVISORY.

FORECASTER AVILA

[NautiNurse]

LOL - yes, I slept during the night...did you?

[SE Mom]

NHC now officially has it as Hurricane Rita

http://www.nhc.noaa.gov/