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

[Steve0113]

ping

Check out the projected path.

[CedarDave]

Will there be another eruption? Probably.

When? Geologically soon.

Sometime in the next 50-100,000 years, I suspect. Your chances of being hit by one or more drunken drivers are infinitely more likely.

Now, back to Rita...

[Steve0113]

(in post #553)

[Dog Gone]

Local news is say cat 1 maybe 2.

That's just absurd. It may be Cat 2 by the time it hits Key West.

With nothing but hot water and no unfavorable winds after it enters the gulf, there's absolutely no reason to think it would hit the coast as a Cat 1 storm.

[Strategerist]

City Management in Galveston will call for evacuations very early (smart), lots and lots of people to get out. Local news is say cat 1 maybe 2.

That's truly odd, as NHC has landfall in Texas at Cat 3 and it very easily could be higher than that.

[hobson]

I lived at El Dorado Way when Alicia came through. I'd never do that again.

[jpsb]

Thanks for the link, my Bar manager just suggested we plan on having a hurricane party thrusday or friday, LOL, I told her I'd be closing the bar Thrusday day if Rita is still heading this way.

[Jaded]

Bill White. Used to be the head of the Texas Dems.

[CedarDave]

That's truly odd, as NHC has landfall in Texas at Cat 3 and it very easily could be higher than that.

Start at category 1 or 2, then up to Cat 3 to give recalcitrants an extra reason to get up and out?

[jpsb]

"That's truly odd"

My thoughts too, local Fox 26, usually very good on local weather.

[beckybea]

Hurricane Alicia formed in the Gulf of Mexico in August 1983. It quickly strengthened to a Category Three storm, and made landfall in Galveston, Texas on August 18. The storm moved northward, its eye passing over Houston. That city suffered millions of dollars in damage, including thousands of shattered glass panes from downtown skyscrapers. In the end, Alicia killed 22 people and caused $2 billion in damage ($3.4 billion in 2000 dollars).

Alicia was the first storm for which the National Hurricane Center issued landfall probabilities.

We live in Conroe, Texas, about 80 miles north of Galveston. We got tornados, wind and rain from Alicia. Were without power for 6 days. Alicia spawned over 20 reported tornados.

[NautiNurse]

Here are Coastal TX Evac Maps

[Jaded]

Just the really low lying areas. People still remember TS Allison, even though that was an anomaly.

It's been 23 years since a direct hit from a Hurricane. We're overdue.

[kingu]

Just filled up again today at $2.64/gallon.

*whimper* Best I could find was $2.79.

[Ditter]

I would like a weekend in the hill country but since we would have to stay a hotel the 3 dogs would be a problem. I wouldn't leave my best friends at the kennel to go through the storm alone. I guess we would have been one of those families who refused to evacuate NO because we wouldn't have left our dogs.

[Diddle E. Squat]

Thank you NautiNurse. jpsb and others along the TX coast, post #732 has evacuation maps.

[brothers4thID]

I tried the "no no no" tantrum earlier. It didn't work.

[Diddle E. Squat]

BTW, anyone know the best tape to use on windows?

Long story, but some of the windows on my property can't be easily boarded up.

[Marak]

This from Collier County EM

Naples

Closest Point of Approach 104 miles

Maximum Winds/Gusts Expected 50/62 mph

Est. Time for 39 mph winds arrival/depart
Tue-1400/Wed-0400

Est. Time for Maximum winds arrival
Tue/2000 hrs

Forecast Rainfall (3-day total)
3.25”

[LBelle]

none. it's a waste of time and tape and won't do any good.