Hurricane Rita Live Thread

NHC - NOAA ^ | 20 September 2005 | NHC - NOAA

[NautiNurse]

Hurricane Rita is in the Florida Straits, impacting the Florida Keys and South Florida Peninsula. Hurricane watches and warnings are in effect for numerous portions of South Florida. Check local weather statements for updates.

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 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
Extra Large Miami Radar Broadband only
Extra Large Key West Radar Broadband 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)

WTVJ-TV/DT Miami (NBC6)
WFOR-TV/DT Miami (CBS 4)
WSVN-TV/DT Miami (Fox)

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

Previous Threads:
Tropical Storm Rita
Tropical Depression 18

[Michael Goldsberry]

"I'm just a couple of miles or so east of you down W. Airport. I'll be here."

Small world, huh? I'll be just a few miles West of The Meadows.

:)

[Sprite518]

I am not in Texas.. I am in Atlanta....

[onyx]

WOW. Thanks for the links.

[RDTF]

Leapfrog I am hearing Glenn Campbell singing 'Glaveston, oh Galveston' over and over in my head. Stay safe.

[samantha]

He has a way with words and he does not let anyone push him around. I like his stuck on stupid, and his "Over" which he uses to signal them when they can talk. He treats them like the babies they are. I also like his "that's bullshit" to the media. He does not need to change his lines, some of his better lines would have to be censored for TV.

[Sally'sConcerns]

Hurricane Carla was September, 1961. I lived in SW Houston and my Dad boarded/taped the windows as needed. We lost power for a short time and ended up losing a small tree in the front yard.

I was young enough I thought it was great fun and I remember playing with my Barbie doll in the dark den.

Here's a link about Carla:

http://www.srh.noaa.gov/crp/docs/research/hurrhistory/Carla/carla.html

[Dog]

Where is Freeport TX?

[Frank_Discussion]

"I live off of Sawdust..."

In The Woodlands? So did I, a couple of decades ago.

[texas_brewer]

I was without power for 2 weeks when Alicia hit, living in Spring. No fun but thankful to be ok. If this thing comes at us as a Cat4-5 I may head to Memphis or at least send the family. Might have to stay with the pets. What can I do with 3 cats and 2 Great Pyrenees?!

[txhurl]

We lost power in the Woodlands for a week with Alicia. 'Course, that was 24 years ago.

[Flyer]

I'll be just a few miles West of The Meadows.

And you are also within spittin' distance of Eaker.

Spit on him at your own risk.

[Michael Goldsberry]

"Any thoughts?"

Rayford/Sawdust - Did you get flooded the last time they opened the flood gates on Lake Conroe during a storm, like most others up there? When was that... '93? Something like that.

[txhurl]

Did you go to McCullough?

[nwctwx]

GFS is reasonable, but the ensembles (GFS, ECMWF, NOGAPS) are mostly against its solution of much northerly turn before landfall. I think somewhere just south of Galveston might be the target at this point.

BTW: Where is Port Austin?

[epaul]

"I just stocked up on white wine - and I'm in DC! Seems like I'm gonna need it over the next few days watching this nerve racking thing."

ROFL,, I'm in SW Oklahoma and have a real bad urge to stock up. Already got the gas, was thinking about cleaning out the sediment in the bottom of my hot water, needing more canned goods ect. ha, ha

[Frank_Discussion]

Aye. Class of '87.

[don-o]

970mb now

I think your 150 at landfall is looking, unfortunately, likely.

[Michael Goldsberry]

Thanks, but I'm getting the heck outta here tomorrow night. I'll be in Sugar Land.

[Frank_Discussion]

As good a time as any to try the "nuke-the-hurricane" theory...

:(

[SaveTheChief]

Wow. Sounds like you have quite a zoo there at home. If the animals get nervous during storms, you could have quite an adventure.