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

[Gabz]

That's BAD! But typical.

Yes, and one of the reasons I am seriously contemplating going back into local radio.........

[samantha]

great that is good info, Please all you people that are evacuating, make it at least 200 miles away. I am in Central Florida, and we are getting squalls from Rita again,just knocked out the Satellite. we are not within 300 miles of Rita and she is messing us up here heading away from us.

[SouthTexas]

We are planning a BIG BBQ if power stays out for very long (that's even if I do get the generator running).

We are ready with only minor things to do like board up and pick up a couple of chairs in the yard.

[Jaded]

Tonight, when I was at the W-Store, there were some rather large military planes flying in to Ellington. There was also a truck convoy of some sort heading North on 45 from Beltway 8 on the Southside around 5:30. Probably coming from Ellington. There is a whole lot of activity in and out of there.

[raygun]

Woops, I meant Port Aurthur.

[sinkspur]

Here's a link to hotel rooms available in Fort Worth, beginning Thursday night, Sept. 22.

[markman46]

What Boob Kerry is.. I saw a hacked bumber sticker today on my way home from work that said "Kerry was better" I almost hit the car infront of me for LOL, stay safe on yor trip.

[Howlin]

Bump to that.

[Txsleuth]

It kinda gives me the feeling that if Galveston AND Houston were wiped off the face of the earth...

All of the media would be saying, "WHEW---Rita didn't get NO!"

[weef]

"I heard" is not appropriate on this thread.

Sorry - Dan Patrick's show today on KSEV 700.

[CindyDawg]

Yeah, like I said I don't ever anticipate flooding like that but I read about so many stories about people trapped in their attics as I was thinking that you should never go any place you can't get out of. I was talking to a lady awhile back who did go thru a flood like that in south Texas many years ago that almost died. If you are going up grab a hammer or something. A door out would be even better IMO. There might be roofing problems that would not allow this to work though. I dono. Something to think about.

[NautiNurse]

Plylox Clips were all the rage around here last year.

[SE Mom]

The high-pressure won't be moving down...Rita will force it up- it depends on how soon that starts as to whether she goes, say, further west - to Corpus Christi or even Mexico..or..alternately- further north to western and central LA. Or- toward Galveston. Make sense? LOL! No?

We have no shear- we have warm water..we have high-topped clouds and ventilation. We have a potential mess.

[SouthTexas]

We do need more "intelligent" people in radio. I think TV is a lost cause.

[Figment]

"I worry most about the trees. We have lots of TALL Magnolias and Pines surrounding us"


Magnolias are incredibly strong and weather storms well. Pines bend well if they're not too large. Have had experience with both types in 2 tornadoes since 99

[Milly]

Mine also and I'm an Aggie Mama also. We probably have seen each other at Mass.

[Prolifeconservative]

FWIW......all evacuating Texans get ready for cell-phone hell. They aren't going to work very well, the circuits get jammed, etc. You may or may not get calls, you may or may not be able to communicate with loved ones for days, calls will be dropped, you name it. The only sure way of communicating will be text messaging, that will hold up. Make sure your friends and family have the telephone numbers to the areas you are evacuating to.

[DrewsMum]

I saw one of those big planes,,,it was freaky, that dude was huge and i was wondering what kind it was,,,assumed it was going to ellington

[Txsleuth]

I am tired of it....and I bet the people in Mississippi and Alabama were tired of it after the first couple of days...right onyx???

[RDTF]

I never let anyone merge in front of me if they have a Kerry sticker. I love to piss them off by making them break :)