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

[mathluv]

I am waiting for someone to answer you. I know the area is low, but I am not aware of any place below sea level, or of any levees.

[WoodstockCat]

yep..our pool became the neighborhood bath for five days during Fredric outside Hattiesburg..I remeber the pine straw stuck everywhere also..

[Syntyr]

"I would rent out a UHAUL truck tomorrow if I was on the fence about evacuating. Start putting stuff in it and then move on Thursday once they are more sure of where it is going to hit - that is if I wasn't right on the coast. If I was right on the Coast I would be out.

Looters are going to be out en masse."

Uhaul trucks all gone already. Looters = target pratice

[Howlin]

On Fox, the guy is saying that "New Orleans, you're BARELY out of the cone."

I swear, I think they WANT NO to get hit again.

Never mind the rest of you all.

[onyx]

No, but I will. The generator is still in its packing crate/box. I hope not to need it unless we get ice storms this winter.

Winter? It is still 89 degrees outside as I type this.

[CindyDawg]

Even that won't get it off. Trust me.

[Howlin]

That'll take the tape marks off anything.

[onyx]

He has his books and lantern. The TV is mine. Trust me on this...lol.

[Sans-Culotte]

The Sam's on W Airport was out of water, as was Gerland's down the SW Freeway. Basically, if you approach a store and see people leaving empty-handed, there's no water to be had.

I got 3 quarts and 4 pints @ Walgreen's, buit that was it. The wife is going to try several places in the morning while I'm @ work. I got to Carter's Country after it closed, so I'll have to pick up extra ammo tomorrow as well, if they are not sold out...

[Robert A Cook PE]

Simplest: Duck. Hope your goose isn't cooked. Fly south fer the winter.

But be a chicken, and play it safer.

Most practical: Remove blades.

Most safe: remove fan.

[Howlin]

Did I see you say "NO?"

You should have lied to me, friend. :-)

[Knitting A Conundrum]

Found this about elevation in Houston:

TOPOGRAPHY: Houston lies largely in the northern portion of the Gulf coastal plain, a 40- to 50-mile-wide swath along the Texas Gulf Coast. Typically, elevation rises approximately one foot per mile inland.

Northern and eastern portions of the area are largely forested; southern and western portions are predominantly prairie grassland; coastal areas are prairie and sand.

Surface water in the Houston region consists of lakes, rivers, and an extensive system of bayous and manmade canals that are part of the rainwater runoff management system. Some 25%-30% of Harris County lies within the 100-year flood plain. Elevation ranges (a.s.l.): Brazoria 0'-146', Chambers 0'-85', Fort Bend 12'-158', Galveston 0'-43', Harris 0'-310', Liberty 0'-269', Montgomery 43'-435', Waller 80'-357'.
____________________________

Note nearly 1/3 of Harris County is in the 100 year flood plain of Buffalo Bayou and other streams in and around the city. The southern part of the city has long been flood prone.

If the storm drops enough rain and there is enough storm surge to keep it backed up, it's quite possible to have some nasty street flooding. Went through several of them in Pearland...the guy accross the street from me had to change his rugs 3 times in the five years I was there...and that was just in a hole..we weren't in the flood plain.

[Howlin]

Are you kidding?

[DrewsMum]

We bought one of those black and decker storm stations at wal-mart yesterday,,,only thing is,,,it doesn't mention how long the charge holds are how to replace the batter (lead-acid) anyone know anything about these???

[Robert A Cook PE]

Er. Fill your bathtub with water.

[silentknight]

Cat 3 tonight...geesh

[Howlin]

Look what I just found:

http://www.pricegrabber.com/search_getprod.php/masterid=2501061/search=coleman+radio/skd=1

I'm going to have to have one of those!

[Dog Gone]

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.

It's already happening right now without any storm damage. Six calls dropped while trying to connect with my son in College Station. There never has been a problem before.

[Budge]

I have to hit the sack. Being from Galveston, but now living in Pine Bluff, AR, I do have room for several evacuees. Pets welcome!

FReep-mail if interested.

[GummyIII]

This article says:

While many of Texas coastal communities are built on low elevations, none is below sea level.