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

[numberonepal]

326
URNT12 KNHC 210225
VORTEX DATA MESSAGE
A. 21/02:04:50Z
B. 24 deg 02 min N
083 deg 04 min W
C. 700 mb 2789 m
D. NA kt
E. deg nm
F. 056 deg 097 kt
G. 325 deg 026 nm
H. 965 mb
I. 11 C/ 3050 m
J. 15 C/ 3047 m
K. 10 C/ NA
L. CLOSED WALL
M. C28
N. 12345/ 7
O. 0.02 / 2 nm
P. AF302 1218A RITA OB 24
MAX FL WIND 103 KT NE QUAD 00:19:40 Z
MAX FL TEMP 16 C, 335 / 11NM

[onyx]

Where did Jim go? He found us, checked in and cut out...lol.

[Gabz]

Not looking good.

[toldyou]

Thanks!

[dawn53]

Yeah, true, that's one of the ways to tell a Floridian, if they keep extra sheets of plywood around, just in case

Ain't it the truth. My husband was doing a project and bought two pieces of plywood that he didn't need. He said he was thinking of taking them back to Lowe's and getting a refund and I told him, just put them in the workshop, because you just never know, and although we have precut wood, what if we need more, LOL!

[A Citizen Reporter]

You're right. It was out because of a storm, and my power was out for about 4 hours. A little bit south of me power was out for 3 days. I just had a feeling that the power might be out for a long time, and I ran out to RS to get a battery operated TV.

[onyx]

What does "closed wall" mean?

[Howlin]

I go nuts without "contact" with the outside world.

[SouthTexas]

I was about to continue until I read the last line.LOL

I am going to stop for the evening.

Just received a note from a friend in Alabama concerned about our well being. Obviously not one of those crying for a check.

Thanks to all for the prayers.

[Dog Gone]

BREAKING- Cat 3 PER NBC

Wonderful. A tropical storm when I got up to work this morning and now a Cat 3. How much more of this good news can I stand?

[SaveTheChief]

Newest track shows it landing a bit more toward Houston than the last. Still appears to be Matagorda County, or perhaps Brazoria. This isn't looking good.

[hobson]

I don't believe there are any parts below sea level. We have lots of bayous that flood. There's a flood simulation at this link: http://www.chron.com/content/chronicle/special/05/hurricane/index.html

[Howlin]

I'm going to HAVE to have one.

We have no power supply when the power goes off.

[Robert A Cook PE]

I believe a "closed wall" is a well-defined, singular "eye": a loosely defined eye means storms winds at the eye are lower intensity.

[Howlin]

http://www.incentivemag.com/incentive/headlines/article_display.jsp?vnu_content_id=1001012143

[dawn53]

They are cumbersome, and make a lot of noise too. Ours is on wheels, so it wheels around pretty easily, but we have a separate workshop in our backyard and that's where we keep it. My husband won't keep it in the garage because it takes up so much space.

[Gabz]

I had forgotten about goo gone until this spring :).......and I had forgotten about the tape residue on the door because we never use it, except when the weather gets nice and I finally go and open it......*sigh*......Martha Stewart I am not.

[onyx]

Me too. Please try to find one on line. Like I said, I am in the ordering mood.

[Types_with_Fist]

How much more of this good news can I stand?

Is that something? I was talking about this this morning when Rita was a TS. They expected it to intensify overnight but it didn't. Today, however, it has progressed faster than Katrina did.

[TeleStraightShooter]

Note the drop in pressure