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

[Red Badger]

LQQK OUT TEXAS!.......

[BureaucratusMaximus]

This sucker is pretty big.

http://www.usawx.com/1230pmeasrternritasept20thy.jpg

[Zechariah_8_13]

I guess it's just a matter of wait and see for now.

Will Austin feel any effects? I assumed it was too far inland to get anything but heavy rain.

[shield]

NHC is getting better and better. Don't count on a N Mexico hit...now if and when NOAA does the balloon thing with this storm as with Katrina (once they did this all models shifted dramatically) don't have a clue if and when this will happen...if it does they'll have her hit pinpointed.

Wednesday or even tonight if she speeds up will gives us an almost complete picture.

[Sam Cree]

Well, all I can say is that I was very glad Andrew was moving at the speed it was, when it passed through here. Although I suppose that did add 20 mph to the wind speed on the north side.

[No Blue States]

"Will Austin feel any effects? I assumed it was too far inland to get anything but heavy rain."

Flooding and tornadoes would be my bet.

[NautiNurse]

FOX reporting Galveston mayor says evac tomorrow if forecast continues to threaten the island. Says take one bag, and three months of medications. eeeesh...usually, it's three weeks. Wondering whether this is a typo.

[rodguy911]

Tide came to within "30 inches" of my garage, we have planks of the neighborhood dock in my driveway and all over the road, it was real close!

[WhyisaTexasgirlinPA]

Ya wanna go to Lubbock and watch Tech play this weekend? With the Mrs. of course......... (no rumors needed here!)

[NautiNurse]

it was real close!

Sounds like your water is receding now. Good news.

[rodguy911]

Exactly, and that's the difference between a one and a five, a whole other world.

[WoodstockCat]

If it's a Cat 3, Austin will get 50+ mph gusts and get the bands breaking apart which spawns tornadoes.
I'm a bit concerned, my wife is flying into Austin on Thursday to see her sister's new baby and has a Sunday flight out, I'm looking for an earlier flight out of Austin right now.

[Xenalyte]

Think that's far in enough? I'm in west Houston, near I-10 and the Beltway, and I'm getting nervous.

[Sam Cree]

So the waters are beginning to recede, I hope?

[WhyisaTexasgirlinPA]

Glad you are safe.......

[No Blue States]

Im glad the conditions seem to have improved for you.
It sounds like you barely dodged a bullet.
So the water is dropping now at your area of Key West?

[Gabz]

Wondering whether this is a typo.

I heard the same thing and wondered the same thing.

[NautiNurse]

Pressure 979mb

[abb]

Amazing you still have power and communications. Glad you're ok, tho...

[dirtboy]

Gee, Andrew had a fast forward speed too.

Andrew couldn't make up its mind as to whether it was a small hurricane or a big honkin' tornado. :^)