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

[SaveTheChief]

Trust me on that one! I've driven the I-45 route in between Houston and Dallas more times than I care to count.

What a lovely drive it is too! I can only imagine what that road could look like later this week.

[laz]

Tornado moving into Broward County... Davie area...

[NautiNurse]

Cute! Got it.

[dawn53]

Looks like we're going to get our drop of rain...watch carefully, the little storm band is moving very fast

We ate lunch at Red Mesa and were coming home down 4th street, noticed the clouds in the east, then WFLA started warning about a band headed our way. And just about the time we walked in the door the rain started.

[samantha]

There are freepers out there that could be very hurt by insensitivity, especially those in the path of the storm. Recriminations later please, this is to help people and to commisserate, not denigrate.

[Sally'sConcerns]

This must be aggie math ......................

(snicker)

Yep, more like 300 from Galveston.

[tiki]

Hey, come on over. Its high and dry here in NM. I have a travel trailer you could stay in if you get this far.

[Fawn]

What does it mean when they the pressure of milibars drop?

[Txsleuth]

LOL---Dang, I must really drive FAST when I go to Galveston...I figured 300 miles at 60 miles an hour, because it takes me 5 hours...

If it is 450 miles...I have been driving 90 mph!!!

I guess that explains the ticket I got just outside Huntsville a couple of years ago....LOL

[Quilla]

Here's a link to a pretty fair Florida map.

[CajunConservative]

It's getting stronger.

[texianyankee]

Actually, by my Texas Highways Map, Galveston to Dallas is 288 miles.

BTW, the Aggie game is in jeopardy, no? I live here in College Station.

[numberonepal]

What a lovely drive it is too! I can only imagine what that road could look like later this week.

You'll only have to worry about what it looks like on the side of the road. The Good Ole Boys will be through those roads with their chainsaws before quick can get ready. That you can count on.

[MAWG]

From downtown Houston to Downtown Dallas is 247 miles. From downtown Houston to Galveston ( coast ) is 47 miles. I think that is 294 miles from Dallas to the coast.

[Howlin]

That's a great map.......I wish we could find one of those for each state!

[Types_with_Fist]

It means that the storm has potential for more strengthening.

[Howlin]

Done

[AppyPappy]

Looking at the map, I'd be tempted to go west if I were in Houston/Galveston. Dallas looks "in the way" as the storm tracks north.

[VeniVidiVici]

Rain bands here in Orlando off and on all morning.

There goes our string of about three weeks without rain.

[Txsleuth]

I had to commute to Houston from Dallas for six months..I would drive up here to Dallas every weekend...

I could identify every blade of grass along I-45!!! LOL