[backhoe]

 HURRICANE RITA INTERMEDIATE ADVISORY NUMBER 20A

 

 Rain from Rita begins falling in New Orleans

 

 Rita brings flooding fears to New Orleans

 

 

Tropical Watch and NHC Models for Google Earth - contains 4 NHC storm forecast models, 3 updated satellite images, and a ton of analytical diagrams overlayed on Google Earth.

US High-res National Radar from NSSL/U.ofOkla. National high-resolution (1 km) radar reflectivity mosaic, updated once every two minutes. Note that there are no radar sites in the middle of the gulf, so until the storm nears land and the sites that are there, you won't see much on this radar.

Here's a composite I just did which combines both of the dynamic data layers listed above and overlays them on Google Earth.

1,610 posted on 09/22/2005 2:59:01 PM EDT by Spiff

 

 Free Abortions for Hurricane Victims

 

 Tax-cut canard

 

 The Need To Seed -- Massive Cloud or Ocean Seeding - Could It Make A Difference?

 

 Oil Prices Surge as Hurricane Rita Nears -- did you see the nat gas prices? $12.81 at last check. No wonder why the envirowhackos want all power to be natural gas; then there will be rolling blackouts from supply disruptions.

 

 Thoughts on Expediting Houston Evacuations -- Why doesn't some level of government (or even private) offer roadside interstate refueling?
Make a mobile 4 to 8 pump system that connects to a fuel semi and park it at a rest stop or on the shoulder and let people fill their tanks without leaving the highway ...

 

 Fox news has reported that the military is using gas tank trucks in designating areas along the highway for folks who run out of gas...don't ask me how they'll do it! That's what the reporter said! Military type gas tank trucks, like the ones used in Iraq

Tropical Watch and NHC Models for Google Earth - contains 4 NHC storm forecast models, 3 updated satellite images, and a ton of analytical diagrams overlayed on Google Earth.

US High-res National Radar from NSSL/U.ofOkla. National high-resolution (1 km) radar reflectivity mosaic, updated once every two minutes. Note that there are no radar sites in the middle of the gulf, so until the storm nears land and the sites that are there, you won't see much on this radar.

Here's a composite I just did which combines both of the dynamic data layers listed above and overlays them on Google Earth.

[backhoe]

 After this hurricane season and the paucity of gasoline supplies, any liberal envionmentalists who whine about drilling in ANWAR should be required by law to WALK wherever they have to go.

 

 

To: onyx; All

Update:

Galveston roads are almost completely empty. Hwy 146 (freeway on the west border of Galveston Bay) is also empty all the way up to at least Baytown. I-45 gulf freeway is nearly empty all the way up from Galveston to almost Loop 610(a few miles southeast of downtown.) Southwest freeway nearly empty at Beltway 8 on the west side of Houston.

Still stacked up on all the freeways to the west and north, but traffic has begun moving faster in the last hour or two. Outbound side roads out those directions also clogged, but the rear of the backup is advancing north and west. Keep in mind, the evac plan wasn't designed for a 100% evac of the metro, just 100% of the lowlying areas. Those in suitable buildings 60 miles or more inland might be ok staying. La Porte officials believe 80% of town has evacuated.

I-45 contraflow open, I-10 soon to open, Hwy 290 still not open because bottlenecks in Giddings and Brenham are not yet cleared. Some pissant counties out to the west don't have their act together and haven't been able to implement their portions of the statewide evac plans. Huge backup in Fulshear because the lights are on their normal cycle and the town police can't be bothered to direct traffic. Guess he's too busy "Blocking the bridge"?

Biggest unforseen headache seems to be the shutdown of nearly all gas stations. Since the evac plans didn't anticipate a full evacuation of the metro, it appears they weren't treated as essential services. Rolling gas resupply fleet was part of the plan, but it may not be enough. Wonder if officials will commandeer closed gas stations that still have inventory. Let the Libertarians bitch all they want about that. Those stranded who don't get gas will be taken to shelters. Still nearly 36 hours of evacuation time left.

According to Channel 11 in Houston, IF the current track holds Conroe could be looking at 75 mph sustained winds, hurricane winds maybe as far west as Sealy. Baytown could see 90-100mph, downtown Houston 75-90mph. 1 in 4 pine trees could be blown down in the metro.

Some possible suggestions:

Head southwest along the coast and turn north or west. In fact Harlingen/Brownsville, Laredo, (and maybe even Corpus depending on what happens the next 12-24 hours) might be the best place to head to. You can always sleep in your car, but a lot easier to do so without hurricane winds.

If you must evac using I-45, 290, I-10, etc., perhaps wait a few more hours and see if the lines start to lessen. If you are stuck in traffic(congrats on being online in your car!) towards the rear of the backup and starting to run low on gas, pull over for a few hours to conserve gas and let the backup drain down. Things will most likely start moving faster over the next few hours as contraflow takes its effect and others have been scared off from trying to get in line to get out.

But remember, a direct hit on Galveston is still about the highest possibility, at 24% (chance of a landfall within 50 miles either way.) Port Arthur is at 21%, Corpus at 19%, and New Orleans still at 16%. The models are still divergent, so there is NO guarantee that the track will continue to move east, and may at some point move west again. There are 2 different highs affecting this track, and the solid ridge is going to break at some point.

1,989 posted on 09/22/2005 3:57:25 PM EDT by Diddle E. Squat

Update:

Galveston roads are almost completely empty. Hwy 146 (freeway on the west border of Galveston Bay) is also empty all the way up to at least Baytown. I-45 gulf freeway is nearly empty all the way up from Galveston to almost Loop 610(a few miles southeast of downtown.) Southwest freeway nearly empty at Beltway 8 on the west side of Houston.

Still stacked up on all the freeways to the west and north, but traffic has begun moving faster in the last hour or two. Outbound side roads out those directions also clogged, but the rear of the backup is advancing north and west. Keep in mind, the evac plan wasn't designed for a 100% evac of the metro, just 100% of the lowlying areas. Those in suitable buildings 60 miles or more inland might be ok staying. La Porte officials believe 80% of town has evacuated.

I-45 contraflow open, I-10 soon to open, Hwy 290 still not open because bottlenecks in Giddings and Brenham are not yet cleared. Some pissant counties out to the west don't have their act together and haven't been able to implement their portions of the statewide evac plans. Huge backup in Fulshear because the lights are on their normal cycle and the town police can't be bothered to direct traffic. Guess he's too busy "Blocking the bridge"?

Biggest unforseen headache seems to be the shutdown of nearly all gas stations. Since the evac plans didn't anticipate a full evacuation of the metro, it appears they weren't treated as essential services. Rolling gas resupply fleet was part of the plan, but it may not be enough. Wonder if officials will commandeer closed gas stations that still have inventory. Let the Libertarians bitch all they want about that. Those stranded who don't get gas will be taken to shelters. Still nearly 36 hours of evacuation time left.

According to Channel 11 in Houston, IF the current track holds Conroe could be looking at 75 mph sustained winds, hurricane winds maybe as far west as Sealy. Baytown could see 90-100mph, downtown Houston 75-90mph. 1 in 4 pine trees could be blown down in the metro.

Some possible suggestions:

Head southwest along the coast and turn north or west. In fact Harlingen/Brownsville, Laredo, (and maybe even Corpus depending on what happens the next 12-24 hours) might be the best place to head to. You can always sleep in your car, but a lot easier to do so without hurricane winds.

If you must evac using I-45, 290, I-10, etc., perhaps wait a few more hours and see if the lines start to lessen. If you are stuck in traffic(congrats on being online in your car!) towards the rear of the backup and starting to run low on gas, pull over for a few hours to conserve gas and let the backup drain down. Things will most likely start moving faster over the next few hours as contraflow takes its effect and others have been scared off from trying to get in line to get out.

But remember, a direct hit on Galveston is still about the highest possibility, at 24% (chance of a landfall within 50 miles either way.) Port Arthur is at 21%, Corpus at 19%, and New Orleans still at 16%. The models are still divergent, so there is NO guarantee that the track will continue to move east, and may at some point move west again. There are 2 different highs affecting this track, and the solid ridge is going to break at some point.