Hurricane Rita Live Thread, Part III

NHC - NOAA ^ | 21 September 2005 | NHC - NOAA

[NautiNurse]

Extremely dangerous and large Category Five Hurricane Rita is churning westward across the Gulf of Mexico toward Texas. Air Force Reconnaissance indicated the central pressure has dropped to 904mb, making Rita the fifth most intense hurricane ever in the Atlantic Basin.

Hurricane and Tropical Storm Watches have been issued from Northern Mexico through the South Louisiana coastline. Galveston TX used school buses to evacuate residents. Mandatory and voluntary evacuations are in effect along the Texas coastline.

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 Western Gulf of Mexico
Current Weather Warnings and Watches for Texas
Current Weather Warnings and Watches for Louisiana

Images:

Storm Floater IR Loop
GOM WV Loop
GOM IR Still Image
Visible Storm Floater Still (only visible during daylight hours)
Color Enhanced Atlantic Loop

Streaming Video: (coverage may be intermittent)

KHOU-TV/DT Houston: mms://beloint.wm.llnwd.net/beloint_khou
WWLTV NOLA

Additional Resources:

FReeper Sign In Thread Check in to let us know whether you are staying, going, and when you get there
FReepers Offering Lodging To Rita Evacuees People and/or Pet Friendly FReepers Offering Shelter
Coastal TX Evacuation Maps
KHOU Houston
KTRK ABC News Houston
Hurricane City
Wxnation Houston
Galveston Webcams
Golden Triangle Weather Page Provides Galveston Weather, Warnings, Radar, etc.

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:
Hurricane Rita Live Thread, Part II
Hurricane Rita Live Thread, Part I
Tropical Storm Rita
Tropical Depression 18

[oceanview]

no, its still going to be bad - but let's see if other forecasters make this same comment. any weakening down from cat 5 level can make a dramatic difference.

[silentknight]

There are two camps now -

Meteorologists who believe this is going to hit just north of Corpus C and those who believe it will hit closer to Galveston.

[nhoward14]

Tomball to Galveston is 84 miles according to Mapquest.

[RDTF]

what no voodoo?

[Tribune7]

prayer bump

[Romish_Papist]

I understand that. I am not making light of the potential dangers. These people will be in my prayers, I assure you. I meant it as a testament to the toughness of Texans, they are truly a breed apart.

[epaul]

Just a thought, for those who can't find a room or afford one, sleeping in your car seems ok. Look for one of the better truck stops, they are stocked with a lot of one serving meals, and for about $5.00 will allow showers. Park under the lights,, good nights sleep for next to nuthing.

[don-o]

teve lyons on TWC now - he says its going to weaken, to a 4 or perhaps to a 3 by landfall, saying that outflow on the western sside of the storm is being blocked.

and will Mr. Lyons take responsibility for those who decide to dig in, off his forecast.

I hope he is right, btw.

[groanup]

IF YOU CAN, GET AWAY FROM THERE.

Certainly good advice. Recall Hurricane Allen in 1980. He stood out at sea off the coast of Brownsville and strengthened to 200 mph. I know because my small kids were in Brownsville with their grandparents. Allen came onshore like a butterfly thank goodness. My kids were only a hundred miles or so inland after evacuation.

There is always the possibility this thing doesn't weaken.

[Revel]

OK your link does not work either. What forum headline over there is this picture posted in?

Thanks.

[meyer]

"Winds at 10,000 ft. are over 200 mph."

Unbelievable - devastating! I'm speechless.

[txhurl]

thank god.

[Prolifeconservative]

"steve lyons on TWC now - he says its going to weaken, to a 4 or perhaps to a 3 by landfall, saying that outflow on the western side of the storm is being blocked."

That's not quite what he said. He said the Westerly outflow "could" be blocked, has the potential to be blocked in the coming days. It was a forecast, NOT something that is currently happening.

[RDTF]

I was thinkin the same thing.

[nhoward14]

Low lying areas definitely are. My sister's family lives behind the CC NAS and they were ordered to evac.

[CindyDawg]

My DIL in El Campo (between victoria and houston). She says they are being told to evacuate? Anyway the nearest hotel they could find was in Fort Stockton.

[milagro]

Keep prayers coming to strengthen those angels riding this whirlwind!

[No Blue States]

Texas using electronic billboards to give helpful numbers.

214-819-6310

Starting tommorow at 7am you can call the Rita help hotline.

[fishntex]

Yea, I saw that and jupmed up to "home".


He is tough as nails.