Hurricane Rita Live Thread, Part IV

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

Willie, take care. And log back in as soon as you can and let us know how you all make out.

Thanks.
Final update: sister-in-law at bank gets off at noon.
We're headed out ASAP when she gets home.
Adios 'til later!!!

1,001 posted on 09/22/2005 9:38:38 AM PDT by Willie Green (Go Pat Go!!!)

http://www.kplctv.com/
live streaming

1,002 posted on 09/22/2005 9:38:58 AM PDT by abb (Because News Reporting is too important to be left to the Journalists.)

To: Willie Green

1,003 posted on 09/22/2005 9:39:08 AM PDT by Howlin

The traffic management in Texas is no better than Louisiana. What a nightmare.... at this late hour, still EMPTY southbound lanes and the northbound lanes are a parking lot. I don't get that.

1,004 posted on 09/22/2005 9:39:11 AM PDT by HairOfTheDog (Join the Hobbit Hole Troop Support - http://freeper.the-hobbit-hole.net/)

I am noticing that as well. Rather disturbing.

The nw side of the storm is being compressed a bit, but that may end later today.

1,005 posted on 09/22/2005 9:39:26 AM PDT by rwfromkansas (http://www.xanga.com/home.aspx?user=rwfromkansas)

ie only, dont work on firefox

1,006 posted on 09/22/2005 9:39:31 AM PDT by abb (Because News Reporting is too important to be left to the Journalists.)

They've become their own caricatures. This pic is hilarious to me because there is an old Bloom County cartoon that made fun of Geraldo. It showed an extreme closeup of him, wild eyes and mustache filling the panel, with him losing his mind over some exaggeration of his.

The media has long since stopped reporting the news and has tried to become it. Reporters standing in the wind and rain, reporters giving their opinions of how much suffering will likely to be had, feigned outrage and other emotions; they really are ridiculous.

1,007 posted on 09/22/2005 9:39:34 AM PDT by kenth

Hurricane Local Statement...updated
National Weather Service Lake Charles La
1100 Am Cdt Thu Sep 22 2005

...catastrophic Category Five Rita Moving West-northwestward Across
The Central Gulf Of Mexico...

...hurricane Warnings Are Now In Effect For Portions Of The
Louisiana And Texas Coast...

...areas Affected...
This Statement Applies To Jefferson And Orange Counties In Southeast
Texas...cameron...calcasieu...jefferson Davis...acadia...
Vermilion...lafayette...upper And Lower Saint Martin...iberia And
Saint Mary Parishes In Southwest And South Central Louisiana.

...watches/warning...
A Hurricane Warning Is Now In Effect Along The Coast From Port
Oconnor Texas To Morgan City Louisiana. A Hurricane Warning Means
That Hurricane Conditions Are Expected Within The Warning Area
Within The Next 24 Hours. Preparations To Protect Life And Property
Should Be Rushed To Completion.

An Inland Hurricane Warning Has Been Issued For The Counties And
Parishes Between Interstate 10 And The Coastline. This Includes
Jefferson And Orange Counties Of Southeast Texas...and Calcasieu...
Jeff Davis...acadia...lafayette...upper And Lower Saint Martin...
Cameron...vermilion...iberia And Saint Mary Parishes Of Southwest
Louisiana.

An Inland Hurricane Watch Has Also Been Issued For The Counties And
Parishes North Of Interstate 10. This Includes Hardin...tyler...
Jasper And Newton Counties Of Southeast Texas...and Beauregard...
Allen...evangeline...saint Landry...vernon...rapides And Avoyelles
Parishes Of Southwest Louisiana.

...storm Information...
At 10 Am Cdt...1500z...the Eye Of Hurricane Rita Was Located Near
Latitude 25.4 North...longitude 88.7 West. This Position Is About
445 Miles Southeast Of Port Arthur Texas...or About 410 Miles
Southeast Of Cameron Louisiana.

Rita Is Moving Toward The West-northwest Near 9 Mph. A Gradual Turn
To The Northwest Is Expected Over The Next 24 To 36 Hours...and This
Track Would Bring The Center Of The Storm Ashore Along The Extreme
Upper Texas Coast Early Saturday Morning.

Maximum Sustained Winds Have Decreased Slightly...to 170 Mph...with
Higher Gusts. This Makes Rita A Potentially Catastrophic Category
Five Hurricane On The Saffir-simpson Scale. A Continued Slow
Weakening Trend Is Forecast But Rita Is Expected To Reach The Coast
As A Major Hurricane...at Least A Category Three.

Hurricane Force Winds Extend Outward Up To 75 Miles From The
Center...and Tropical Storm Force Winds Extend Outward Up To 180
Miles.

...precautionary/preparedness Actions...
The Following Are Current Evacuation Orders For Southeast Texas And
Southwest Louisiana...

Orange And Jefferson Counties...mandatory For Entire Counties.

Cameron Parish...mandatory For Entire Parish.

Calcasieu Parish...mandatory Evacuation For Everyone South Of
Interstate 10...and Recommended For Residents North Of The
Interstate.

Acadia Parish...voluntary For Southern Part Of The Parish.

Iberia Parish...voluntary For South Of Highways 90 And 14.

Jeff Davis Parish...evacuation Of Low-lying Areas South Of I-10.

Lafayette Parish...voluntary For People In Mobile Homes... Low-lying
Areas...and People With Special Medical Conditions That Require
Electricity.

St. Martin Parish...voluntary Evacuation Of Lower St. Martin Parish
And Low-lying Areas In Upper St Martin Parish.

Vermilion Parish...mandatory Evacuation South Of Highway 14 To
Abbeville And People In All Mobile Homes Or Special Medical Needs.

Emergency Management Officials Recommend That Individuals Take
Supplies To Last For 3 To 5 Days.

...storm Surge Flood And Storm Tide Impacts...
A Significant And Deadly Storm Surge Of 15 To 20 Feet Will Be
Possible Near And To The Right Of Where The Center Crosses The
Coast. This Would Cover The Coastline From Sea Rim State Park In
Jefferson County To Calcasieu Pass In Cameron Parish...including
Sabine Lake. This Will Bring Gulf Waters As Far North As Interstate
10 Across Southeast Texas And Southwest Louisiana...including The
Cities Of Lake Charles And Sulphur Louisiana...and Orange And
Beaumont Texas.

Storm Surge Values Will Decrease To 10 To 14 Feet For The Coastline
Of Eastern Cameron And Vermilion Parishes...and 6 To 10 Feet Around
Vermilion And Atchafalaya Bays.

Based On The Projected Storm Surge Values...major River Flooding Can
Be Expected Along The Lower Reaches Of The Calcasieu...where Crests
Of 9 To 10 Feet Can Be Expected. Major Flooding Is Also Likely Along
The Mermentau River...where Crests Of 7 To 8 Feet Are Expected.

...wind Impacts...
All Of Southeast Texas...and The Border Parishes Of Southwest
Louisiana Will Experience Extreme Winds Of Long Duration As This
Large System Tracks Across The Northwest Gulf And Into East Texas.
Winds Will Increase To Near Tropical Storm Force Over The Coastal
Waters Tonight...spreading Inland Along And South Of Interstate 10
Across Southwest Louisiana And Southeast Texas Through Friday. Winds
Will Continue To Increase Through Friday Night As Rita Nears The
Coastline...ranging From 40 To 60 Mph...possibly Reaching Hurricane
Force Near 80 Mph Across Extreme Southeast Texas. These Winds Will
Further Increase To 100 Mph Or Greater By Early Saturday
Morning...especially Across Jefferson And Orange Counties. Winds
Will Very Gradually Diminish Saturday Once The System Makes Landfall
And Moves Further North Into East-central Texas.

With These Strong Winds And The Extended Duration Of Them...
Significant Damage Can Be Expected Across The Region. Numerous Trees
And Power Lines Will Be Downed...with Widespread And Extended Power
Outages Likely. Some Structures Will Also Fail.

...rainfall Impacts...
Extreme Rainfall Will Also Accompany Rita...with A Storm Total Of 8
To 12 Inches Expected. Locally Higher Amounts Of 10 To 15 Inches
Will Also Be Possible.

...tornado Impacts...
Isolated Tornadoes Will Be Possible Across Southeast Texas And
Southwest Louisiana Beginning Friday Night As Rita Approaches The
Coastline.

...next Update...
The Next Local Statement On Hurricane Rita Will Be Issued By 200 Pm.

$$

Escude/lockwood

1,008 posted on 09/22/2005 9:39:51 AM PDT by libtoken

Thank you. That was very interesting.

1,009 posted on 09/22/2005 9:40:42 AM PDT by Rob_DSM

Here we go, Louisiana

Jesus. They say "you can't go home again." This thing keeps on like it's looking to me and I may NOT be able to go home again...:-(

1,010 posted on 09/22/2005 9:41:13 AM PDT by Types_with_Fist (I'm on FReep so often that when I read an article at another site I scroll down for the comments.)

it is not going wnw.

I hate that they always wait for official NHC confirmation to change the direction.

This is OBVIOUSLY going nw. Very bad news for La.

We will have to watch this one.

1,011 posted on 09/22/2005 9:41:25 AM PDT by rwfromkansas (http://www.xanga.com/home.aspx?user=rwfromkansas)

Thunderstorm here in Central Fla. from the outer bands right now.

1,012 posted on 09/22/2005 9:41:27 AM PDT by sheikdetailfeather (If you still vote Democrat, you're still stuck on stupid!)

To: truthandlife

I actually do think most Houston/Galveston residents realize the storm surge in these areas. Unless they have never turned on the radio or TV, they have seen this graphic. These areas are on the mandatory evacuation areas. Houston is prepared. I just don't think they were prepared for the amount of traffic that would be coming out of Houston.

One would think that, but there was a post just last night from a Freeper in an area well into a Cat 3 surge area who said they weren't leaving until Friday night. That area will be underwater by Fri. night, unless the storm center stays east of High Island.

1,013 posted on 09/22/2005 9:41:53 AM PDT by Diddle E. Squat

How about this? Katrina hit 150 miles of the Gulf Coast. Rita could easily stretch from Houston well into LA.

1,014 posted on 09/22/2005 9:41:59 AM PDT by ekwd (Murphy's Law Has Not Been Repealed)

To: Diddle E. Squat

Many with full tanks have run out of gas already. People were calling talk shows this morning @ 9:00 A.M. who left their homes @ 10:00 P.M. last night and had only just made it to the other side of town.

Many gas stations are already out of gas, and lines are around the block at the ones that have gas.

1,015 posted on 09/22/2005 9:43:11 AM PDT by Sans-Culotte (Meadows Place, TX- just S of 59 & the Beltway....)

Always that potential for severe thunderstorms and tornadoes as in Katrina or Ivan. But Ft. Benning is much further west in comparison to Rita than to the other two storms.

YOu can always look here from time to time.

http://kamala.cod.edu/svr/

or use this map
http://www.spc.noaa.gov/

then mouse over the 'tabs' at the top of the map.

1,016 posted on 09/22/2005 9:43:25 AM PDT by bwteim (Begin With The End In Mind)

Me too.

If I really am growing a uterus, I'm blaming all that secondhand smoke from the 60's.

1,017 posted on 09/22/2005 9:43:33 AM PDT by jeffers

To: HairOfTheDog

How many hours left to landfall? I don't think LA started contraflow much before 24 hours before Katrina hit.

1,018 posted on 09/22/2005 9:43:38 AM PDT by ekwd (Murphy's Law Has Not Been Repealed)

To: HairOfTheDog

People are taking 3 of their cars out of town... That is part of the problem. Houston is TERRIBLE traffic on a good day, so this is just adding to the stress and flow of events.

1,019 posted on 09/22/2005 9:43:45 AM PDT by JFC (West Texas flatlander)

To: rwfromkansas

FNC: Texas asks Pentagon to get gas to evacuees stuck in traffic!

I tell you -- some days I think people can't get out of their own way without the government.

And Clinton said the other day that Katrina was a gift because it shows people that we NEED the government. Ack.

1,020 posted on 09/22/2005 9:44:08 AM PDT by Peach (South Carolina is praying for our Gulf coast citizens.)

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