Hurricane Rita Live Thread, Part IV

NHC - NOAA ^ | 22 September 2005 | NHC - NOAA

[NautiNurse]

Extremely dangerous Category 5 Hurricane Rita continues to threaten the Greater Houston Metropolitan area. The forecast track has shifted slightly to the northeast, increasing the risk to Southwest Louisiana, and a significant portion of the oil and gas operations in the Gulf of Mexico. Texas Governor Perry is urging all coastal residents between Beaumont and Corpus Christi to evacuate as soon as possible.

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
Houston/Galveston/Beaumont/Lake Charles Wx Watches/Warnings
Current Weather Warnings and Watches for Texas
Current Weather Warnings and Watches for Louisiana
Hi Res Houston Flood Zone Map Slow load, great detail

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)

KPRC-TV/DT Houston - KPRC-TV/DT Houston - http://mfile.akamai.com/12944/live/reflector:38616.asx
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
Beaumont TX evac Routes
Lake Charles/Southwest LA Evacuation Map
KHOU Houston
KTRK ABC News Houston
KPLC Lake Charles Evac Routes, news
KFDM Beaumont/Port Arthur News, evac info
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 III
Hurricane Rita Live Thread, Part II
Hurricane Rita Live Thread, Part I
Tropical Storm Rita
Tropical Depression 18

[silentknight]

There really is nothing showing New Orleans getting hit DIRECTLY by this hurricane. She will be impacted though. I am not sure why some people keep saying N.O. is going to be hit head on. Doesn't look that way.

[Double Tap]

Yes, I've been watching the National Hurricane site for days. I get it just fine. You don't. Rita is still moving to the West Northwest at the last update. According to the experts anyway.

But what you meant to say is that the cone of probability was moving eastward. You didn't say that.

[NautiNurse]

Anticipating 9-10ft flooding in Lake Charles primarily due to backwater flooding from the Calcasieu River.

[tutstar]

NP I'm a Texan, have lived in FL for 13 yrs. Most of my relatives are in Tx but only one in major danger of storm.

It's unreal the things people say sometimes.

Don't mess with Texas!

[HoustonCurmudgeon]

Last night at midnight I though I might leave in the early hours of Friday morning. Now that it seems to have moved the other side of Galveston Bay, I'm 80% sure that my son and I are staying. Better 50-60 miles on the west than 100 on the east.

I do have a question though. I have three quarts of red beens and rice cooked. A large pot of cut up roast, carrots, potatoes, rice, and red bell pepper. Another roast is in the crock pot and a whole boneless chicken stuffed with etouffee is in the oven. The question is do I add chow chow to the chicken salad that already has chopped black olives, walnuts and celery knowing my son will not eat it if I do?

[MamaB]

I am watching that. Very good information. Did I see that the winds are still going up to 212?

[dawn53]

My sister thinks they ought to put some Mom's in charge of evacuations...bossy, strict Moms.

During an evacuation the Mom's would make the folks share, LOL.

No car could leave the city unless it was completely full of people. If your car wasn't full, you'd have to pull over and fill it with evacuees from buses or two cars with a couple people each in them would have to both leave in the same car.

Of course, none of this could be done (because we live in the land of the free) and certainly people don't want to leave their personal car behind, but don't you think there are families on that freeway with more than one car; mom is driving one, dad is driving the other, and certainly there are plenty of cars with only two people per car. If there was a way to make people car pool, it definitely would aid in large evacuations.

[silentknight]

Major delays at airport in Houston. Not enough screeners.

[bwteim]

Hey, you are welcome. I had posted something later and then saw your note here;)

[tx_eggman]

I will FedEx you some granola

Much appreciated, but could you send it to my brother's house in Austin, I may not be back in Houston for a while

[pageonetoo]

Shiite happens...

[bwteim]

Not that I heard at the 1:30 presser.
Somebody here on thread said Rushbo brought it up his today's show.

[not-an-ostrich]

Sister in Lafayette, La said they were under a voluntary evacuation order. Husband contract driver for petroleum companies and on a run now to Shreveport and scouting motel rooms.

[BurbankKarl]

I wonder how they made out with that trainset they sent to Galveston.

Houston PD responding to some motel that just closed, and the guests are upset and about to riot.

[JFC]

My family member just fly into Houston .. (he lives there), to pick up his family. Let me just tell you, everything is nightmarish right now. No one can be prepared enough for this type of an ordeal.

[SolomoninSouthDakota]

"Lot's of info and questions being answered at the Houston/Harris County news conference, which I guess is why Fox, CNN, and MSNBC are NOT covering it."

Good to keep a sense of humor! BTW, so what the news?

[PatriotGirl827]

Your analysis is right on! I was very turned off by the show last night, as well. Imagine Trump thinking he can straighten out the Saudis!

[bunches]

"she moved everyone out for Katrina and will do the same for Rita..."

OH REALLY? Who were those folks on rooftops in New Orleans and the parishes that my son rescued a couple of weeks ago and who were those people trapped in their homes and floating on doors in the water, Governor?

Her statement is an insult to those New Orleanians who suffered in the wake of the flood and those Coast Guard and other military who dangled from helicopters or went by boat trying to save them. Grrrrr!!!!

[abb]

news? News?? wat's that? (sez cbsabccnnfox)

[Types_with_Fist]

Doesn't look that way.

I'm certainly not thinking a direct hit at New Orleans -- yet. But, it sure is possible. The tracks are constantly shifting eastward and this monster is much closer to the Louisiana Gulf Coast than it is to Texas. In any event, as the cone, graphs, whatever keep shifting eastward, New Orleans will get decidedly much more than it can handle (and that isn't much).