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

[ladyjane]

It may be an ordeal now with kids but it didn't used to be. When my family went on vacation the kids sat in the back seat and the worst thing we ever did was to ask "Are we almost there yet?" No coloring books, no computers, no video. We were told to look out the window and learn something. They did't have to tell us to be quiet.

[Howlin]

She puts too much effort into this discussion to have to put up with crap.

Exactly.

The next time somebody gives her a ration or says she's "not the boss of these threads," I'm going to call a vote and we shall see just who is who around here......LOL.

[AliVeritas]

Hey Ken, how are you today?

[brothers4thID]

ACK! Where is that website for the Lake water meters? We had it in the Katrina tread but I'm not sure I wan to troll through all those replies to find it.

[NautiNurse]

water already rising in lake pontchartrain, per steve lyons on TWC

We have high surf advisories all the way over here in Tampa Bay from this storm. Imagine what coastal Louisiana is getting right now.

[numberonepal]

I think you misread what brothers4thID said.

I fixed it in post 1568. I apologize brothers4thID.

[Howlin]

4, but you have the rest right.

[brothers4thID]

It's ok. Lets get back to taking out our frustrations on the stupid hurricane.

[bwteim]

I thought it was, and, given the luxury of seeing later replies, I know it was.

And ditto to what you said about NN, you can look at my posts to her on Katrina Chronicles. Almost gushing in praise;)

Now, back to the storm...

Dr Steve was on Weather Channel. Some high water 2-4 feet project to come into NOLA.

And buoy Station 42001 - MID GULF 180 nm South of Southwest Pass, LA. has gusts to 73.8 knots and wave height to 30.8 feet.

http://www.ndbc.noaa.gov/station_page.php?station=42001

[RoseofTexas]

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 or something like that! People are seen walking up the highway, I guess it's folks who ran out of gas...scary!

[abb]

and ya know, they've yet to do a story on 911. debating whether this is the year to drop subscription after 30 years.

[AliVeritas]

no, a 4

[cgk]

Grazie! :)

[dfwgator]

We were told to look out the window and learn something.

I remember playing "Car Bingo" on our long trips, or be the first one to call out seeing a license plate from a certain state.

[fooman]

GUNA has the best error stats. Bar none! Yet no one calculates it!

Freeper way ahead of the curve

[RummyChick]

I45 isn't the only place people are stuck. People are stuck all over Houston. They face dying by flood or the knockout wind depending on where this hits. This is a dangerous situation for those people.

[steveegg]

When everyone is done slapping each other around (in more ways than one ;) ) - is there any update?

1 pm intermediate advisory dropped her down to a Cat 4 with 150 mph winds and a pressure of 915 mb. A later recon flight found significantly-lower flight-level winds (125 knots) than was used to give the 150 mph estimate (135 knots), but the pressure dropped 1 mb to 914 mb.

There should be 1 more report from the hurricane hunters before the next full update at 4.

[norton]

do you realize he meant "back off OF NautiNurse"?

[Professional Engineer]

Bubba asked me to pass along a message.

"Eat my shorts"

[NautiNurse]

Wasn't that something! Wee hours of the night, and I'm looking at those huge bold words...thinking I was so tired, I could almost believe they were intended for me. Admin Mod was cracking up laughing too...