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

[BurbankKarl]

About to open Southound 45 to Northbound traffic at the Woodlands

[handy]

My sis and family left League City at 11:50 last night and arrived in Trinity at 5 this morning. My bro in law has always been a back roads kinda guy.

Yeah, if more people would use the Farm to Market roads they would clear out a lot faster. Many of those roads are very good.

[Howlin]

Oh, those poor people.

I just couldn't do it. I'm too old (and fat) to stand that kind of heat. :-)

[ekwd]

"I see" said the blind man, meaning me.

[johnb838]

Stephanie Abrams

Tight grey t-shirt... mmmm....

[truthandlife]

Leaving Houston? Good Luck (Houston Chronicle 9/21/05-- 2:17 Central Time)

[Bahbah]

We are currently running at about $7.88/ Gallon.

Ouch! I just paid $2.70. I don't feel so bad. What is the deal "up there, eh?"

[Spktyr]

Depends on when and where they're constructed. See the other post by the health worker on this thread.

All the stuff built in Texas in the last decade or so has elevated or roof generators.

[Arizona Carolyn]

I saw that and thought -- hmmmmm -- wonder if Joe Scarborough saw that?

Maybe it wasn't FEMA keeping supplies away from the people who needed it, but rather more LA corruption.

[cgk]

Man oh man. Isn't it like 100 degrees out there?

[EX52D]

OMG...we called it "Slug a Bug"...painful game.

[ken5050]

Anyone kknwo what they're doing with the several cruise ships they brought into NOLA to use as accomoddations for surviviors and rescuers?I trust they've all sailed out already..

[hummingbird]

so Texans are "BUBBAS"????

I thought we were cowboys and (blush) cowgirls.

"Giddyup, baby!"

[fredhead]

Going fishing Saturday, will probably top it off when I come back. Never at the marina, just pull into a station (and usually on base, retired Navy).

[null and void]

Our grandkids played some kind of a game where the first one to spot a VW yelled "punch buggy" and hit the kid sitting beside them. That game got out of hand quickly and had to be stopped.

Here in california, it's "Slug Bug"...

[AliVeritas]

Must be down with Cedric Floyd (the official they arrested live on TV for all the tools and evacuee stuff loaded in his garage in Kenner LA).

[truthandlife]

I am not exagerating. It is 101 at my house.

[mystery-ak]

Just got off the phone with hubby in NO....very windy and rainy...they took down all their tents and are moving troops into buildings...he and his troops are scrambling to cover with tarps and protect all the suppilies in the warehouses..he doesn't have much hope for them since most of the roof is off the buildings since Katrina hit.....

[Howlin]

When this is all over, Spiff is going to teach us all how to use Google Earth like he does!

[freeperfromnj]

In his column today, Bastardi claims that this will be a "catastrophic weather event for Texas". He's predicting after landfall it will be a slow mover with more rainfall than the other storms combined.