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

[EX52D]

Wow, that's hotter than here in Vegas...keep cool!

[Arizona Carolyn]

I hope they all had the good sense to bring bottles of water for the drive. Here in AZ you never go anywhere without a gallon of water -- per person -- in the car.

[AliVeritas]

Thanks

[COEXERJ145]

I suspect he'll be moving to the East, perhaps to Anahuac or Port Authur.

[numberonepal]

Conditions at 42001 as of
(1:50 pm CDT)
1850 GMT on 09/22/2005:

Wind Direction (WDIR):	N ( 350 deg true )
Wind Speed (WSPD):	62.2 kts
Wind Gust (GST):	77.7 kts
Wave Height (WVHT):	34.1 ft
Dominant Wave Period (DPD):	12 sec
Average Period (APD):	10.2 sec
Mean Wave Direction (MWDIR):	NE ( 52 deg true )
Atmospheric Pressure (PRES):	28.79 in
Pressure Tendency (PTDY):	-0.45 in ( Falling Rapidly )
Air Temperature (ATMP):	79.3 °F
Water Temperature (WTMP):	82.9 °F
Dew Point (DEWP):	79.3 °F
Heat Index (HEAT):	84.9 °F

 

Continuous Winds

TIME (CDT)	WDIR	WSPD
1:50 pm	N ( 354 deg )	62.7 kts
1:40 pm	N ( 351 deg )	63.9 kts
1:30 pm	N ( 355 deg )	63.1 kts
1:20 pm	N ( 359 deg )	61.0 kts
1:10 pm	N ( 1 deg )	59.8 kts
1:00 pm	N ( 1 deg )	57.3 kts

[steveegg]

Did you say some people needed to be knocked out? Let me grab my Louisville Slugger :-)

[hummingbird]

The red clay is STILL there despite many washings, some with a pretty heavy dose of bleach or "color safe" bleach.

LOL, AFPhys...That red clay would stand up to kryptonite!

[Dog Gone]

Motorists wait in line for fuel at one of the few open gas stations in Pasadena, Texas, Thursday, Sept. 22, 2005. Residents were evacuating the area west of Houston due to a mandatory evacuation prior to Hurricane Rite arriving.

Reporter goof. It's the areas east and south of downtown Houston that are under evacuation orders, and Pasadena fits that category.

Another call in to the local TV. Westbound I-10 freeway heading toward San Antonio. Caller made it from Mason Road to the Grand Parkway in two hours.

Distance 1 1/2 miles.

[EX52D]

LOL...Cruiser Bruiser, haven't heard of that one! :)

[babaloo]

I think he is long oil futures. LOL!

[Howlin]

[Carolinamom]

Looks like to me that "Go West, Young Man" is still operative. I certainly would not want to be chased north or east by Rita.

[Arizona Carolyn]

Did you see the fight between him and the many who was fighting for him to get supplies into these poor hispanics -- who were still living in apartments with walls down three weeks post-storm?

He kept saying he couldn't get stuff --FEMA hadn't helped -- etc... and then threatened to have this guy arrested (the man trying to help the people)...

[PAR35]

Seabrook is on Galveston bay, but about 25 miles up the bay toward Houston from Galveston Island. Just east of the Johnson Space Center.

[bwteim]

And that is all it is, rumors. Just like the few bozos who jacked up prices in Atlanta after Katrina, the photos made the news (BP signs for one); when they interviewed one of the owners, his explanation was: to keep people from buying gas. That lasted all of about a day or so.

[cgk]

Ugh.. Did you manage to find ice? And do you have everything else you need or think you need?

[dfwgator]

Did you say some people needed to be knocked out? Let me grab my Louisville Slugger :-)

Where's Al Capone when you need him?

[ncpatriot]

Keep the cans in the open, well ventilated.

So many dangers. Do you know if it is dangerous to use a camping Coleman stove (propane) in house. I'm thinking about when power goes out.

[fanfan]

Even though we produce our own oil, we pay world prices for it, and then the government (liberal) adds almost 50% in taxes.

One of the taxes is provincial, one is federal, and then the feds tax both taxes again with the goods and services tax. (GST).

I managed to fill up yesterday at $4.40, so the rest is gouging, I guess.

[Spktyr]

There won't be hundreds of people trapped when the storm hits. We still have 36 hours. This isn't a surprise for anyone.