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

[dirtboy]

5pm advisory out. Sustained winds 145 mph, pressure 913 mb.

Forecast track a bit further east, almost exactly between Galveston Bay and the TX/LA border.

[texianyankee]

In Bastardi I trust. He is good in my opinion.

[humblegunner]

Two guns each is the minimum at the Eaker Compound!

I've settled on simplicity, that math stuff is hard.
One in each room and vehicle and any extras I'll carry.

[Temple Owl]

I think you answered my question.

[Flyer]

they are simpler to use and understand-- you point it, and make a fist.

Laugh! World's shortest firearms class.

[dirtboy]

And the 5-day forecast shows it up near Texarkana by Sunday.

And then not moving one bit the next two days.

Ungh...

[hispanarepublicana]

Looks like everything didn't go perfectly......therefore, huge failure. We're all doomed.

I think the bigger message is that government is not a panacea. People should learn to be self-sufficient, and that includes either living where you don't have to get away or having a way out that's not dependent on government.

[technochick99]

Count me in on a doggie cam class too, please!!

[Diddle E. Squat]

Don't know yet. I'm still a bit shocked that up until a few hours ago TXDOT had a plan to make Hwy 290 contraflow, and now all of a sudden are claiming they can't do it because:

1) From their PR flak: We need the inbound lanes to get emergency vehicles in

2) From background: We found out that we didn't have enough personnel to staff the contraflow on the non-freeway portions (why the heck wasn't that figured out when the plan was created and approved?)

Also it appears that far more people tried to evacuate than expected, and sooner, too.

Every state hit with a huge storm at a new and fast-growing major metro has had trouble in the first evacuation, just like FL did. It is just too big to completely prepare for. Kinda like someone can write a book on how to ride a bike, but no matter how much you read it, your first ride ever is going to be shaky.

[Termite_Commander]

To be somewhat off topic, I wonder why the Weather Channel hasn't put up all their "Storm Alert Mode" graphics. They did during Katrina.

Am I the only one hopeless enough to notice this?

[Brad’s Gramma]

http://www.nhc.noaa.gov/refresh/graphics_at3+shtml/145647.shtml?3day


Just updated. I don't know how big it is and don't wanna get in trouble...so here. Here's the link.

[Alas Babylon!]

How about we go to Antarctica with a fleet of tug boats, rope up one of them Rhode Island sized icebrgs, and station in the Gulf? Heck, we could get about six or seven of them and surround the hurricane!

[Flyer]

One in each room and vehicle and any extras I'll carry.

My God, how big is that trailer??

[Dog]

LOL!

[Dog Gone]

TXDOT is having difficulty buying sufficient fuel.

Join the crowd.

I've made four scouting attempts to find gasoline today and wasted gasoline in that effort.

There ain't none nowhere. I don't expect any new deliveries tomorrow. The Houston refineries are shutting down in preparation for the hit.

The Kroger here closed well before 5 because it's closed now. Like I said it was stripped clean by 8 this morning anyway.

We're down to the point where you have what you have and that's all you're getting. If you're on the road now, good luck. You might turn off the AC for better mileage and enjoy those 98 degree temperatures at 1 mph.

[RDTF]

I agree. Accuweather called Rita a CAT5 before NHC did - in fact (not naming names, of course) a poster here said they were full of crap. They weren't.

[TheLion]

Thank god it is getting a little weaker. Still expected to hit as a cat 3 (minimal).

[JFC]

Oh now Californina wants in on the action.... 4.4 earthquake!


Anyone read Revelations?

[floriduh voter]

Cars are running out of gas left and right. Some people are going back home. The westher channel predicts some big trouble. Waves are 34 feet high out in the Gulf. That's simply hard to fathom and the surge hasn't come in. (transcribing the weather channel guy at 4:50 pm est. Lakes Charles expects highest surge also in La and south to Shreveport. 15 to 20 feet surge or more in nooks and crannies. Cameron, Louisiana, Beaumont, Galveston. Says landfall by Saturday morning PER DR. LYONS of the Weather Channel.

[mathluv]

M y daughter said her hubby called for her to come to town, load up on bottled water and canned food - prepare for a LOT of rain and possible (probable) flooding.