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

[LA Woman3]

Blanco: Those Not Evacuating Should Write Social Security Number on Arms



http://www.wafb.com/Global/story.asp?S=3886300

[frankjr]

ToO mAnY lInKs. I aM eAsIlY cOnFuSeD. hOwEvEr, I wIlL kNoW bEtTeR nExT tImE.

(boat not floating)

[eastforker]

Everybody about the coleman stove. You can cook with a gas range in your house, quit being stuck on stupid.

[sheikdetailfeather]

Hannity will be bringing Bastardi on his radio show within the upcoming hour if you wish to hear him. He told Hannity he knew he was looking for the details. hehehehe. I was surprised he was not able to give addresses too! hahaha!

[fanfan]

You are not fat!!!

I've seen your picture.

:-)

[johnb838]

No, Bush should have had Halliburton doing this every summer so the Gulf wouldn't get so hot in the first place!

[COEXERJ145]

Looks like a further shift to the East.

[Strategerist]

From the 5PM NHC Advisory...

RAINFALL ACCUMULATIONS OF 8 TO 12 INCHES WITH ISOLATED MAXIMUM 15 INCH TOTALS ARE POSSIBLE ALONG THE PATH OF RITA OVER SOUTHEAST TEXAS AND SOUTHWESTERN LOUISIANA AS IT MOVES INLAND. BASED ON THE FORECAST TRACK...TOTALS ACCUMULATIONS IN EXCESS OF 25 INCHES ARE POSSIBLE OVER THE NEXT SEVERAL DAYS AS THE SYSTEM SLOWS DOWN.

That's an incomprehensible amount of rain to a lot of folks. People inland who never even remotely considered that they live on a floodplain and have never seen water in sight of their houses are going to be flooded out.

[Rightly Biased]

102f the further west you go but your goin 10mph down I-10

[pamlet]

Oh my goodness! When did he say this? Was it recently?

[NautiNurse]

Rita is moving toward the west-northwest near 9 mph...15 km/hr. A gradual turn toward the northwest is expected during the next 24 hours. On this track...the core of Rita will be approaching the southwest Louisiana and the Upper Texas coast late Friday.

Coastal storm surge flooding of 15 to 20 feet above normal tide levels.

Maximum sustained winds 145 mph. Minimum central pressure 913 mb.

[Strategerist]

The landfall location was essentially unmoved from 11AM to 5PM.

[fredhead]

I've been here since 79 and even though my "official" route is 64 west through the Hampton Roads Bridge Tunnel (which really just goes north, where the storm would follow me), I would go west, even if I had to use back roads. I think the best evacuation route is to go perpendicular to the path of the storm. Anyway, my sister lives in Durham.

BTW, my parents live near Morehead City, NC (family been there since 1730) and would get hit before Norfolk, since historically the storms ride up the coast.

[COEXERJ145]

Pics? Did someone mention pics? LOL! :-)

[Mo1]

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

Are there no back roads people can drive through??

If I had to evacuate my area .. the last roads I would take would be the Turnpike, I-95 or even the Shurkill Expressway (aka .. Schuylkill Expressway)

[johnb838]

The trouble with Hurricanes is you have too much time to contemplate your dooom.

[Brad’s Gramma]

10:00 a.m.

http://www.nhc.noaa.gov/storm_graphics/AT18/refresh/AL1805W5_sm2+gif/145647W_sm.gif

4:00 p.m.

http://www.nhc.noaa.gov/storm_graphics/AT18/refresh/AL1805W_sm2+gif/204537W_sm.gif

[RedFred In A Blue State]

Ever heard of pi$$in in the wind?

Did that.

Twice...

I'm a slow learner but I eventually come around...

[pitinkie]

Well my Husband just got orders for his DMAT so he leaves for Texas Sunday! He went twice last year.

[Howlin]

Good lord, where??????