Hurricane Rita Live Thread, Part IV

NHC - NOAA ^ | 22 September 2005 | NHC - NOAA

[mathluv]

My son-in-law tried to call his brother in that area all day yesterday, but the phones are already messed up.

[Hatteras]

Hold me closer tiny dancer
Count the headlights on the highway...

Uh, sorry. The pic just made that pop into my head. Please don't think of that song everytime you see that picture, okay? ;-)

[texianyankee]

Probably not too wise to try to drive out since it sounds like you will be stuck in traffic.

However, I understand that the TDOT is fixing to open up both sides of IH 45 north towards Dallas. I cant confirm it, however.

Probably your best bet is to book a flight if you can. Your hubby will learn.

[dixie sass]

Humbeeeee, you are out of your everloving mind!

[sweet_diane]

Thanks for the info. Sure am glad sis and her family headed north. Stay safe!

[Elderberry]

Tried to find Parker and I10 on Yahoo maps and failed. My suggestion to him would be get off the freeway and try to drive by Compass headings using what backroads lead the right? way. Good luck to him.

[mathluv]

I had heard that was possible. Is it for sure, and where is it being played?

[silentknight]

Good Morning Rita

http://www.usawx.com/rita800amsept22y.jpg

[LikeLight]

First outer bands are starting to show up on Louisiana radar.

[johnb838]

She's almost out of the city going northwest. SHe'd have to go east-southeast to get to the airport, not a sure bet at all.

[Aggie Mama]

We just tried leaving for New Ulm and we were going to take one of the old FM roads FM 529 to be specific. It was bumper to bumper so we came back home. I can't tell you how pissed I am that TEXDOT has dropped the ball on the counterflow lanes. Houston could have been emptyed by now if they would have done it earlier.

[Mago]

My brother has been trying to head to San Antonio since 4 am and he is turning around and going back home because of the traffic. It is a nightmare!

I don't understand why they aren't implementing contraflow. Is this another case of the Government simply not paying attention to what is glaringly obvious on TV? Have they learned nothing from New Orleans?

[Issaquahking]

Don't be an idiot! forget class and save yourself first! First rule of rescue is to make sure you are a rescuer, not a victim.

[kittymyrib]

Watching the LA evacuation before Katrina, I saw gridlock on I-10 in both directions and any highway heading north. The smart folks headed SOUTH on the highway that bordered the Gulf and were just buzzing past the reporter on the beach. After you clear the congested part of the state, you head north and get there hours ahead of everyone else. That's what I'd do in an evacuation where you have a day or two warning. I'm surprised that Houston didn't switch to contraflow last night, and I'll bet that will be one thing that will change after this. The emergency vehicles could still be routed in using secondary roads.

[Peach]

Isn't that a lovely story? And the Democrats, in an ever leftward move, watch as Hillary agrees to meet with Cindy Sheehan. Fireworks!

[Heatseeker]

At this point, if it was me, and if (and this is a big "if") the cell service was fairly reliable, I'd have someone somewhere with a map, and just follow the directions.

Better yet if you have a laptop and GPS.

Gasoline will be the big problem. I wouldn't want to get stuck out in the boonies in my car in the middle of a Cat4 hurricane.

[RDTF]

Cut that crap out

[Aggie Mama]

Sooner Gal, you are really close to me (290 and Spring-Cypress). We just tried getting out down 529 and it was so bad we had to turn around. We are staying until mid-afternoon with the hope that traffic will have lessened with the inital crush of evacuees.

[Rebelbase]

I'm more concerned that you have Elton John songs running through your brain. :-)

[RedBloodedAmerican]

Isn't Frito lay there? I knew a guy at FlightSafety who went to work for them.
Whatever this thing hits, it won't be there after it passes by. A Cat 5 is 10,000x more destructive than a Cat 1. I went thru a Cat 1 and a Cat 2 last year and I am really, really burned out on hurricanes. They aren't a thrill anymore.