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

[floriduh voter]

I slapped a refreshable tracking map on the top of my web page. see tag line.

[eastforker]

I guess these people don't watch King of the Hill.hehe

[ncpatriot]

45 and 10 are already starting to clear

Good.

I watch them, and I feel trapped!...and I'm not even claustrophobic

[kjam22]

The only danger in using propane in doors is if the tank leaks. You just check the connections. The propane isn't going to burn that much hotter than a kerosene fire.

[bwteim]

I don't use any gas - but I thought the discussion was on *camping stoves* and propane in the house.

There's ample warnings on using propane camping stoves in houses or tents.

[MOgirl]

Hello,

Please don't say that, living in St. Louis, we would be in major trouble. Take it back!!

Glad to be here, prayers to all in danger, MOgirl

[steveegg]

Now where did I put the last NOAA flight for comparison (and do I want to try with duelling flights out there)?

[Diddle E. Squat]

I'm hearing reports that all the back roads have been packed all day.

[KMJames]

OK burzum,

- You seem like you would have some response to this somewhat ridiculous conversation I had with a co-worker today:

What would happen if you used a nuke to blow up/disrupt a hurricane?

Regards, KMJames

[mware]

It is kind of early but does Houston and Galveston have web cams like they did in N.O.???

[kjam22]

I guess not. My grand mother burned propane all her life, because there wasn't natural gas out in the sticks. She burned propane before she had electricity.

[handy]

I am now waiting for the New Madrid fault to let loose

Now that would be an uber disaster.

[sinkspur]

According to Fox News, yes. NO will be under more water and the highways out of Houston are clogged. Absolutely nothing has gone well. One big mess. Shep will soon be on. Hysterics to commence. Geraldo will be on the clogged highway holding a screaming baby. Seepage in the levees according to Gibson. OH MY!!

And Dallas mayor, Laura Miller, is on the BIG STORY talking about herself. How she is so involved in finding apartments for Katrina victims and now she has to deal with another influx of evacuees.

Laura Miller has singularly distinguished herself as the most self-absorbed bitch in the entire state in her approach to welcoming people who need a roof over their heads. She's done nothing but gripe, publicly fret over when Rick Perry was going to reimburse Dallas for the money spent, and criticize George Bush's rebuilding NO speech as "propaganda."

What an embarrassment to such a great city.

[meyer]

Or the relationship between pressure and wind speed needs to be rethought. Rita has had consistently weaker winds than the pressure/satellite would suggest. While the 913 mb from the AF flight was actually an extrapolation, it was backed up by a NOAA flight that did measure 913 mb (and 133-knot flight-level winds in the NW quad) about 2:10 pm.

I don't believe that there is an exact correlation between pressure and wind speed. Difference in pressure causes wind as air moves from high pressure to low, and it can generally be said that the lower the pressure in the center of the hurricane, the higher the wind speed. But I would think that all you can get from a center pressure reading is an approximate wind speed range.

[bwteim]

OK. Thanks for clarifying. CO detectors are essential.

[eastforker]

You are still burning the same fuel correct? No danger from CO.

[rwfromkansas]

the recon is behind a little bit...she is looking more and more impressive. She is getting ready to get stronger again.

[meyer]

Or the relationship between pressure and wind speed needs to be rethought. Rita has had consistently weaker winds than the pressure/satellite would suggest. While the 913 mb from the AF flight was actually an extrapolation, it was backed up by a NOAA flight that did measure 913 mb (and 133-knot flight-level winds in the NW quad) about 2:10 pm.

I don't believe that there is an exact correlation between pressure and wind speed. Difference in pressure causes wind as air moves from high pressure to low, and it can generally be said that the lower the pressure in the center of the hurricane, the higher the wind speed. But I would think that all you can get from a center pressure reading is an approximate wind speed range.

[floriduh voter]

From where I sit, freepers are all typing a lot faster and the cable news shows are talking a lot faster.

[kjam22]

There's ample warnings on using propane camping stoves in houses or tents.

The sunvisors in my chevy have yellow warning stickers on them too. We're in a sue-em-first society. If the bottle doesn't leak, you don't have a problem burning propane in doors.