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

[james_f_hall]

I'd pay a hundred bucks for a fill if I was stranded. Cheaper than a tow! Just saying...

[NautiNurse]

Did you click on the little radar box at the top of that loop? Check out the storms all over Florida from this storm. Incredible.

[Revel]

Better yet. Have a helicopter set up with a fuels tank in its cargo bay. have a Gas hose with a Nozzle that reels out to the ground below. You can meter it at 1 Gallon or 5 Gallons or whatever you want. Person on the ground inserts hose in to fuel tank and pulls trigger to fill just like he was at a prepay sevice station. You could even have the lower section of hose hooked via a self sealing quick connect that would release with say 20 pounds of preasure in the event that the helicopter were to get caught in a strong wind and pull intensly on the hose. This would be a safety measure. Where there is a will there is a way.

[AmusedBystander]

If you have a gas range the flame is righ there and it is not vented, ditto with the gas water heater.

Ranges are not vented, water heaters are vented.

[numberonepal]

Oh yeah, Katrina killed Station 42007 - BILOXI 22 nm South-Southeast of Biloxi, MS.

Buoy went adrift on August 29, 2005, and has been recovered to port.

[steveegg]

Or maybe they should invest in digital gauges..

I suspect much of what they use to record the info is digital (could someone who has seen the hunters close-up help out here?)

[tcrlaf]

It looks like she's drawing back her own outflow?

Also.. Is it just me? Or does this thing seem to be running NORTH of her track?

[james_f_hall]

Yep. This is a massive storm. Still CAT5 in terms of pressure. I would think if it reaches the northern portion of that warm gulf current it will intensify again.

[RDTF]

FYI - I just got this email:


If you - or someone you know - are among the millions evacuating due to the approach of Hurricane Rita, Extended Stay Hotels still has room availability in
the following metro areas:

Kansas City, MO - From $38.99/night
St. Louis, MO - From $44.99/night


For availability in other destinations, please call 1-800-EXT-STAY
(1-800-398-7829) or search online at

www.ExtendedStayHotels.com

[meyer]

The anchor just said he paid $60 for 5 gallons of gas. He said the man who sold it knew he would get that for it.

I'd have to sell about 50 gallons at that price to pay for a 2-day overnight trip to Houston and Back. Of course, getting back would be a serious problem.

[RoseofTexas]

Rita, can't seem to make up her mind! She changing her wiggly very slightly to the north I think!

[texsean]

I'm guessing the ships are entering and exiting the Houston Ship Channel.

[Howlin]

The Weather Channel.

[james_f_hall]

she does a little at times then a little west. not sure where she wants to go exactly. if we knew we'd be billionaires.

[meyer]

And if you'll recall, DEMS have been blasting highway expansion for evacs as "Pork"...

But, plenty of bike paths, and "large excavations" (aka Big Digs).

[Howlin]

trying to blame the authorities for the traffic jams.

What is their SOLUTION for that? How would THEY make it work better?

[tcrlaf]

Anybody have a legible GDFL chart? I can get one but it wants a subscriction to enlarge it...

[mathluv]

I know not all areas will flood. My cousins house survived the '94 flood - my apartment complex got some flooding.

My daughter said there was no water at Walmart this afternoon in Longview. She said it was like a zoo in there. Some shelves are empty.

[Types_with_Fist]

I've been seeing occassional jogs to the NNW. I don't know. Too much more of that and I don't see how Lake Charles to Lafayette doesn't get clobbered.

[olrtex]

Who's driving from Houston to Dt. Louis tpo stay in a $38 dollar hotel?