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

[Strategerist]

To a degree, yes, but what it means more is that there will be no unusually sharp turn taking the storm into central LA; a hit that would put Galveston on the right side of the storm is very unlikely, however.

[tcrlaf]

Beaumont Police Scanner now up on Hurricane net...

/www.weatherserver.net/hurricanecenter/

[steveegg]

That's why I threw the WNW in there. There's a new Vortex report up. Will have it here shortly.

[Veto!]

Prayers for a swift and safe journey, gab1279. Be sure to let us know when you've reached Shreveport.

[Zacs Mom]

My hubby was born in Port Arthur! You and yours are in our prayers! Please check in when you can!

[not-alone]

You will be in my thoughts and prayers

[fjsva]

Not a helicopter expert, but I understand there's a lot of static electricity from the rotors. Don't think I want to use a gas hose dangling down from a helicopter.

[tcrlaf]

Here we go...

Gasoline riot in Beaumont, police responding...

[conservative in nyc]

Jim Cantore from the Weather Channel is currently in the process of trying to drive from Galveston to Port Arthur, but he's stuck in traffic.

All the more reason to evacuate Port Arthur.

National Media always tries to focus on places they can relate to the whole country, because people have either been there or heard of there..New Orleans, Houston, or Galveston (now famous because of Isaac's Storm.)

Not only that, but Beaumont-Port Arthur is a relatively small TV market (140 of 210). Try getting a satellite truck there. The local stations probably don't have many. You'd need to drive one in from Houston or points beyond.

The same thing happened in Gulfport-Biloxi.

[Strategerist]

Is Beaumont itself vulnerable to surge? I know there's a deepwater ship channel leading there but it's really far inland. I can't find a surge map for Jefferson County.

[Crawdad]

Riot at the Fina Station. Wow.

[RDTF]

Turn on Fox - talking about Galvston 1900

[LikeLight]

Oh crap, I was stupid enough to start listening to a live scanner feed from Beaumont, TX. Call just came in that there's a riot at a Union gas station. And already the airport there is becoming backlogged with medically needy evacuees. But no more flights. Red Cross people are already gone. The system is breaking down. Firefighters haven't eaten all day. Tension is rising in the voices.

[Howlin]

I grabbed it; I'm trying to get anybody I see for my list.

Thanks.

[NautiNurse]

Long night ahead...

[SE Mom]

Just started reading "Isaac's Storm"...

[steveegg]

Fresh Vortex Data Message - Eye fix at 6:28 pm CDT (previous was at 5:11) - New max flight-level wind of 125 knots in the NE quad -

000
URNT12 KNHC 222338
VORTEX DATA MESSAGE
A. 22/23:28:50Z
B. 26 deg 01 min N
  089 deg 49 min W
C. 700 mb 2346 m
D. NA  kt
E. NA  deg     nm
F. 132 deg 125 kt
G. 047 deg 024 nm
H.         913 mb
I.  11 C/ 3052 m
J.  18 C/ 3050 m
K.  15 C/ NA
L. OPEN NE-SE
M. CO16/35
N. 12345/ 7
O. 0.02 /  1 nm
P. AF306 WX18A RITA01       OB 16
MAX FL WIND 125 KT NE QUAD 23:21:20 Z
OUTER EYEWALL SMALL OPENING W

Other significant changes -

- Movement 3 minutes north, 10 minutes west (more of a westward jog than previously)
- Both inner (NE-to-SE) and outer (small W) now open (previously, only the inner was open to the east
- Concentric eyes 16 nm and 35 nm wide (was 14 nm and 35 nm last time through)

[james_f_hall]

Do a loop, like Jeanne or Ivan?

[eastforker]

I understand just personal preferance thats all.

[steveegg]

Jim Cantore from the Weather Channel is currently in the process of trying to drive from Galveston to Port Arthur, but he's stuck in traffic.

Run for your lives, Port Arthur! Jungle Jim Cantore's coming, and he's bringing company.