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

[onyx]

OMG! Thanks for the information and kind offer. I'll check MS NOAA statement right now!

[CedarDave]

KPRC reporting the HOV from Highway 6 north now open also (why not earlier, don't know)

Ignore this report, I may have misunderstood whether they were talking about I-10 or I-45 since my map doesn't show 6 as crossing I-45. Time to take a break. See you guys on the other side.

[Shqipo]

Jeep Wrangler
---You chose..,wisely!
(Indy Jones & Jeep bump!)

[LikeLight]

Buses . . . several out picking people up . . . likely to have 150 people (45+ there already) . . . will need security, facilities and food for these people . . .

Beaumont scanner.

(this sound all to much like N.O. three weeks ago - I think they're staging at an airport this time)

[publana]

Nissan is French! 50% anyway.

[kingu]

At a news conference, Janelle Gbur of the Texas Department of Transportation, said converting the lanes involved measures - stopping inbound traffic, blocking entrances, turning around incoming traffic - that Texas had never undertaken before. The contraflow lanes are expected to remain in effect until Friday evening, or until traffic subsides. -- source KRT Wire

If you plan on going south, don't plan on using the I-45 until Saturday.

[tcrlaf]

<>> When it comes time to save your family by pushing something/someone out of the way, or fording an obstacle, the only thing that matter is HORSEPOWER.... Suburban/Excursion are my choices... And it's time to replace the Suburban I have anyway...

[steveegg]

Now that's what I call way too little production.

[Lemondropkid31]

But is 45 south goling to be open tomorrow? I have to get into the woodlands

[commish]

Not so good it has taken so long... she might not go through another before landfall. Still some warm waters to go through.

I'm on the same page. Very concerned she is going to ramp back up later tonight. She has a very warm eddy to go over still, and she will be hitting right at the perfect time for her. I think we will see CAT 5 again with Rita.

As I said earlier though, don't see how the Coastal waters could support that, so she just has to weaken again before landfall.

Unfortunately, we have another Katrina scenario -- she has already built up a huge amount of surge. I am fearful of how far east she might still track. If she gets into SW LA, she could cause enough of a surge into Lake P that the weakened NO levees could give way again.

[Veto!]

Thanks, Wthrman13. I hope Houston won't be too blown away....so many people and buildings to paste together afterwards.

[AggieMom x 3]

Where do you work? Are you sure you're still supposed to go in tomorrow? The entire city is pretty much shut down at this point. Check with your boss.

[Brad’s Gramma]

That's what I've been thinking, all along, with each satellite pic I see.

[Dane]

Hurrican Rita Live Thread Part V

[LikeLight]

Trying to get "staff officer" on radio . . . dispatcher "I'm trying, they're not answering" . . . Bubba is only staff officer he can find, asking him to come to Civic Center (maybe this is where they are, not an airport?)

Beaumont scanner.

[Spktyr]

Divide by 10 to get the real numbers. CNN reporterettes can't count.

That said, the cars might be left behind, but they're using buses to distribute water for a reason - if the car can't be restarted, the people are put on a bus and the bus goes to Austin.

Also, this isn't URGENTURGENTULTRAPANICTIME yet, either. We still have a good 30 hours before it starts getting bad. This isn't NO where the idiots left it to the last day.

[Guenevere]

LOL...I'm with ya.

He did tell me he got extra food :)

[james_f_hall]

I remember reading reports here that police were going to new car dealers and commandeering SUVs, then loading up loot in them.

This won't happen in Texas. If it does, that person is no longer an officer of the law and a Texan will protect his property.

[Spktyr]

Yeah, I've got a buddy up there I can stay with for a while if need be. It's one of my plans. I'm actually in Richardson, BTW.

[NautiNurse]

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