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

[fredhead]

One of our local meteorologists (Norfolk VA) stated that Rita as a Cat 5 hurricane is a giant F3 tornado, just in a way of comparison.

[dixie sass]

Thanks, I guess, lol. The only good thing about this cycle is that it takes the pressure off of the east coast for a few years.

I can remember Daddy being gone for weeks when he was doing insurance adjusting work on some of those storms. He always came home depressed about what he saw.

[mware]

Forward speed was still about 9 mph in a general west-northwest direction in the 7 am advisory.

Given a 250 mile wide hurricane at 9mph, that would have the storm hitting an area for at least 27 hours.

[IamConservative]

Rita as a Cat 5 hurricane is a giant F3 tornado, just in a way of comparison.

...and she is an F3 tornado about 75 miles wide or more.

[Quilla]

Good morning,

Please allow me to share my prayers for the safety of our freepers and all the fine folks in the path of this horrific storm.

Thanks again, NautiNurse, for providing this thread.

[neal1960]

After Katrina someone posted a scanner link to the NO police dept. Anyone have a link to Houston or surrounding areas?

[silentknight]

MORNING ON RITA

[B]MORNING SUNRISE[/B]

September 22nd - A beautiful hurricane this morning

http://www5.wright-weather.com/bb/showthread.php?s=&postid=456311#post456311

[dixie sass]

No comment! Glad that you called before leaving.

[texianyankee]

From this morning's issue of the Bryan-College Station Eagle:

...As of Wednesday evening, enough shelters had been lined up to accommodate just over 4,000 evacuees, and officials expected them to be full by sunrise. Space likely will be made for another 6,000 evacuees Thursday when the Bryan and College Station school districts begin putting more shelters online, but then the area will have reached capacity, they said....

Click the link below for good info about the Bryan/College Station area.

The Eagle

[NautiNurse]

Burned out on hurricanes here too. This one is still spooking me. We are under a high surf and tide advisory all the way over here in Tampa Bay. It's a monster storm.

[AntiGuv]

Looks as if the outer bands are just getting to New Orleans. I'm surprised I didn't see any hysterical reporters on TV babbling about the first drop of rain..

[Types_with_Fist]

Just getting up this morning, looking at the loop, Rita appears to be smaller this morning? I'm still hearing "Cat 5" but it looks smaller to me. Does anybody else see this?

[Halls]

looks like this storm is headed straight for Beaumont. My good friend just evacuated her house there this morning at 6am and head to her grandmas house 3 hrs north. I'm so worried for her house. It is a mile from the coast!

[truthandlife]

Do you know of any alternative routes tht might work?

Not too many alternatives. There are just too many people trying to get out. They are opening I45 to contraflow. 290 is next and then they will try to do I-10 but that will be tough.

[PatriotGirl827]

Fox News is in love with Trump. I don't get it. They consult him on everything from the war, to the economy, to oil prices, to reconstructing N.O. and what to do about hurricane Rita.

BTW, I am worried sick about all you folks in harm's way. God Bless everyone and keep them safe!

[NautiNurse]

I think our South Texas FReepers can start standing down, cause this thing wants to go north.

Maybe you should tell that to the TX Governor. He was still telling coastal residents from Beaumont to Corpus Christi to evacuate this morning.

[AntiGuv]

Just getting up this morning, looking at the loop, Rita appears to be smaller this morning? I'm still hearing "Cat 5" but it looks smaller to me. Does anybody else see this?

Yes, it is smaller, but people are getting the notion that Cat 5s have to be big. They don't necessarily. Andrew and Camille were small, but they packed a big punch.

[RedBloodedAmerican]

I got over 2" rain last night in about an hour (it was so loud it woke me up) and the cfnews13.com weather guy said this a.m. that it was from the hurricane pulling more moisture into it.
Wasn't Katrina a 5 when it hit land?

[blam]

Good Morning.

Does anyone know what the Weather Channel Setting is on DirecTV? (Thanks)

[Types_with_Fist]

Right. I just wasn't sure if I was seeing things or not. Thanks...:-)