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

[Rumierules]

Didn't Dennis become a 5 and even make landfall as 4 or strong 3 but do little damage because, in part, it fell apart quickly? It was also moving forward at a nice clip.

[AntiGuv]

wow - thanks for the pics! I've been wanting to see good pics of Plaquemines for two weeks now.

[metmom]

It turns north because of the Coriolis Effect. Everything in the northern hemisphere deflects to the right. Plus the prevaling soutwesterlies give it an added push.

[blam]

"Hubby filled up the gas tanks in two of his boats (150 gallons each) just prior to Katrina. I have mixed emotions about the practice. One, I think we contributed to the increased demand and subsequent rise in prices. Yet on the other hand, it is reassuring to have the gas available."

Yup. I thought the same thing. I guess it's the Boy Scout in me, "Be Prepared".

[Peach]

Foreign mercenaries in New Orleans?

This article confirms a story told to us by another freeper during Katrina.

http://freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1489216/posts

[mathluv]

The thing with taking side/back roads is getting over bridges. They limit where you can go.

[blam]

"Weather Channel is 362 on DirecTV"

Thanks Diane. I lost it off my Favorites list.

[cll]

I must say that I am totally humbled by this year's season. Here I thought I lived in Hurricane Alley, the peak of the season is behind us and we haven't had so much as a TS watch.

My prayers and respects to my FRiends in the continent.

[Zacs Mom]

My husband left Galveston 4-1/2 before the mandatory evacuation at about 1:30 yesteday afternoon ~ once across the causeway he took "side roads" ~ he took HWY 146 to Hwy 59 and at 8:00AM this morning he is still south of Lufkin!

[twigs]

It could even be more than that. A number of callers into the Bill Bennett morning show yesterday, in response to who should be Katrina clean-up czar, was Donald Trump. He, no doubt, has heard and could be showing his "wisdom" for the administration. I personally think that the Donald is greatly overrated, even though a lot of conservatives seem quite taken with him these days.

[r9etb]

Good grief! Why don't people take side roads? Accounts of people taking the freeways is "gridlock." Surely there must be other roads out of these cities.

There are some Farm-to-Market roads around Houston that might work ... but they may be stacked up, too.

[shield]

Rita is sucking in dry air. That's why she's weakening. There's lots of dry air in the direction she's moving...

[TX Bluebonnet]

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

I'm debating whether or not to leave. My parents aren't leaving until early tomorrow, so I will wait til late this afternoon to make up my mind. As of now, looks like Victoria will be spared the worst. Bugging out of here with a large dog and 2 cats will be no picnic. Don't want to do it if I don't absolutely have to.

[bwteim]

Except in Shep Smith's bathtub. Then, all bets are off.

http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1474026/posts?page=35#35

Shep Smith: "The water level in New Orleans keeps rising, and nobody knows why."

Alberta's Child: "What is he, a freakin' moron? The water level keeps rising because the elevation of New Orleans is lower than the elevation of the adjacent waterways. Maybe Shep ought to go home and try to fill the north half of his bathtub to get an understanding of some very rudimentary principles of fluid mechanics."

[Gondring]

But since she moved to MSNBC we don't have to see as much of her...

ROTFLOL!

So glad I don't watch TV.

[Pharmboy]

Well, when it hit Cat 5 yesterday, we cancelled our meeting in Big D. Thanks for the advice, though.

[sweet_diane]

You're welcome blam :)

DirecTV is way better than cable, but I do miss 'local on the 8's'. You'd think that two huge companies like Weather Channel and DirecTV could work it out so we could get local weather!

Am watching this storm as it appears Rita will do directly over my sisters house :( She and her family left League City at 11:45 last night...going to be calling her soon to see what progress they've made heading to Trinity.

[NautiNurse]

18 hours later hubby and his 94 year old aunt have managed to travel just under 165 miles.

God bless them!

[NTegraT]

"water level keeps rising"

They also shut off the pumps, didn't they?

[Aggie Mama]

Why don't people take side roads? Accounts of people taking the freeways is "gridlock

We tried doing this around 5 am. We are not even in the evacuation zone, we were just worried about riding out the storm. ALL of the back road are bumper to bumper too. It's absolutely horrifying. They tell us out in the suburbs to "ride it out".