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

[Maeve]

Looks like you could still get some pretty heavy winds. Here's a prayer for you and your loved one's to be safe.

[samantha]

I believe I remember that Donald Trump had huge financial difficulties about 15 years ago. I cannot remember all the details, but I would not want him handling all that money. I do not trust him as far as I could throw him.

[bwteim]

Max Mayfield is probably saying the same thing.

http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1489163/posts?page=398#398

[Gondring]

I'm not saying that the storm surge was caused by levee breach. I'm saying that they have concluded that the assumption that the storm surge was high (and overtopping the levees) was an incorrect assumption. It seems now that there was not the overtopping that was claimed, and the storm surge was less than originally thought.

[sarasota]

The consumer is the least of the problem with the gas gouging process. Are the refineries the ones making the big bucks?

[ARealMothersSonForever]

If anyone has the latest NHC prediction, please ping me to it. Will be busy doing some pro-active chainsaw work today. Figure it is easier to make big trees into small chunks before they come through the house.

[Cboldt]

One thing that these traffic images illustrate is how woefully inadequate our road system is.

Mary Landrieu noted that as well, talking with Chris Wallace on Fox News Sunday.

Praying that God have his angels watch over all in danger's way.

[tx_eggman]

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!

It took me 8 hrs + to get to Austin, normally a 2 hr 50 min drive, I left at 3:00 PM yesterday.

[NautiNurse]

The lastest advisories and discussions are linked at the top of the thread. No need to wait for a ping.

[lula]

Please add me to your ping lists.
I have a daughter in Houston and one in Tampa bay.
Thanks

[bwteim]

Perhaps, but Alberta's Child wasn't cutting Shep any slack that night;)

[TX Bluebonnet]

Thanks. Praying for a miracle that this storm peters out somewhat before it hits - wherever it hits.

[BureaucratusMaximus]

traffic out of Houston moving at FOUR mph

OK see...thats what I don't get...after the first 2 hours of sittng on an expressway going 20mph stop and go I'd most certainly start taking secondary roads and head north and/or west. WTF? Are the interstates the only way out of the Houston area?

[Conservomax]

Essentially because a high pressure system is moving out of the area, it was this high that was keeping it south.

[NautiNurse]

done

[john316]

exits are being blocked to control trafic flow

[johnb838]

When the freeways get jammed, everything gets jammed.

[Maeve]

Aggie Mama, I'll add you to my Rosary and my Chaplet. May Jesus by His Most Sacred Heart keep you and yours safe.

[NautiNurse]

Tell me where along the MS coastline there are levees.

[janetjanet998]

there is evidence of SW wind shear now over Rita..may weaken it..notice how the SW side of the storm is getting squashed back towards the eye and the NE part of it fanning out NE..thats wind shear from the south west..