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

[newzjunkey]

During the Trump interview, BOR sounded like an old record skipping: "Halliburton?" "Halliburton." "Hall-i-burton!"

[Blennos]

The best thing this storm could do it turn N and plow into NO again. I'd rather we have to rebuild one major city/port instead of two.

This is not the best thing for the people who lives in or near New Orleans. Such facile comments show a lack of sensitivity to the many real people who are under the gun from these storms. If you are having a good time watching the fun and thinking about your favorite target city, then keep it to yourself. Please.

[Colorado Doug]

Find jugs and fill them with water -- I don't get this fascination with the stores running out of water. If you don't have jugs, go to the store and buy anything that hold liquid, and fill it with water. A couple of large plastic containers would do great, like those 50-gallon trash cans, or rubbermaid stuff.

I might add that hot water heaters hold lots of water. Turn off the water supply valve to the house just before things get bad so the water can't drain out or get contaminated, turn off the gas or electric to the heater and you can use the spigot at the bottom of the heater to retrieve 30 or 40 gallons of water as needed.

[JFC]

http://www.950kprc.com/audio.html

listen to this station in Houston, they are reporting from the highways with callers.... saying NO GAS anywhere!!!

[Xenalyte]

We're heading for Brenham, northwest of Houston. We'll probably head northeast first, then cut across when we find uninhabited back roads.

[abb]

All set here in north LA now. Got jugs of ice in the freezer, extra batteries, and all gas cans full.

[Quilla]

SIPHONING GAS IS EXTREMELY DANGEROUS AND SHOULD NOT BE DONE

They need to print that on every garden hose sold in my state. Anytime my husband sees a short length of hose, he jokingly refers to it as an Alabama credit card.

[indcons]

Pls. add me to your ping list too. Thanks

[CharlesWayneCT]

Definitely be careful not to lock your steering.

But at 4 miles per hour, on a straight highway, the power steering isn't a problem. If you don't have the strength to put the brakes on without power, definitely don't do this. It isn't easy -- I should have said that.

If your emergency brake works, it is another way to control your speed without engine power. But I would only mess with this if I had another 50 miles to go and was down to my last gallon of gas.

I don't think you should have to do this, the roads should clear up.

I'll admit that I wouldn't do this myself, but I wouldn't have to, because both my cars are Priuses, and they shut down their engines when stopped -- another advantage of hybrids, which will get you 30 mpg in stop-and-go traffic, (so long as you don't run the AC full blast).

[OB1kNOb]

"BAD NEWS..she goes right over the heart of the oil/gas fields and New orleans get more surge into the lake and rain"

Oil rig map

You got that right. The map in this link shows yesterday's projected path for Rita, so if you shift its path N-NE, she plows through many manned oil platforms (grey spots on the map). Lord help us.

[bwteim]

Your co-worker is not really that full of it.

Florida IS prepared to do a Contra-Flow in event of need due to last year.

(But it is not happening now, ekwd.)

See

http://www.dot.state.fl.us/publicinformationoffice/moreDOT/spenews/contraflow.htm

and see
http://www.dot.state.fl.us/turnpikepio/ContraFlow/Contraflow_FAQ.pdf

[Jrabbit]

My hubby just called from downtown Dallas.....I-45 is packed, even this far north.

[RDTF]

Neat stuff here from NASA:

Hurricane Hunters Spot Hot Towers in Hurricane Rita

http://www.nasa.gov/vision/earth/lookingatearth/rita_hot_towers.html

[Fawn]

How long before landfall does FL start contraflow?

That's what I'm trying to find out. As far as I know, it only happened once in Orange county (mid state?). We have millions and millions (At leat 5 million) in South Florida...and they never had the main highways ALL go NOrthbound....that I know of.

[janetjanet998]

if this thing hit southwest LA now..it will be worse in the sense that alot of people in houston likley headed that way since yesterday it looked like houston west/south would be in trouble..

now the roads are jammed and the people that live in LA that need to evacuate will be slowed down

[kassie]

Just came back from Kroger's. People are bumper to bumper stuck on hwy 6. So they're running in to use the restrooms. There is an attendant just inside the doors pointing towards the bathrooms.

Kroger employees are being very good to everyone. Very helpful and comforting.

[CharlesWayneCT]

OK, I revoke that bad suggestion. I've never done it in an automatic transmission before -- in a manual, you just use the clutch for most braking at those speeds.

[JFC]

Love TEXAS!!!! Thank you all fellow TEXANS...... your the best.

[BureaucratusMaximus]

We're heading for Brenham, northwest of Houston. We'll probably head northeast first, then cut across when we find uninhabited back roads.

Good...I'm glad you're leaving. Now get off the 'puter and get yer arse in gear!

[NautiNurse]

Glad to hear it. I have a feeling you are going to get more storm this time.