Hurricane Rita Live Thread, Part V

NHC - NOAA ^ | 22 September 2005 | NHC - NOAA

[NautiNurse]

Extremely dangerous Category Four Hurricane Rita continues to move toward landfall along the northwest Gulf of Mexico shoreline. Mandatory and voluntary evacuations continue across Texas and Louisiana coastal areas. Lake Charles LA is providing evacuations by bus for residents who have no transportation.

Traffic gridlock in the greater Houston area was compounded by gasoline stations without fuel, long lines at those stations still carrying fuel, and record breaking temperatures on the first day of autumn.

Offshore drilling platforms and rigs, as well as oil refineries, petrochemical and natural gas plants are in the path of the storm. Wave heights recorded by buoy have exceeded 38 feet. The refineries threatened by Hurricane Rita are on higher ground than those affected by flooding from Katrina. As a result, speculation abounds regarding future prices for winter heating fuel and gasoline.

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
KPLC-TV Lake Charles KPLC Streaming
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 IV
Hurricane Rita Live Thread, Part III
Hurricane Rita Live Thread, Part II
Hurricane Rita Live Thread, Part I
Tropical Storm Rita
Tropical Depression 18

[Liberty Valance]

-+-We are experiencing lots of coastal evacuees here in Kerrville. all the gas stations are pumping as fast as they can. Drove by one station near our office---empty. 15 minutes later refueled by a gas truck and they were already lining up. We are 250 miles inland and i'm glad i bought two loaves of bread yesterday. On the plus side, lots of people looking at real estate ;o) My BIL just came in from near Victoria where he was working on the nuclear plant shutdown. He brought his mom and a boat back with him ;o) Hope all the Houston FReepers are holding up OK. I know this is the largest evacuation in Texas history but I've got a feeling it rivals anything in US history.

[McLynnan]

I'm in Waco too, and our hospital began receiving patients yesterday from the Houston area. Thank God they moved to get those people out safely ahead of time.

[ex-Texan]

Thanks for the links, Skylab. I predicted Rita would hit Louisiana last night. Based on my research this afternoon, it's better for our economy this way. Texas has the most oil refineries. Our economy would take too much of a hit if Rita trashed the oil rigs and refineries in and near Texas.

[LA Woman3]

http://www.nola.com/newsflash/louisiana/index.ssf?/base/news-19/1127402941294101.xml&storylist=louisiana

As many as 500,000 people in southwestern Louisiana, many of them already displaced by Hurricane Katrina, were told to evacuate Thursday as Hurricane Rita headed for a forecast landfall near the Texas state line.

[nwctwx]

I wouldn't want to be on those roads... lots of stories out there today.

[NormsRevenge]

gotta say I'd like to know the answer to that southbound lane question. Did you catch the response?

--

No, I was grabbing a beer. :-)

[meyer]

I topped off my tank, and stocked up an additional 15 gal. this afternoon. I felt like I was stealing cookies from the cookie jar.

I did the same thing - topped off the car and the mower, and then stocked up with 17 additional gallons in 3 jerry cans. After the shortages of regular unleaded following Katrina, I'm not taking any chances with this one. I can go 2-3 weeks on what I have if necessary.

[Racehorse]

My sister that lives in Corpus Christi has made it safely to Harlingen with her family.

That is good news!

Wonder how the folks out on Mustang/Padre island made out with the evacuation?

[steveegg]

Speaking of flooding, Greg Forbes on TWC is saying 6-10' water rise and 20-30' waves (with higher local amounts) between just west of Galveston to roughly the coast south of Lake Charles.

[Tuxedo]

Rita has yet to make up her mind on where she wants to spend the weekend. While the high may be opening enough to let her check out the refineries around Port Arthur, the nice warm offshore temps (it has been blazing in South Texas all week) around Galveston look mighty tempting. She could head on her current track and enjoy the island life there, tour the seawall, and eventually water my lawn here in San Antonio.

Bottom line is I'll believe the turn when I see the turn.

[fishntex]

"H. EXTRAP 916 mb"

Doesn't this indicate the eyewall replacement cycle?

Last night this value was "Closed".

Can the eyewall become closed again tonight and tomorrow? It is supposed to run over a patch of warmer water tonight.

[NCjim]

Good evening - between work and extracurricular activities it's been a zoo. Now I have a couple of hours to catch up on the last 48 hours.

The worrisome thing I see is that from the NOAA/NHC 5PM EDT projection, the storm will remain over east Texas for at least 72 hours. That will be a horrible beating if it comes to fruition.

[NautiNurse]

The main thing that would hinder it in my opinion would be her sitting off the coast and sucking in dry air off the landmass.

:o) That's exactly what I said on the last thread...

[nwctwx]

Mexicans actually FLEEING BACK TO MEXICO.

Some good news for a change. ;-)

[PokeyJoe]

Can I link to a graphic? (homer in shower)

[LikeLight]

White male taking air conditioner from window...police en route...

Beaumont scanner

[spectre]

Rita Cosby, MSNBC is going to interview a man who is "watching" the world's six deadliest virus's on GALVASTON Island...coming up next.

sw

[cgk]

BlogHouston.net.

and here's a whole blog of local bloggers/Rita coverage:

Don't blame me, I didn't name the site

[Flyer]

I'm here to stay. Several of us had a plan in place to go if we decided to, but we will all be here.

[meyer]

Her-ricane 'Rita Cosby is asking why weren't southbound lanes opened earlier to northbound traffic,,

Because some people still needed to go south. Or, because individual jurisdictions weren't tuned in to the plan.