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Locked on 09/23/2005 9:43:13 AM PDT by Admin Moderator, reason:
Part VI: http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/news/1490045/posts |
Posted on 09/22/2005 5:44:09 PM PDT by 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
Since this a commercial motorbus, NTSB regulations forbid the movement of the vehicle while bodies remain on board and/or the crash investigation is underway.
Literally within the last 30 minutes per KLIF radio interview with the Dallas Cty Sheriff, the NTSB and Homeland Security gave permission to local officials to move the bus with bodies still on board to a remote location for the investigation to expedite opening the frwy for the evac.
Well, we don't want you to have to do that!
Guy in the hat and tight tee shirt on TWT just said that in Port Arthur, they picked people up in busses. Then they drove them to AF C130's (cargo planes) and just drove the busses in! Can you imagine being a passenger on those busses and riding into the cargo hold of a C130?
dayum!
The 10 am slew of updates is due in about 25 minutes (though they typically have been out about 5-10 minutes before the top of the hour).
Neighbors yesterday drove from Bryan to Waco. It took them 3 hours to make what is usually a 1-1/2 hour trip.
That is good news. Good ole Ankarlo.
National Travel Systems (NTS) is providing free one-way travel via air, bus or train for persons/families leaving a City of Fort Worth shelter/hotel for their final destination. And, NTS is offering free interstate or intrastate travel to help Gulf Coast guests reunite with their families before traveling to their final destination.
For example, if parents are in a shelter/hotel in Fort Worth and their children are in a shelter/hotel in Houston, NTS will pay to send the parents to Houston to get their children. Then, if the reunited family wants to live in Arkansas, NTS will pay for a one-way ticket to Arkansas. Airline and train tickets are non-refundable, meaning that if guests ask for the free tickets but fail to show up, they will NOT be eligible for other travel arrangements. Bus tickets, however, are good for 90 days. To take advantage of the NTS offer, call 817-392-1250. The coordinator will handle the details and make travel arrangements at least 36 hours in advance to give you time to prepare for your trip.
IMPORTANT: You will no longer be eligible for Tarrant County Hurricane Relief Assistance if you take advantage of the free travel arrangements. Additionally, if you have your own car, but you need gas to get to your destination, the city can arrange for a gas card. Simply check with your shelter/hotel coordinator.
She has B.S. degrees from both schools. Which one was first?
Morning AppyPappy, how have you been? How VA today?
The problem with that idea is that the Army and National Guard all run on Diesel. Their diesel nozzles do not fit in unleaded gas filler necks, they're too large.
That said, as of last night they were fitting these trucks with adapter nozzles and dumping their diesel loads, filling them with gasoline, and sending them out.
That's generous of both Fort Worth and NTS.
Oh God, I just got an image of Dominique De Villepin in my head.
Dry as a bone, Dixie. We are worried about forest fires more than anything. I hope SC is OK.
Fox ReporterDude
Water now coming via industrial canal and flooding parts of 9th ward. But not a breach. Also seepage at 17th canal.
No catastrophic failure yet per corps.
Contractors are on way.
Privately, ReporterDude says officials tell him they don't know how levees will hold up.
I'll be a non-participatory (married already) member. ;-)
Scary way to start a day.
West, out I-10 around the Katy area. He'll be okay if it hits around Beaumont.
Thank you for saying nicely what I am sure most of us saw in the statement.
LOL! My husband swears his mom could drive and spank all the kids in the backseat simultaneously.
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