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

[WSGilcrest]

Forwarding a request from a faithful priest in Plano, TX

Facing Another Storm in Prayer

Dear Friends,

Once again we are faced with a grave and increasing danger. As Hurricane Rita approaches the coast of Texas, we will be watching and waiting and hoping for the best. But, as people of faith, we should be praying, too. I mean really praying.

It is not unusual for the people to pray for God’s intervention in a dangerous storm. See Mark 4:35-41. Indeed, God can use a terrible storm to accomplish His perfect will. See Jonah 1:4. God can also dissipate a storm. So as we face another storm of immense proportion, this time chastened by the damage of Katrina, let us go to the Lord in prayer for all those in the coastal regions.

I have written a prayer for you to pray and to forward to your many friends and contacts in your address book via email. I urge you to do it now. There is great power and thanks when many people pray and the Lord grants favor. See II Corinthians 1:11. So, please either forward this page or cut and paste this prayer, but in some way, get it out into cyberspace so that many more people can uphold those who are in harm’s way. Please do it now.

Dear Heavenly Father,
Your powerful hand created all that has been and guides all that will be. But now, in this hour of danger, protect us from the coming storm. Dissipate its strength and remove its threat. Keep our people and property safe and able to do the work you have given us to do. By your gracious hand, spread across our nation the faith to call upon you, the hope to trust in you, and the love to honor you by the lives we live; we ask this through Jesus Christ the Lord.
Amen.

Faithfully Yours in Christ,

The Rev. Canon David H. Roseberry is Rector of Christ Church, Plano, Texas

[Vintage1]

Now on CNN - report on 8 NOLA police looting, stealing generator from hospital to keep their beer cold and holding up in a hotel room. Surprisingly honest from CNN. Damning to the NO PD - at least these 8 officers.

[LikeLight]

I-10 now clear, not hardly any cars out here at all...

Beaumont scanner

[kagnew]

I think you're right. My husband is a Shriner and has taken patients over there from San Antonio. It's the only one that I know of in that area that has a burn unit.

[Alia]

Don't know. Yet. But got this joke via email, today:
*****
A very genteel Southern lady was driving across the Savannah River Bridge in GA one day. As she neared the top of the bridge, she noticed a young man ready [fixin] to jump.

She stopped her car, rolled down the window and said, "Please don't jump, think of your dear mother and father."

He replied, "Mom and Dad are both dead; I'm going to jump."

She said, "Well, think of your wife and children."

He replied, "I'm not married and I don't have any kids."

She said, "Well, think of Robert E. Lee."

He replied, "Who's Robert E. Lee? "

She replied, "Well, just go ahead and jump, you dumb-arsed Yankee

[steveegg]

That makes it even longer.

10 pm flurry of updates due in 22 minutes.

[nascaryankee]

"Joe is a typical pol, lecturing those who are working their arses off trying to save lives.

I wish I could think of a word for this kind of man, he just makes me sick."

I like Joe. It just seems he is letting his emotions get ahead of himself.

[james_f_hall]

Wait til later. The Chief says they weren't looting. They were protecting property. Kicking down doors...

[NCjim]

CHICKEN FENDERS - Boneless breast of chicken, battered and deep fried. Served with BBQ sauce or Tabasco sauce

[CindyDawg]

I love being a "grannie" Right now though I can't enjoy the 3/4/5 year old together. The oldest is fine but the other two. forget about it. They fight horribly. I spend one on one time with them.

[Rte66]

Then I won't tell you I didn't. RE Lee (when it was good--I'm old, very old). Were you a Cardinal--Bellaire, that is?

[Zacs Mom]

I-45 in The Woodlands is always a mess! All the way thru Conroe! Because of construction they've got something like 5 lanes that funnel down, almost instantly, to one!

[Peach]

Thanks for the information everybody. Thank goodness people can get moving again.

[Rumierules]

Ivan and Dennis were both 3s but Ivan was about 3 times worse. Any realistic hope that Rita might "fall apart" at landfall like Dennis did?

I recall Dennis sucked in dry air.

[NautiNurse]

Thank you for posting that very special prayer.

[duffthor]

Did I just hear the TV guy mention a town called "Cut And Shoot"?

[oceanview]

the New Orleans POLICE are looting?

Honore should order they be shot on sight.

[Vintage1]

Yeah - hearing that the only reason TX was prepared was because of the lessons learned from Katrina - and FEMAs response is Bush's way of atoning for mis-steps in NOLA. Ugh.

[sinkspur]

Traffic is gonna be a cinch tomorrow. So, anybody who stayed, and with this storm drifting back toward Houston, load up the car and go. But, you need to have a full tank, as there appears to be little gas anywhere in Harris county.

[Flyer]

Were you a Cardinal--Bellaire, that is?

In the early 70's, yes.