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

[RDTF]

A little reading to catch up?

http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1489163/posts?q=1&&page=1

[LikeLight]

Engine company needed at Petro Truckstop . . . 100 people trying to get on buses for transport to airport . . . 1 firefighter on scene, needs manpower . . .

Beaumont scanner

[Palladin]

The eye may not hit Texas straight on, but with a 400-mile width, the rest of it sure will!

[Howlin]

Ramein noodles?

[laz]

So she has been going through ERC. I didn't think anything else could account for such weakening, considering the other conditions present. I guess we can expect her to ramp back up again, at least somewhat.

If the media hypes the weakening, though, some people who haven't evacuated yet may decide not to go, then find themselves with not enough time to do so should she go back to a 5.

[tx_eggman]

Now we're cooking with Gas!

Don't do it indoors w/o the appropriate detectors

[WhyisaTexasgirlinPA]

The current track is looking a bit better for my area - Im sorry for those in the Beaumont area - I'm wondering how the heck we will get back home..........

[NautiNurse]

I heard they got some burn patients transfered to Lubbock today.

[Calpernia]

I think my local radio stations should read these threads :)

Thanks for the updates!

[cgk]

Are they even making Excursions any more?

No, they're shelving them to make room for the new model: the Exploitation. ;)

SUV from he**

[LachlanMinnesota]

I predict a strong wind moving in a circle around a calm center...

[McGavin999]

What they need to do is ask locals not to use the highways. They know their way around the streets, leave the HWY for those who are evacuating and trying to get through or into town.

[meyer]

Now we're cooking with Gas!

LOL - I believe that we covered that subject in the last thread.

[realpatriot]

"Now we're cooking with Gas!"

Propane? Indoors?

Sorry!

[Spktyr]

The Excursion is soon to be out of production.

[KylaStarr]

Thank you so much for these threads and your continued updates.

Prayers are ongoing for all in the path of this storm.

[james_f_hall]

Gulf is not landfall. Those are points expected to be 65NM from eye.

[blastbaby]

I'm in Canada but just heard from 2 friends in Houston that tried to leave and they can't do it, they don't have enough gas for the lineups. And they thought they had prepared enough.

[commish]

It moved over cooler water and is going through eyewall replacement. It might intensify back to CAT5 as it moves over deep warm water.

Yep. ERC is completing, she held her strength pretty well, She is heading into a very warm eddy, and she is approaching the nighttime diurnal maximum. All the ingredients are there for her to ramp back up tonight.

The good news is that the coastal waters should not be able to sustain a CAT 5. Therefore, she will weaken some, we can pray that some dry air will entrain and help weaken her even more as she makes landfall. Unfortunately, even with that we are looking at a Katrina scenario in that even weakened she will most likely still be a CAT 4.

[Flyer]

I'm wondering how the heck we will get back home..........

Inbound is a breeze on 290. . . if ya got the gas.