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

[Lemondropkid31]

"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!"

Boy isnt that the truth. I have to travel that everyday and I always get stuck to a crawl.

[pistola]

Cut And Shoot, Texas is one of those cities that could only exist in Texas like Gun Barrel City, Texas

[prairiebreeze]

I had heard that same prediction earlier this evening, more for east TX and SW LA, less for Galveston directly.

But I thought I was gathering here that folks were concerned it'd turned back west back toward Galveston again.

It's awful to be so dry you'd take rain from a hurricane, isn't it. I know just what you mean, folks in the area I am now are soooo dry, they'd take it from practically any source.

[watchwoman]

I have to say that I will be disappointed if we don't even get a drop of rain, here in the DFW area...


I have a feeling there might be a few drops at least. Rita has a mind of her own...right now she's turning westward.

[Rte66]

I don't remember that decade, young'un!

[Spktyr]

Did that early this afternoon, with more than 36 hours to go.

[sinkspur]

I am amazed...I am not going to say that I wanted a hurricane, oh, no I didn't....but I have to say that I will be disappointed if we don't even get a drop of rain, here in the DFW area...

Are you kidding me? No rain at all?

That's not what The Weather Channel forecast says.

I thought the damned thing was supposed to stall out over the eastern half of the state and drop 25 inches?

[Palladin]

RUH-ROH!

[prairiebreeze]

Koppell is a paid parrot. He says what he's told to.

[PAR35]

Here's the contraflow list:

# All traffic lanes on U.S. 69 from Lumberton to Woodville are one way northbound.

# All traffic lanes on U.S. 96 from Evadale to Jasper are one way northbound.

# All traffic lanes on I-10 from State Highway 6 to Seguin are one way westbound.

# All traffic lanes on I-45 from FM 1488 south of Conroe to Fairfield are one way northbound.

Source: http://www.dot.state.tx.us/txdotnews/038-2005.htm

[Sender]

I just love it when some third-rank weather-cannon-fodder person is standing on a beach with gentle breezes and ankle-high waves, and he/she opines 'but we expect conditions to get a lot worse'. Thanks you guys.

[SouthTexas]

Amen.

[maeng]

Shoot, most of them don't know that is an average day for us Texans, and just 97 degress, a cool day.

[Txsleuth]

NO---some of the shows are trying to find anything they can, to complain about in Texas..

Tucker Carlson came on Scarborough's show to preview his by saying that at the Houston airports "of the 350 screener, BUSH screeners, 200 of them didn't bother to show up for work"...

Had to add the "Bush screeners" remark...blech!!!

[NCjim]

Just east of Raleigh, NC is Lizzard Lick. Home of Uncle Zeb's general store...

[handy]

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

Yup. it's a real town.

[steveegg]

Amen.

[Rte66]

Is that Old Dime Box or New Dime Box?

[nuclady]

Dear Lord - don't make it so! Except, I remember it as the Great Blizzard of '77. I had an 8-week old baby and husband was 150 miles away on a job and couldn't get home. Horrible wind and howled like a banshee 24/7. Never been so scared in my life. Tied a clothesline around my waist from hubbies workbench to go get firewood (snow up to my chest), and zero visibility, even in the yard. Took Army Corps of Engrs. to dig us out 8 days later. But, I heard the people at the ski resort across the way had a great time, ate & drank them out of everything and skiied some great powder once the winds died down.

I do NOT want to go thu that again, thank you very much! But, the caterpillars rule........ I intend to stock up more than usual this season. Thanks for the info.

Prayers for all those in Rita's way...

[Hilltop]

From "Montgomery, AL". although not a resident of monkey town, I doubt your doutbs.