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

[Zacs Mom]

Is that the Hogg famous for naming his two daughters Ima Hogg and Ura Hogg??

;^)

[deport]

why aren't people going west? Why is everyone just driving north?

---

That's where the cow trails lead when they laid out the roads. But most major highways from the coast head in a northerly direction. I-10 goes east/west but the area to the west was predicted to get hurricane force winds if the storm went in around Matagorda Bay. The major roads north out are I-35, I-45, US290, US59, US 69/96/287..... And finally the evacuation plan has the north roads having the row with an evacuation call thus the smaller towns along the way have binking caution signals in their towns for North traffic with east/west traffic having blinking red. Thus you may or may not be able to cross with any consistency in an east/west mode. just some of the reasoning I think.

[Txsleuth]

I heard on local radio in the Dallas area...that you couldn't go south on I-45 after the Ennis/287 split...

[maeng]

We have a cold front coming in on Monday and a really good chance for rain then.

[jpsb]

I am back at home, tried to evacuate, ain't happening, all roads out are parking lots, much better to hunker down at home, will report more next am.

[CedarDave]

KPRC signing off to simulcast with KTRH -- announcer saying we will get through this, have faith, you will be surprised when it is over what we have done, after all we are TEXANS!

[PAR35]

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'd had them off for several days, but I turned the soaker hoses back on this afternoon. Of course, I've been running the sprinklers.

[John Jamieson]

What? Where?

[the Deejay]

I WANT SOME RAIN!!!

Me, too!! It's SO DRY!! here in the desert.

[freeperfromnj]

2.5 million evacuated in 24 hours. That's amazing. Media seems to think millions of people could evacuate the 4th largest city in the country without a traffic jam. I think they'll be stuck with the "stuck on stupid" label for some time to come.

[Txsleuth]

HAH...I just reread my post about the airport screeners...

and remembered that Houston has a Bush Airport...hopefully, that is what Tucker was referring to...when he say Bush screeners didn't show up...

I will watch and see.

[newzjunkey]

She's turned hasn't she? Headed for the TX / LA border? Incredible!

[GOP_1900AD]

We were within 20 miles of being correct when it came to Ivan (remember? ;) OK, so this time around, I am going to say, 20 miles NE of Galveston. Mark my words .... :-)

[KingKongCobra]

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

Well, it's Bush Intercontenental Airport. Bush for short.

[Nachoman]

They've narrowed down the rain forcast for somewhere between 2 to 38 inches in the DFW area.

[BIGLOOK]

I'm rather fond of Jellied Eel. Also cockles and mussels.....Alive Alive O!

A long time back I went through SERE, Deep sea survival and Jungle survival schools. Find it, eat it. Enjoy!

[ekwd]

Bucks Pocket, Alabama

[dandelion]

Please be careful! We are praying for you - are you on high ground?

[fishntex]

Wow! They have the highest probability being Galveston again.

[Alia]

And yes, I mean be a part of. You become part of the storm

No, I'm not selling the book; but you'd relate to it very well (Isaac's Storm). Told from the perspective of being a "part of the storm".