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

[cookcounty]

Wht did everyone hit the Interstate? Why not drive toward Galveston, then drive south along the coast, and then inland?

[Spktyr]

"Houston Ship Channel". Big artificial bay right next to Houston.

[technochick99]

Hey I have a min-pin too!

Just one?!?

[ekwd]

About 45 miles. Katrina did serious damage to MS for at least 60 miles inland.

[I'll be your Huckleberry]

Good to "see" you again.

Yes, I lost that bet. When there is such a large pool of betters the margin of error is extremely small

i.e. One of the parlay bets I make each Sunday is a promotion by the Cal Neva where you pick all the Sunday Games with no point spread and there was one winner last week who had all the games correct.

My guess is, that it is a pool of players laying off all the close games and splitting the winnings, but who knows. Luck can be crazy.

[Dog Gone]

I'm going to try to get a long sleep in tonight. I slept awful last night when the model runs picked my house to converge.

It looks better now but it's still iffy, and I'm pretty darn sure I won't sleep at all tomorrow night.

Thanks for all you do, NN.

[steveegg]

Wht did everyone hit the Interstate? Why not drive toward Galveston, then drive south along the coast, and then inland?

Lack of familiarity with the back roads? Fear of sticking around the coast?

[seeker41]

How far from the coast is Houston? It seems unusual that people are evacuating Houston.

Houston is huge - spread out many many miles, and doesn't end till you get to Galveston. From City Hall it is 50 to 60 miles from the coast...

[sinkspur]

I was flipping between 11 and 8----and they were showing all of the lines of cars in the gas stations...

I went to Wal-Mart this morning to pick up some Romaine Lettuce and lemonade (I drink lemonade ALL DAY). Anyway, I thought I'd pick up four gallons of spring water for my wife (who drinks water ALL DAY at work). No gallons left. Nothing but little bottles of Sam's Club drinking water. At the friggin' Wal-Mart in Bedford, Texas!

Some guy had eight 6-count Double Roll packages of toilet paper in his cart!

I almost asked him if he might need a Stick-Up or two to go with all that toilet paper!

[AFPhys]

I understand that (don't look at strike probs) ... especially given that the bug they have in that reporting matrix generates confusion.

[DrewsMum]

MSNBC just said that rita has made turn for LA,,,is that true???

[montag813]

It'll kill fewer people where it's headed now than where it was headed this morning.

The only reason so many died in New Orleans is because of malfeasance by its mayor. Nagin has the blood of hundreds of dead Caguns on his hands. Mayor White in Houston and other TX mayors know how to get their people out. I hope the mayor of Port Arthur does too, because my friend at NOAA says they are going to get almost a direct hit. The good news is he believes Rita will be Cat 3 when it does. Hope he is right.

[Rte66]

Was Troy Dungan an Oklahoma met at one time? His name sounds so familiar. Or maybe here in Houston?

[AnAmericanMother]

Consarn it y'all, it's gonna come a pure trash-mover and toad-floater!

[steveegg]

Have a good sleep, and may you wake up tomorrow to find this thing weaker and headed further away.

[Spktyr]

And then climb into your boat and wait, because there will shortly be enough water to float it.

I take Troy as a negative indicator - in terms of inclement weather, do the exact opposite of what he says.

[jpsb]

Excellent thinking, that is what those palnning to evac now are thinking, south then west roads are clear, You are a very wise man.

[squarebarb]

Stay safe and hoping for the best for you.

[tcrlaf]

<<<"It's gonna come a frog strangler."
That anything like a toad soaker?>>>

What happens if the Toad crosses the border?

[jeffers]

Yup.