Hurricane Rita Live Thread, Part VI

NHC - NOAA ^ | 23 September 2005 | NHC - NOAA

[NautiNurse]

Dangerous Hurricane Rita is expected to make landfall in the northeast Gulf of Mexico within 24 hours. Tornados have spawned in Louisiana. Water is filling the Ninth Ward of New Orleans again. A bus carrying elderly evacuees was gutted by fire this morning outside Dallas, with multiple fatalities. Television crews have positioned their hurricane reporters throughout the region to attain maximum drama effects. Whoooooa.

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
Jefferson Co TX NWS Weather
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:

Lake Charles Long Range Radar Still image, with loop link
Houston/Galveston Long Range Radar Still image, with loop link
Lake Charles Experimental Radar Outages and Delays May Occur

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)

KHOU-TV/DT Houston
KPRC-TV/DT Houston
KTRK-TV/DT Houston
KTRH-AM Houston
KPLC-TV/DT Lake Charles/Lafayette
KSLA-TV/DT Shreveport

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
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 V
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

[Sender]

Governor Perdue here in GA just asked for many state school systems to close Monday and Tuesday to save energy. He estimates 250K gallons of school bus diesel alone, not to mention the hundreds of thousands of gallons used by all the drop-off moms, will be saved in just 2 days.

[Retired RN]

Good news!!

[kassie]

Don't expect anyone (feds, state, local) to do it all for you

Also I've heard him say don't expect the gov't to do your thinking for you.

[Southack]

"It's pretty obvious you aren't reading the real-time weather forums if you think its weakening in the last hour." -BearWash

Hurricane Rita weakens still more
9/23/2005 2:00 p.m. ET

Persistent weakening has brought Hurricane Rita down to a Category 3 storm. The eye is heading for a Saturday morning rendezvous with the upper Texas or southwest Louisiana Gulf Coast.

[Arizona Carolyn]

One can always hope. I was shocked to see him finally hit back at Clinton yesterday -- though I'm certain it went over a lot of heads and certainly ignored by MSM.

[kjam22]

I keep thinking this thing is going to turn even more north like Katrina did at the last minute. I wouldn't be surprised if it hit coast further east than most are guessing.

[johnb838]

Then the Texas Pubs seem to be these gawdawful lily-livered RINOs who just want to get their hand in our pants, I mean pockets.

[WFTR]

I'm glad to hear that it hasn't been too bad there at this point. You folks will likely have a rougher time than we will. It's blowing hard here, but we still have good drainage.

[AggieMom x 3]

Both stations in our little town are out of gas. We are just north of Frisco.

[oceanview]

the weakening phase is over according to almost all current forecasts.

[mcshot]

Y'all have the support of this gun user and accumulator.

mc

[Retired RN]

I'm not hearing that there are problems, now. Don't know if this was due to panic or what. Just hope and pray that those on the roads can find help.

[RDTF]

did you see Rick Leventhal in Lake Charles on Fox? he was showing that big new casino on the water.
(p.s. they said he just got engaged)

[johnb838]

Fox weather person has just about ruled out a Galveston landfall. (unless it jogs)

Dr. Neal Frank has now more or less ruled out a Galveston strike because he says even if it jogs to the left it will still miss. And he doesn't like to make commitments.

[Tall_Texan]

Texas Democrats must be different from Dimocrats of other states.

Other than Travis County and the inner cities, the Dims in Texas are different than in blue states. They are the vestige of one-party rule and class envy. They think Dims are "for the poor" and Republicans are "for the rich" and that's about as far as their political brains work.

Other than being misguided, most are alright. Reagan converted a bunch of them.

[Jrabbit]

lol

I know what you mean....for us to get much needed rain, it seems Galveston would have to take the hit. I'll join you on turning on the sprinkler plan. It sure is windy right now, though. Maybe I should just use the soakers.... :-)

[blam]

"Fox weather person has just about ruled out a Galveston landfall. (unless it jogs)

The last three (Ivan, Dennis & Katrina) in the Gulf jogged to the east (right) between 30-70 miles before landfall.

[markman46]

not sounding to good for NO is it.

[dirtboy]

If it jogs due north that will make the surge a bit higher, as the approach to the coast will be perpendicular.

[ncountylee]

One can always hope. I was shocked to see him finally hit back at Clinton yesterday -- though I'm certain it went over a lot of heads and certainly ignored by MSM.

Off topic, but Bush owes this (IMO) to the Party and those running in 06\08.