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

[CajunConservative]

I know it's going to get rough here. My sister's house is one of the highest points of town and it's never flooded. This house went through Andrew and Lili with minimal problems. Of course Rita is a little bit stronger.

[Carolinamom]

LOL! Planning to mortgage your house to pay the tab bill?

[conservative in nyc]

Houma news:

http://www.houmatoday.com
http://www.houmatoday.com/apps/pbcs.dll/section?category=hurblog

No new news since 4PM.

A levee broke south of town near Dulac. There's a mandatory evacuation in Terrebone Parish south of Bobtown Bridge. And some concern about flooding in other areas.

[Zacs Mom]

big one, alright! Did you see this image someone posted a while back
http://www.usawx.com/rita545pmeastinernsept23y.jpg

[onyx]

We have been overcast and breezy all day... and is Rita still 410 miles wide?

[steveegg]

That's going to get expensive with his 2-hour special.

[NautiNurse]

Ummm...when are you leaving the waterfront for your safe location?

[WFTR]

Tornado watches have just been renewed for all of the parishes in southern Louisiana. My weather radio went off as I was reading your post. I'm sure that Terrebone is getting tropical storm force winds, but most of the locals probably aren't too bothered by them. The real question will likely be rain and flooding.

[ValerieUSA]

Howdy, I'm not anticipating real weather trouble up here... but we sure have a city full of visitors.

[Abigail Adams]

RE: Terrebonne Parish

I was watching WWL earlier this afternoon and, if my memory is correct???, they said there was an evacuation order for the parish. Maybe you want to check out their streaming video?

[Jrabbit]

Probably! lol

Did Shep save those pups or kick them out of the way? I can't look....

[Texas dog]

"clouds have rolled into Dallas, too"

Well, I hope we get some rain out of this; I'm getting tired of watering my Impatiens by hand.

But not TOO much rain...

[rwfromkansas]

Well then, I guess you better go. Be safe though.

[nevergore]

I can't afford $3 bucks a curse...

Can I damn get a volume discount?

Doh!

NeverGore :^)

[Blennos]

Other significant changes - - Movement 11 minutes north, 9 minutes west - Eye 25 nm wide (up from 20 nm last time), open east through south through west (was open east through southeast)

I have found your summaries after the recent updates to be quite useful. Thank you.

[NautiNurse]

Radar looks NW

[mware]

Did Shep save those pups or kick them out of the way? I can't look....

He said look at these dogs that have been left behind. Here get the camera on them.

[CajunConservative]

I have been watching the local channel and not Fox. I hope the new casino makes it out okay. They just opened in May. They spent $350 million on that thing. It really is a beautiful hotel.

[steveegg]

I thought it was $1/curse (I had 3, so my count so far is $3 - <expletive deleted> it)

[Types_with_Fist]

There's a mandatory evacuation in Terrebone Parish south of Bobtown Bridge. And some concern about flooding in other areas.

Thanks. Yes, I remember it with fondness... the flooding down on the bayou (not really). They lucked out with Katrina in Houma though. They got the southwest part of the storm. This time, they are ripe for a surge lower in the parish. Thanks again.