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

[newzjunkey]

8-12 inches expected in Houston. 20 inches expected in Beaumont. 50 mph winds in Beaumont already per reporter on the scene now speaking on KFI. Storm surge could be 15 ft. Levees 8-10 ft high.

10,000 have been airlifted out of Beaumont by U.S. Air Force. The mayor used all the buses, called KayBay and she called W. W put the USAF on the task.

[berkeleybeej]

Remember the Alamo!

Didn't all the Texicans die?

[Howlin]

If Shep and Jerry start crying again, I swear I am changing to CNN.

Why, if he's like he was in NO, Anderson "Sissy Boy" Cooper will have to have a valium drip.

[jacquej]

Heck, I don't even bother blowing the dog hair off my coffee. We just sweep it up once a week, so it doesn't get up to our knees.

Such a small price to pay for such wonderful, perfect love.

[sfimom]

Yepper. I have a really good one for special occasion french toast....might have to dig that one out tomorrow.

[Daralundy]

Ahh Rita is now top keyword not Katrina.

[Jrabbit]

Port Allen

[RobFromGa]

Hold down the fort!

[Eaker]

I brought the flag in.

We have struck colors too.

The sky really looks weird and the lack of sound is spooky.

Well I have puppys to whup, see y'all later.

[Fester Chugabrew]

Is this an appropriate time to start the cinnamon toast recipes again?

Just leave the lima beans out of it. All these years and I've never gained a stomach for that accursed vegetable. Rita my lips: no more lima beans.

[glock rocks]

Where is he? Skydiving into the eye sans parachute, I hope?

Jerry's just up the street from Shep...

I imagine Smith cut his cables. (This town ain't big enough for two drama queens.)

[McLynnan]

I'm told the winds are picking up in Waco and the clouds are 'strange looking.'

Nah, just regular clouds so far, and a bit of a light breeze. Nothing in the sky looks at all threatening. It's hot as hell though. Still in the upper 90's.

[sfimom]

Good luck and stay safe!

[SE Mom]

You around?

[SouthTexas]

Hurricanes are heat engines so it wouldn't be a good idea to send politicians.

[Abigail Adams]

Dateline NBC: Beaumont, TX (sp?) Every school bus and every municipal bus left town full of evacuees. (Unlike in NO.) Vital resources are on a ship, will be ready to go after the storm.

[Howlin]

God speed.

[jslade]

Hey, my two Belgian Malinois try to do it every once in awhile, but is just to play "kissy-face"...

What are these dogs. Unfamiliar with the breed.

[newzjunkey]

(((PING))) USAF used for evacuations

[oceanview]

yes, that was geraldo's signal that was breaking up.