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Posted on 09/23/2005 9:39:06 AM PDT by 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
NE Texas Coastal County Flood Gauges:
http://waterdata.usgs.gov/tx/nwis/current?county_cd=48039&county_cd=48071&county_cd=48157&county_cd=48167&county_cd=48201&county_cd=48245&county_cd=48291&county_cd=48321&county_cd=48339&county_cd=48361&index_pmcode_STATION_NM=1&index_pmcode_DATETIME=2&index_pmcode_00065=3&index_pmcode_00060=4&index_pmcode_MEAN=&index_pmcode_MEDIAN=&index_pmcode_00003=&index_pmcode_00010=&index_pmcode_00020=&index_pmcode_00035=&index_pmcode_00036=6&index_pmcode_00054=&index_pmcode_00055=7&index_pmcode_00095=&index_pmcode_00096=&index_pmcode_00300=&index_pmcode_00400=&index_pmcode_00480=&index_pmcode_63680=&index_pmcode_63684=&index_pmcode_70969=&index_pmcode_72000=&index_pmcode_72019=5&index_pmcode_72020=&index_pmcode_99111=&index_pmcode_99968=&index_pmcode_00045=&format=station_list&sort_key=station_nm&group_key=county_cd&sitefile_output_format=html_table&column_name=agency_cd&column_name=site_no&column_name=station_nm&column_name=lat_va&column_name=long_va&column_name=state_cd&column_name=county_cd&column_name=alt_va&column_name=huc_cd&sort_key_2=site_no&html_table_group_key=NONE&rdb_compression=file&list_of_search_criteria=county_cd%2Crealtime_parameter_selection
Counties Included:
Brazoria (S of Downtown Houston; SE of Galveston (includes Friendswood, Alvin & Freeport))
Chambers (E of Downtown Houston (rural - includes High Island, Stowell & Winnie))
Fort Bend (SW of Downtown Houston (includes Sugar Land))
Galveston (Galveston-Texas City-League City)
Harris (Houston)
Jefferson (Beaumont-Port Arthur)
Liberty (NE of Downtown Houston (rural - includes Liberty & Cleveland)
Matagorda (SW of Galveston & Brazoria along coast)
Montgomery (N or Houston (includes The Woodlands, Spring & Conroe))
Orange (NE of Beaumont-Port Arthur (includes Orange))
LOL I like Shep though it's still funny.
"what trains are running in NO now?"
The ones taking our tax money and relief supplies to the corrupt Louisana politicians. Do you have any idea how many boxcars it takes to move $60 Billion? Even in large bills, that is a lot of freight.
Right now just hope it keeps moving and is not one of those that just sits in one place , even a cat 1 is real bad then.
its no problem, the media has the levee break in NO to cover now.
This storm has yet to take that northerly turn, if it does not turn soon Harris county will get it full throtle. Nobody let your gaurg down and hope it does not stall and further complicate things,
I wish I could move there.
Thanks--I knew the song was from HAIR--but I never could remember its name.
We came back to Kennesaw from Gulf Shores on Monday. The guys at the car wash couldn't believe what they saw on the front of the car.
from Drudge:
Surfer Arrested Off Shore Of Galveston As Rita Approaches
http://www.local6.com/news/5011632/detail.html
Thanks--I knew the song was from HAIR--but I never could remember its name.
City managers and police are telling locals to get off the roads and GO HOME. There have already been reports of fights at gas stations. People are tired and nervous. I'm nervous. My husband is out delivering the mail. I spoke to his supervisor and he said they are "monitoring the situation." My confidence level isn't high about that situation but that's all I'll say about that. I'll be better once hubby's home cuz we're supplied up and will be locked and loaded.
~RoseyT
I miss Texas.
But this is nice too, until we get more snow than I like.
From NOOA
000 WTNT33 KNHC 231748 TCPAT3 BULLETIN HURRICANE RITA INTERMEDIATE ADVISORY NUMBER 24A NWS TPC/NATIONAL HURRICANE CENTER MIAMI FL 1 PM CDT FRI SEP 23 2005
...RITA ON A SLOW WEAKENING TREND...
A HURRICANE WARNING IS IN EFFECT FROM PORT O'CONNOR TEXAS TO MORGAN CITY LOUISIANA. A HURRICANE WARNING MEANS THAT HURRICANE CONDITIONS ARE EXPECTED WITHIN THE WARNING AREA WITHIN THE NEXT 24 HOURS. PREPARATIONS TO PROTECT LIFE AND PROPERTY SHOULD BE RUSHED TO COMPLETION.
A TROPICAL STORM WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT FOR THE SOUTHEASTERN COAST OF LOUISIANA EAST OF MORGAN CITY TO THE MOUTH OF THE PEARL RIVER INCLUDING METROPOLITAN NEW ORLEANS AND LAKE PONTCHARTRAIN ...AND FROM SOUTH OF PORT O'CONNOR TO PORT ARANSAS. A TROPICAL STORM WARNING MEANS THAT TROPICAL STORM CONDITIONS ARE EXPECTED WITHIN THE WARNING AREA WITHIN THE NEXT 24 HOURS.
FOR STORM INFORMATION SPECIFIC TO YOUR AREA...INCLUDING POSSIBLE INLAND WATCHES AND WARNINGS...PLEASE MONITOR PRODUCTS ISSUED BY YOUR LOCAL WEATHER OFFICE.
AT 1 PM CDT...1800Z...THE CENTER OF HURRICANE RITA WAS LOCATED NEAR LATITUDE 27.8 NORTH...LONGITUDE 92.2 WEST OR ABOUT 190 MILES SOUTHEAST OF GALVESTON TEXAS AND ABOUT 175 MILES SOUTHEAST OF PORT ARTHUR TEXAS.
RITA IS MOVING TOWARD THE NORTHWEST NEAR 10 MPH AND THIS MOTION IS EXPECTED TO CONTINUE DURING THE NEXT 24 HOURS. ON THIS TRACK...THE CORE OF RITA WILL MAKE LANDFALL NEAR THE SOUTHWEST LOUISIANA AND UPPER TEXAS COASTS EARLY SATURDAY.
MAXIMUM SUSTAINED WINDS HAVE DECREASED TO NEAR 125 MPH WITH HIGHER GUSTS. RITA IS NOW A CATEGORY THREE HURRICANE ON THE SAFFIR-SIMPSON SCALE. A FURTHER SLOW WEAKENING IS POSSIBLE BEFORE LANDFALL...BUT RITA IS STILL EXPECTED TO COME ASHORE AS A DANGEROUS HURRICANE.
HURRICANE FORCE WINDS EXTEND OUTWARD UP TO 85 MILES FROM THE CENTER...AND TROPICAL STORM FORCE WINDS EXTEND OUTWARD UP TO 205 MILES. AN ELEVATED PLATFORM ON ISLE DENIERES NEAR THE SOUTH-CENTRAL LOUISIANA COAST JUST REPORTED SUSTAINED WINDS OF 58 MPH.
LATEST MINIMUM CENTRAL PRESSURE REPORTED BY AN AIR FORCE RECONNAISSANCE PLANE WAS 931 MB...27.49 INCHES. COASTAL STORM SURGE FLOODING OF 15 FEET ABOVE NORMAL TIDE LEVELS... LOCALLY UP TO 20 FEET AT HEAD OF BAYS AND NEARBY RIVERS...WITH LARGE AND DANGEROUS BATTERING WAVES...CAN BE EXPECTED NEAR AND TO THE EAST OF WHERE THE CENTER MAKES LANDFALL. TIDES ARE CURRENTLY RUNNING ABOUT 2 FEET ABOVE NORMAL ALONG THE LOUISIANA...MISSISSIPPI AND ALABAMA COASTS IN THE AREAS AFFECTED BY KATRINA. TIDES IN THOSE AREAS WILL INCREASE TO 3 TO 5 FEET AND BE ACCOMPANIED BY LARGE WAVES...AND RESIDENTS THERE COULD EXPERIENCE COASTAL FLOODING. LARGE SWELLS GENERATED BY RITA WILL LIKELY AFFECT MOST PORTIONS OF THE GULF COAST.
RITA IS EXPECTED TO PRODUCE RAINFALL ACCUMULATIONS OF 8 TO 12 INCHES...WITH ISOLATED MAXIMUM AMOUNTS OF 20 INCHES OVER SOUTHEASTERN TEXAS AND SOUTHWESTERN LOUISIANA AS IT MOVES INLAND. RAINFALL AMOUNTS OF 3 TO 5 INCHES ARE POSSIBLE OVER SOUTHEASTERN LOUISIANA INCLUDING METROPOLITAN NEW ORLEANS WITH ISOLATED HEAVIER AMOUNTS POSSIBLE. SINCE RITA IS FORECAST TO SLOW DOWN SIGNIFICANTLY AFTER MAKING LANDFALL...TOTAL ACCUMULATIONS IN EXCESS OF 25 INCHES ARE POSSIBLE OVER THE NEXT SEVERAL DAYS ACROSS EASTERN TEXAS INTO WESTERN LOUISIANA.
ISOLATED TORNADOES ARE POSSIBLE TODAY OVER PORTIONS OF SOUTHEASTERN TEXAS...SOUTHERN LOUISIANA INCLUDING SOUTHERN MISSISSIPPI AND ALABAMA
REPEATING THE 1 PM CDT POSITION...27.8 N... 92.2 W. MOVEMENT TOWARD...NORTHWEST NEAR 10 MPH. MAXIMUM SUSTAINED WINDS...125 MPH. MINIMUM CENTRAL PRESSURE... 931 MB.
THE NEXT ADVISORY WILL BE ISSUED BY THE NATIONAL HURRICANE CENTER AT 4 PM CDT.
FORECASTER AVILA
Yep.
On that note; I'm taking the next few hours off. Be back later.
That is obviously not true, they are still around.
I'm getting more and more annoyued at the media's collective "rooting" for Rita to be as bad as possible..Every time it's downgraded, you can hear the "disappointment" in their voices..every time it get upgraded back to a 5..they get so exicted..It is despicable....
Crew members of the 53rd Weather Reconnaissance squadron, better known as the "hurricane hunters" said Rita is one of the most impressive storms they have ever seen after flying through it, according to a Local 6 News report.
The crew of six reservists flew a C-130 into Rita to measure temperature, pressure and wind of the system.
After punching through the eye wall of the storm Thursday, the crew said Rita should be taken seriously.
"It is probably one of the strongest storms in the short period of time I've seen and it's been a pretty good ride, I would say so," pilot Major Rob Light said after flying through the storm.
"The most impressive eye wall I have ever seen," hurricane navigator Major Mike Shannon said. "The radar presentation inbound is tremendous and the ride through the eye wall is totally one of the roughest I have ever been through." (cont'd)
Last time I looked, they arrest people for letting down their gaurg, don't they? :)
I used to also fill my washing machine before hurricanes, clean water was always precious after.
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