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

[Rumierules]

To me, that looks like the eye is falling apart towawrd the end.

[Spktyr]

Sure, there are always ways to improve, but the result is hard to improve upon. 3 million-plus people *got out*.

Plans *never* survive the first contact with reality OR the enemy completely intact.

By the way, have you thought about what happens if you STOP people from evacuating?

[Ingtar]

I see what looks like rapid intensifying. Convection rewrapping around the center again and a circular eye. I hope I am just being paranoid when looking at the satellite IR.

[TBall]

Even if they are plastic and hollow?

[steve86]

Persistent weakening has brought Hurricane Rita down to a Category 3 storm.

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

[BurbankKarl]

250 or so Beaumont and Port Arthur vehicles went on the Cape Vincent and Cape Victory Roll On Roll Off Reserve ships and tied down in the harbor. Also a shelter of last resort for anyone in the area.

[Eagles Talon IV]

I agree but the closer this thing gets to shore the more it will weaken. Once it leaves the water the thing will fall apart almost immediately as it's fuel source, the heat from the Gulf, is taken away.

[eastforker]

Unbelievable, local 2 showing two naval ships loaded with area emergency vehicles sheltering out the storm so they will be available once the storm passes, great planing.

[Wneighbor]

I hope Eaker's neighbors are like mine and think it's good to have a well-prepared family in the neighborhood. I was the only one in my neighborhood who had girl-kids. Lots of boys in the neighborhood though. Neighbors always thought it was cool that my gals could outshoot some of the boys.

Next door neighbor didn't like it too much when my kid could out run his boys in go-cart racing though. BWAAAHAHAHAHA

[shield]

Read my post again. I have friends that were in the same meetings that he went to. That comes from me. My lips have been sealed for yrs regarding this. But when this rag printed this crappy story I thought it was time to unseal my lips. Hope I didn't make a mistake at unsealing my lips.

[burzum]

A free people ought not only to be armed and disciplined, but they should have sufficient arms and ammunition to maintain a status of independence from any who might attempt to abuse them,which would include their own government.
--George Washington

[foobeca]

Correction: Never point guns at people you don't intend to kill.

[cherry]

corruption and incompetance.....

so evident in Katrina.....

let's remind ourselves when we vote for the mayor or the governor we need to be electing not only people with character, but people with LEADERSHIP and people with COMPETANCE.....

Rudy...Rudy...Rudy......

[tray-sea]

I'd have to agree w/you. My father in law is a big gun enthusiast and would probably tell me that posing with guns like that is borderline irresponsible, b/c your supposed to treat every gun like it's loaded.

Now if these are toy guns or paint guns then I'd have a different stance.

The challenge is I get Eaker's humor and appreciate it but even for the best educated family on guns.. it does come across like your not treating it with the respect it deserves.

Did anyone else think like this?

[MamaTexan]

Austin has picked up over the past 2 hours

Same thing here in the Jonestown/Lake Travis area.

Hot, dry & windy.

[conservativewasp]

What if they're some a..hole you want to shoot? On a lighter note it looked to me like those firearms were not pointed at that simulated looter.

[publana]

>>Aren't you still banned?<<

You guys are killin' me! LOL

[steve86]

Winds will weaken but, of course, the flooding starts about then (or sooner where the surge precedes it).

[Knitting A Conundrum]

Exactly. People, DO NOT GET COMPLACENT. This storm could go in as a 4, and even if it goes in as a three, 3s are powerful enough that I would never stay near the coast during one...and this one will push a level 5's storm surge ahead of it.

Beware of that eastern quadrant.