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

[bonfire]

I hope they pay you BIG TIME overtime for this!

Stay safe.

[LizardQueen]

My FIL, DH, and Bro-in-law have all taught gun and hunter safety classes up here for the past 30 years, so I've had it pretty well drilled into me, living with them all these years. And yes, I had the same problem with that pic as others did.

You don't point guns at other people unless you are prepared to kill them, and even if it was a trick of the camera and they weren't pointed that way you couldn't tell from the photo.

LQ

[tcrlaf]

Metars from Beaumont Airport:

Aviation Buffs can read this:
Gusting to 35MPH now

KBPT
12nm SE 231724Z 231818 05020G30KT P6SM SCT030CB BKN070 OVC250
TEMPO 1822 06030G40KT 2SM TSRA BKN020CB
FM2300 07040G55KT 1SM TSRA BKN012CB OVC020
FM0300 09055G70KT 1/2SM TSRA BKN002CB OVC010
FM0700 12070G90KT 1/4SM TSRA OVC001CB
FM1000 15090G110KT 1/4SM TSRA OVC001CB
FM1500 23060G75KT 1/2SM TSRA BKN005CB OVC008

[eastforker]

You must be about the dumbest brick in the stack. Do you know Eaker? I do and there was never an element of danger in any of those pics.

[Rightly Biased]

Prayers Greene

Its gonna be bad...

[Revel]

"1. She wants President Bush to "change the rules" so that the complete salaries of police and firemen will be paid by the federal government. She says the parishes are not getting any income so they have run out of money."

Well if the federal government has to pay for everything then why do we do the next best thing and federalize NO and move Washington DC right down there.

[Brad’s Gramma]

WHEN, not IF!!!!

You'll be fine...you're surrounded by the prayers of untold people...get your stuff done that needs doing, stay here for awhile and just have fun.

God bless you!!!

[Sender]

You're just a few blocks north of Port Arthur? Dang, you will get to see the tiger for sure. Prayers for you and your Mother.

[lainie]

Did they say how long til the storm moves onshore?

[oceanview]

you are riding this thing out in Port Arthur? that's ground zero for this thing if the current track holds.

[cake_crumb]

Wow, with THAT kinda firepower you could have kept all the NO looters (including the police) in line!

[LA Woman3]

You are missing all the fun!! Look what our "distinguished" Governor just said.....



Blanco is giving a news conference. She said, "I've asked Rita" Instead of "I've asked FEMA"!
Now she is consulting the hurricane!

[aBootes]

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.

Yes, I also noted that. I'm thinking that once the brunt of this storm passes, we'll find the military much more prepared to render really effective aid. Not that I think they did poorly in Katrina, but that they are "fast learners" and will not make the same mistakes twice. I am quite encouraged by both this and the deployment of the Iwo Jima and her sisters.

[processing please hold]

You take care of yourself, you hear.
Welcome to FR.

[NautiNurse]

Very relieved to hear your family and your property are safe. I understand what you are saying about the stress of hurricane season. Have had some serious thoughts about selling out too. Only thing is that I don't know where I would rather live than here. Still thinking about it. Definitely getting too worn out with the storms.

Welcome back!

[sheikdetailfeather]

Shep is at Port Arthur per Fox.

[IamConservative]

Dan Rather got his start with a hurricane in Texas. Maybe he wants to go full circle.

Accidental pun? Nice one in any event.

[pgkdan]

Get this: she is asking for all sorts of money, including complete pay for police and fire from the Feds, instead of just overtime.

How in the world can she justify that request? Is she a complete idiot? I've known all along that she was an incompetent stooge but this is beyond that. I hope General Honore or Admiral Allen tell her she's stuck on stupid and to shut up!

[Wneighbor]

I'm sure she'll tell us, within a message from Rita, that the taxpayer must be sacrificed.

I laughed. Now, I'm gonna cry cause you're right!

[Tennessee_Bob]

Fox just said President Bush is going to the command center in Colorado instead of going to Texas.

See! He can't decide what to do or where to go!