Hurricane Rita Live Thread, Part VII

NHC - NOAA ^ | 23 September 2005 | NHC - NOAA

[NautiNurse]

Hurricane Rita landfall is anticipated within the next few hours. Strong winds and heavy rains are battering southern Louisiana and southeastern Texas.

MSM news crews are shouting over the howling winds as they foolishly describe blowing rain, swaying trees, and crashing waves through rain splattered camera lenses. It's a hurricane. We know these things already.

An 18 wheeler rig reportedly overturned on an I-10 bridge. The fate of the truck driver is unknown at this time. Reports of widespread power outages in Lake Charles. KPLC-TV Lake Charles local news has remarkably improvised their reporting from a remote location. They are taking calls from residents, NWS, and public utility representatives, and alerting residents to local conditions.

On the flip side, CNN announced to the world that law enforcement officers had evacuated from Port Arthur TX with the rest of the population. Engraved looter invitations would have been more elegant.

Godspeed to all those in the path of this storm.

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 VI
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

[John Jamieson]

Statement makes no sense anyway. How would someone leaving early to get away from the storm even affect someone headed for that town from the other side?

[jbstrick]

Anyone else see the guys on FOX walking around the parking lot?

[Arizona Carolyn]

I forgot the sarcasm remark.

I wouldn't blame him even if it was true, kooks ruined his vacation, I don't think he needs them under his bedroom window (to quote the jerk Donahue).

[cgk]

FNC: eyewall to hit right at or near Cameron, LA

[Armedanddangerous]

You know folks

For about three years I have endured bad winters and getting stuck on in my house on a mountain in West Virginia. I've been threatening to pack up and head for Florida.

I've come to the conclusion after seeing all these big blows that I am in the best place I can be. No hurricanes, no tornadoes, and I live up on the hill too far to be in a flood.

Maybe I'll just go get myself a new four wheel drive for winter and quit bitchin.

[steveegg]

1 am position update (my fault it's late this time; Internut Exploder exploded) -

ZCZC MIATCEAT3 ALL
TTAA00 KNHC DDHHMM
HURRICANE RITA TROPICAL CYCLONE POSITION ESTIMATE
NWS TPC/NATIONAL HURRICANE CENTER MIAMI FL
1 AM CDT SAT SEP 24 2005

AT 11 PM CDT...0400Z...THE CENTER OF HURRICANE RITA WAS LOCATED NEAR
LATITUDE 29.4 NORTH...LONGITUDE 93.5 WEST...OR ABOUT 30 MILES
SOUTHEAST OF SABINE PASS ALONG THE COAST AT THE BORDER BETWEEN TEXAS
AND LOUISIANA.

DURING THE PAST HOUR...AN AUTOMATED STATION AT CALCASIEU PASS
LOUISIANA HAS REPORTED SUSTAINED WINDS OF 74 MPH WITH A GUST TO
112 MPH.

FORECASTER BEVEN

$$
NNNN

[cgk]

Yes - security guards for the casino/hotel. Unbelievable. They were enjoying it in the beginning - not so much towards the end.

[A Citizen Reporter]

That's the money shot I was looking for. Shuster has been on my list for a long time. Since he used to work for Fox.

David Shuster

[LibertyRocks]

I had thought the backside/after the eye was worse, but I could be wrong. I'm definitely not an expert on these things. Perhaps someone else on this thread can help?

[BurbankKarl]

yes.... a lot of people out on boats...

haha

[A Citizen Reporter]

You don't fool me, Carolyn.

[Arizona Carolyn]

I read the Idaho news article on him this morning. Your assessment is right on. Does it seem we've evolved from the 60's hippies/flower children to outright crazy people?

[Brad’s Gramma]

No. Not I.

I've got this open....

http://www.weatherserver.net/ritavideoLouisiana2.htm

...and was listening to some dweeb talking about a Christmas light strand that blows harder when the wind kicks up and doesn't blow as hard when the wind dies down.

I kid you not.

[steveegg]

Heh; I just cracked open my first beer (and I've got powerful stuff I brought back from my last Canada trip).

[Aggie Mama]

It was probably closer to 3 - 4 million people. This town is just about empty right now.

[nerdgirl]

How a guy w/ a voice like Shuster's ever got to be one of the main reporters at a major network is beyond me. To be fair though, I think he's been getting voice coaching or something as his voice isn't as bad as it used to be.

[A CA Guy]

Yes, one of the two young men called the storm BEAUTIFUL.

[Mister Baredog]

Desperation is a terrible thing to watch.

I dunno, during the current and lengthy Moonbat Season it seems to be bordering on pure lunacy.

I mean we have Cindy, Dean, Kennedy, McKinney, Rangel, Conyers, Boxer, McDermott, Jane Fonda, sKerry, Sean Penn, Move-on, Moore-on,etc etc etc, they've even dusted off Joan Baez and Peter Paul and Mary, LOL.

The big protest tomorrow should be a hoot(C-SPAN is covering it), I hope they bring BIG signs.

[BurbankKarl]

TTAA00 KNHC DDHHMM
HURRICANE RITA TROPICAL CYCLONE POSITION ESTIMATE
NWS TPC/NATIONAL HURRICANE CENTER MIAMI FL
1 AM CDT SAT SEP 24 2005

AT 11 PM CDT...0400Z...THE CENTER OF HURRICANE RITA WAS LOCATED NEAR
LATITUDE 29.4 NORTH...LONGITUDE 93.5 WEST...OR ABOUT 30 MILES
SOUTHEAST OF SABINE PASS ALONG THE COAST AT THE BORDER BETWEEN TEXAS
AND LOUISIANA.

DURING THE PAST HOUR...AN AUTOMATED STATION AT CALCASIEU PASS
LOUISIANA HAS REPORTED SUSTAINED WINDS OF 74 MPH WITH A GUST TO
112 MPH.

FORECASTER BEVEN

[Heatseeker]

I'm just digging their "graphics" (the handwriting on cardboard cards they prop up in front of the camera).