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

[geopyg]

----"With that landfall, you can kiss the Rockefeller State Wildlife Refuge goodbye !"-----

I saw that big patch of green on the map and thought - "pretty good place to send a huricane - lot's better than Galveston". Some guy on the news said this was one of the least populated areas along the Gulf coast. Even so - hope this small towns that bear the brunt of it are mostly evacuated and can come back. (And hope the industry down there doesn't get hit too hard).

[NonValueAdded]

I heard he was going to Colorado tonight to the bunker. Wondered why, too. I hope it means absolutely nothing, but it is quite strange.

No, not at all. Since the military response will be run from that HQ, he wanted to observe first-hand. He's involved, engaged, interested in knowing how it works, will inspire the daylights out of the staff, HE IS LEADING! I guess the MSM forgot what that looks like from the Toon years. Imagine the toon or HRC having anything to do with the military? He should have dragged Blanko along to show her how its done.

[glock rocks]

Didn't ping'er did ya?

I was told not to... she's been banned, ya know.

[conservative in nyc]

1:20 AM - Totally unofficial, but it looks here like Rita is currently making landfall near Holly Beach and Constance Beach along the Cameron Parish coast. We'll have to wait to see where and when NHC places official landfall.

http://www.srh.noaa.gov/lch/temp/ritablog.htm

[A Citizen Reporter]

Your posts speak for themselves.

[Arizona Carolyn]

I know. wish he didn't use the move-on.org person on his show, ruins it.

[Republic of Texas]

That is a slightly more west movement since the last report. Remember TS Allison? Flooded over a 1/3 of Houston and there was no storm surge.

[Mister Baredog]

Can't believe my ears. Tucker Carlson just said he's amazed -- they are sooooo organized in Texas; especially compared to what they saw in Louisiana.

ABC did a major hit piece on the unpreparedness for BOTH events tonight on 20/20.

[BurbankKarl]

Barge loose in the ship channel heading to 210.....

[Arizona Carolyn]

Just said they lost the casino barge for sure.

[steveegg]

The vortex reports are coming too fast to do the math on anymore - AF306 checks in again -

984 
URNT12 KNHC 240624 CCA
VORTEX DATA MESSAGE
A. 24/06:15:30Z
B. 29 deg 30 min N
  093 deg 34 min W
C. NA  mb NA   m
D. NA  kt
E. NA  deg 000 nm
F. 037 deg 076 kt
G. 294 deg 015 nm
H. EXTRAP  938 mb
I.  11 C/ 3665 m
J.  17 C/ 3650 m
K.   9 C/ NA
L. OPEN SE-SW
M. C24
N. 12345/NA
O. 0.02 /  1 nm
P. AF306 WX18A RITA02       OB 14 CCA
MAX FL WIND 113 KT E QUAD 04:48:10 Z

[LibertyRocks]

This storm lost it's backside an hour ago.

Not sure what you mean by this storm losing its backside. If you're referring to the radar visible on the KPLC feed it is deceptive. Here is a link to live loops; http://www.ssd.noaa.gov/PS/TROP/DATA/RT/float-vis-loop.html

[glock rocks]

So is it 109 sustained wind speed?

[ARealMothersSonForever]

Hah!

[LibertyRocks]

Re-post of that link.

http://www.ssd.noaa.gov/PS/TROP/DATA/RT/float-vis-loop.html

[Arizona Carolyn]

You know what, you don't have a clue what you are talking about and seem to be trying to pick a fight for no good reason tonight.

FYI I'm about as far from Maureen Dowd as a person can be.

[dixiechick2000]

"Rita is currently making landfall near Holly Beach and Constance Beach along the Cameron Parish coast."


SCOOP!
I think you were the first!

I just now heard that on FNC.

Thank you!

[TheMom]

There is something selfish about those that live inland to leave at the same time as those that live on the coast. For your education purpose, coastal areas receive more water, wind and damage than those that live inland.

My brother, who lives in the coastal area, left his house at 7:00 p.m. Wednesday evening. It took him 30 hours to get to his destination, which normally is a four hour drive.

If the chicken-shit selfish inland people would have waited one day, the traffic would not have been so horrible.

[bd476]

Wow! Thanks for posting that picture. He was lucky he wasn't closer to that tree.

[nerdgirl]

So do yours - you've posted mean digs on more than 1 person tonight.