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]

TheMom is not making any progress with me. It's your turn.

[NormsRevenge]

Houston, 430pm local time today

An empty highway of Houston is seen after thousands of residents evacuated the city in advance of Hurricane Rita September 23, 2005. Texas officials warned of a catastrophe and water spilled over levees to flood parts of New Orleans anew on Friday as Hurricane Rita barreled toward the U.S. Gulf Coast with winds reaching 135 mph (217 kph). (Carlos Barria/Reuters)

[conservative in nyc]

KPLC - NWS has extended eyewall tornado warning for Jefferson & Orange Counties, TX and Cameron and Calcasieu Parishes, LA until 4AM CDT. On air with NWS Lake Charles Office now.

[TheMom]

We didn't leave. We are far enough from the coast that we could afford to wait one day to see what the hurricane would do.

As of right now, we have received no flooding or wind damage. I can't say the same for those that live in the coastal area.

[Arizona Carolyn]

So that must mean they are getting wind, not a lot of rain right now. Think they are just going to get the leading edge?

[Republic of Texas]

That was amazing. It wasn't pretty, but it was amazing. For those that left Monday or today, the drive was (relatively) traffic free. If you drive with the herd, you sit in traffic.

[Brad’s Gramma]

dandelion...thank him for what he's doing. I agree with glock that he's the fabric that holds our society together.

[Tex_GOP_Cruz]

Nassau is maybe 20 miles SE of downtown Houston, near the Johnson Space Center, Clear Lake, and the west side of Galveston Bay.

Things have picked up in the last half hour in my part of Houston. The old oak trees are swaying a little, the wind has picked up, the pressure is down to 29.23" (down from 29.45" at 10 p.m.), and the light rain is now moderate. Lights just flickered a minute ago accompanied by a distant boom. Not anything too crazy though; like a strong cold front without the cold.

[BigSkyFreeper]

Those images of the fire they are showing on FOX are re-runs. The camera video is from The Weather Channel.

[steveegg]

Hate to have to ask you to pull that post; the pic's too big (50 kb limit, please), and the source is unreliable (everybody and their brother is swamping the server for the radar pic).

[mrsmel]

Last summer Shepard Smith called John O'Neill and the Swiftboat Vets liars on his program. He has never retracted nor apologized for that statement. The only possible explanation for saying it was either unbelieveable ignorance, or brazen dishonesty. I will not forget.

I didn't know that. If that's so,and he's never retracted,I hope that Entergy sign flattens him.Just enough to put repentance and the fear of God into him.

[Peach]

Idiot on CNN standing outsidein the hurricane. Said it sounds like a woman howling. He can hear me laughing all the way from here.

[Arizona Carolyn]

Is he waiting until sunup to leave (I hope)?

[BigSkyFreeper]

I'd hate to be battling a fire in that weather, especially 70+ MPH winds.

[ARealMothersSonForever]

Do not mess up this thread with conjecture right now. Start your own. It is late, and you are new to these threads. Please give it a rest.

[Brad’s Gramma]

IF IF IF IF I read your last post to her correctly, you're under the assumption that she left.

She & her family stayed in their home. They impeded no one with being on the highways.

That's all.

[John Jamieson]

Have you got a link? I'd like to listen.

[cgk]

Oh yes I surely do... freepmail.

[conservative in nyc]

NWS Lake Charles Web Log:

2:00 AM - The latest advisory from the NHC puts the center about 10 miles offshore of Sabine Pass, with max winds still running at 120 mph. Speaking of max winds, the office just had a gust measured at 75 knots or 86 mph. Sure sounds a lot stronger...

2:00 AM - Due to the slow-moving nature of Rita, the tornado warning for extreme winds in the eyewall has been extended until 4 AM, and is in effect for all the same parishes and counties as before, plus Jeff Davis Parish.

[Heatseeker]

They just called NHC who is confirming that landfall had been made and that Cameron had taken a "direct hit".