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

[bwteim]

Variations of the Safford-Bart Simpson Scale

Keeping Your Head During a Crisis": Non-Examples, Part 4 of a Series

• Cat 1 - Teddy "the Swimmer"
• Cat 2 - Bill "Where's Monica today?" Clinton
• Cat 3 - Jimmy "I ran from Iran" Carter
• Cat 4 - Mayor "We're reinserting, no we're not " Nagin
• Cat 5 - Mary "Do I look properly concerned?" Landreiu and Kathleen Babineaux "Where's my hankie?" Blanco

[TomGuy]

My electric bill jumped thirty dollars over last years bill.

Mine has also for the last 2 months ($50 and $30 higher than the same month last year). Your electric co probably isn't admitting that they jumped the rates. They call it a 'cost of generation' surcharge.

Natural gas did that starting 2 years ago and has inched up their rates for 2 year. Even this coming year, we will probably see another $10-20 per month (on averaging) increase.

Utilities are to the point of being unbelievable.

[dixie sass]

They were supposed to come out and check the meter yesterday and let me know what was happening. Never saw anyone or heard back. My temper is rising, by Monday...

[deport]

Thanks....... seems the storm came in far enough east of the I-45 corridor so that the area didn't sustain major damage. Reports I've seen so far indicate it came ashore between Sabine Pass, Tx and Johnson Bayou, La. I think the southwest Lousisian area may have been hit the hardest. I think the Bmt PA Orangne area got a lot of wind with some localized flooding. I heard the seawall wasn't topped in PA so that's good.

Thanks for your info.

[Howlin]

That's you?

If so, brava for you for speaking up!

I had sort of the same experience when I went to get a haircut (although I didn't "take the floor".......LOL) but everybody in there was furious and disgusted with the coverage.

I wonder if they have a clue...

Congratulations on your "coming out!"

[milagro]

I just saw that--am glad that I am not the only one that found it so ridiculous! Like Shep last night showing--gasp--a flag flapping in the wind!

Our President is creating history; the MSM is creating histrionics.

[pepperdog]

When I get it wrong I get it really wrong! Thanks to all for the info.

[Howlin]

I'll be glad to! And thanks for the offer of help!

[Dane]

LOL!

[bwteim]

Know exactly what you mean.

[SunnySide]

"the MSM is creating histrionics"

...


The MSM is hemorrhaging (hate), let them bleed to DEATH.

[TomGuy]

Just reported on WDSU 6

Orleans Parish has suspended re-entry.

[Doh! Nagin alert!]

[Aggie Mama]

Yes I am serious. He really has done a great job in all of this and also in his response to Katrina. He's one of the few good Democrats left.

You have to understand that the mayor before Bill White was Lee Brown and one of the worst mayors this city has ever had. It's a night and day difference.

[No Blue States]

Houston live feed:

100 mph winds still south of Tyler co by whats left of the eyewall.Just se of Lufkin. Eyewall still moving NW at 10mph.

Winds 40mpg at Bush airport.

Kemah: Ferris wheel still standing, turning with the wind.

[johniegrad]

Don't pay them. I had the advantage of a small rural cooperative to deal with and the advantage of never having missed or had a late payment in 15 years.

[Seattle Conservative]

Agree that we need more refineries, pipelines, etc. and that we need to conserve. I also agree that there seems to be a lot of 'not in my backyard' philosophy and I think a great deal of that has been increased due to all the ranting and raving of the enviromental wackos. I also think that if the powers that be in the states would come together on 1 or 2 standards, instead of something like 26 nation-wide for gas, that would help decrease cost of gas to the consumer.

[STARWISE]

Bastardi: Rita MAY loop around and come back into the Gulf .. he's still worried .. and talking about the new tropical wave action coming into the Caribbean. "I'd like to think we have a good handle on things." They're trying to figure out if it's gonna get handed off to the cold front, or looping back into the Gulf .. and just sitting there with more rain to New Orleans etc. .. . and then the trouble really begins." He's vewy worried.

[Servant of the 9]

The electric company and I are fighting right now. My electric bill jumped thirty dollars over last years bill. There is a problem on their part as their is nothing wrong with the AC or the hot water heater. They say it's my fault and not theirs and I say just the opposite.

If you don't like their prices, don't buy their product.

I am sick of so called right wingers whining for a socialist deal on any product they want to buy.

So9

[RummyChick]

CNN showing the staging area. Very impressive. They were ready for a major disaster.

[budwiesest]

that owners of SUV's get tax breaks ...

If you own a business, the depreciable amount of vehicles was increased to $60,000 (I think). Hardly a tax break, more a reflection of the higher cost of replacement vehicles.