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

[ncpatriot]

If it looped, do you know if it would loop to left or right?

[Sender]

I don't think that SUV owners get any tax breaks, and they sure don't get any breaks at the gas pump. In fact, most new SUVs were subject to the 'luxury tax' of 10% extra on their value over a certain amount (that tax is now history). SUV advantages include size and weight, which tends to protect occupants in a crash with a fuel-efficient car (sucks to be them, though), interior space, the privilege of sitting a foot higher than common mortals, and the absurd fantasy that they will someday take them off-road instead of to the mall. But mostly they suck gas. Lotsa gas. It should be quite a buyer's market on big SUVs in the future, if you can afford to feed one.

[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

Damn right, dixie!! Start your own power company dammit!!

You can cut your bill in half by turning off the AC for a start. I grew up in Houston without it. A little sweat won't hurt you if you're that cheap.

So9

[Howlin]

You know what hacks me off about this? The suggestion that everyone responded this way b/c of Katrina

Did you miss my rant last week?

Suffice it to say, it was ugly; I dare not repeat it as I was surely lucky not to be damned to hell for it - and I won't tempt faith again.

Suffice it to say, I am SICK TO DEATH of hearing about NO and the citizens of that area who couldn't manage to hold it together for THREE DAMN DAYS.

[RummyChick]

Judge Eckels saying they have practiced with Fema and understand how they work. They haven't had any problems with FEMA and he think they are operating the same way in this disaster as they did during Katrina. It's just that Texas understands how they operate.

[GodBlessUSA]

Yes. Trouble is there's only one electric company. I think it may be like you say. They put a $100. gas surcharge on top of my 2 month bill of already inflated charges. I'm glad I don't receive gas from them. I get that through choice of company. ;)

[RoseofTexas]

Considering all, I have to give our local officials in Houston and surrounding areas an A! Even the firefighters were great and battled those fires in high winds...WOW! WHERE DO WE GET SUCH HEROS?!! And can't say enough about the police dept keeping the majority of streets safe...double WOW!! An extraordinary feat for sure!

[Robert A Cook PE]

They don't know: Some forecast tracks have it going right (after stalling near I-20), some stalling - then going left.

[dixie sass]

Wow, what a way to open a dialog among strangers.

[don-o]

The NO political machine has resumed the litany "We got to get our peeps back quick time."

The rest of must demand accountability for the billions of our dollars that W has promised.

[Dane]

Cat 5 was a tie, since you can't go higher than a 6..

Don't know about that, a Cat 6 could be hillary throwing everything around when she's in her typical meglomaniacal rages.

[Seattle Conservative]

Thanks - I'll look into that.

[johniegrad]

You can cut your bill in half by turning off the AC for a start. I grew up in Houston without it. A little sweat won't hurt you if you're that cheap.

Agreed. However, that wasn't her point. She thought they had made a mistake on the bill and weren't being receptive to correcting it. If they didn't raise rates during that time and if her behavior had not changed, then larger bills had to be explained in some other way.

[Sender]

I drive without AC but I have it on in my home. When I leave it off, my body just stagnates in a muggy funk, and I can't sleep well. As long as I can afford it I'll keep it on. But no, it wouldn't kill me to sweat.

[RummyChick]

I don't really understand Judge Eckels role in this but perhaps NO needs to get a similar position!

[Reb Raider]

MEG33 can't get computer access in Waco yet...Looks like Houston /Woodlands area OK..The trip up was interesting yesterday.

[Zacs Mom]

I agree - I also think that the images of Galveston in 1900 are ingrained in the psyche of Texans. We have deep understanding of and repsect for what can happen when Mother Nature grows restless!

[No Blue States]

Houston khou feed

Areas w/o power at least in part:

Wedgewood subdivision, eagles lakes, falcon ridge..

1 million w/o power.

Report downed power lines only: 713-207-2222.

Humble: No power or traffic signals.
Humble Lowes: Looters were reported previously

[dfwgator]

Governor Blank-Oh expected FEMA to be at her "beck and call" for whatever she needed as if they were Cosmo and Wanda from "The Fairly Oddparents."

[STARWISE]

Looking at the coastal map, his mark was looping a bit to the east and then angling over diagonally to the left (west).