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

[cajungirl]

You know what really struck me. The ones who did not leave NO included the usual people who want to "ride it out" and usually do so without dying or needing rescue.

But I was struck by the number of really sick people. People who had dialysis, heart disease, old, bedridden. And who for the most part lived at home. I just didn't know our cities were so full of sick people.

My conclusion after watching this was you better be prepared to fend for yourself, to get yourself to safety. And the sick and old really need someone to look out for them. I have seen dozens of NO college kids who evacuated prior to the storm with their grandmothers who were like 92 and sickly. ANd this is not rare, so many kids looking after their families.

The press doesn't cover it. And thus colors everyone's view of the people down here.

[blam]

..."the vale of tears or whatever it was called."

Trail of tears.

[SE Mom]

2 failures on the industrial canal- FOX saying the Corps is going up in choppers shortly to get the scoop on causes.

[flowergirl]

Reporting here from Tyler...very windy, maybe 25-25 w/ gusts
around 50+..just guessing.Already a large tree down across
the raod on my street. Can't tell, but Rita seems to be moving NE?

[No Blue States]

Friendswood, Texas City allowed back home today.

Rita expected to become TS soon.

Houston Channel 11 news feed:


http://www.khou.com/perl/common/video/yahooPlayer.pl

[pageonetoo]

Keep your head up, and enjoy your "visitors". I was just watching NO airport traffic, and only one flying dc9 showing just now, within 80 mile range of NO... correction, now nothing in the air. It landed at Armstrong ap..

[RoseofTexas]

"70 mph winds in Jasper co."

I like that name, Jasper. I think I'll name my next cat or dog..Jasper! :)

[RummyChick]

99.9999999 PERCENT SUFFERING WITH NOBILITY?????


Not according to what is being reported. Ever read some of the things that have actually dealt with some of these people from NO. How about the report from the ungrateful people in the Astrodome.

I didn't say everyone was out buying Louis V. bags. I gave that as an example.

I have the right to JUDGE people who do such a thing without somebody telling me that the poor person is so bereft at losing everything that she deserves to use charitible or goverment money to buy that 2000 bag.

Btw, I don't drink So see if you have the brains to understand the reference in my nick.

[cajungirl]

I judge looters too. And LV scam artists.

What I am saying to you, is those are a small number of people, very small.

[ncpatriot]

There is something special about the state of Texas. (For one thing, it produced our President!)

[No Blue States]

"Any word on how many historic buildings burned in Galveston last night?"

3 buildings in the Strand gone from the fire last night.
Nothing else Ive heard.

[Lijahsbubbe]

..."just let them touch those things...."

Shows how arrogant and condescending entertainers like Celine are and their true attitude toward the "little people".

What an ego. (and weirdo to boot LOL)

[Knitting A Conundrum]

I've always thought, and my family always behaveed, like you take care of yourself. Once it was pretty much a given that this is what you do. I know it has changed but when did get to this point?

[jeffers]

Thanks.

I'm fighting with some GIS stuff right now, and that data will eventually apply.

Running a little slow now, bear with me.

[lainie]

I'm a little confused about how they could get the storm surge prediction for Beaumont so wrong. How did that happen?

[No Blue States]

"Can't tell, but Rita seems to be moving NE?"

Rita is about to be downgraded to a TS.
The radar looks as if the eye (whats left of it) is starting to move more due N as opposed to NW.

[sheikdetailfeather]

I woke up and thanked God for answering so many prayers this morning! Great to see you are ok!

[HiJinx]

The Fox weather expert said that about half an hour ago.

Something about the Jet Stream and the pull of High/Low pressure areas. Regardless, there is going to be a ton of rain all along the lower Mississippi River Valley.

Here's one for inexperience: My SIL called her son last night (in Tyler) and asked if he'd thought to take down the porch swings. She told him they could blow through their windows. He said no.

This morning he called and told her that maybe she knew a thing or two and that yes, they'd pulled down the swings!

[RoseofTexas]

You know what was REAL cool, those military cargo planes hauling away those Greyhound buses with the folk inside the buses! WAY TOOOOOO COOL! I wish I had a pic of that historical event...WOW!

[blam]

"Hurray! I'm alive, still have power and water, and am just trying to shake myself awake to believe these aforementioned blessings. "

Excellent, glad you're okay and back on-line.

Btw, I was to tired to say that all those streets we talked about last night, I've navigated them all in a canoe. Stay safe.