Hurricane Rita Live Thread, Part VIII

www.freerepublic.com | September 24, 2005

[Howlin]

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:

Hurricane Rita Freeper CHECK IN THREAD

FReeper Sign In Thread (LOCKED) 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 VII
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

[SouthTexas]

Don't know about the phone lines, but am getting emails still. Two more just came in, haven't read yet.

[LikeLight]

Live shots of Lake Charles LA now on wdsu.com . . . ocean-like waves over tree tops poking out . . . utterly terrifying looking . . . I don't know what's around this area, but if it's on the ground, it's under water . . . huge wave breaking, spray and white caps . . . like an ocean . . .

[silentknight]

Try not to. Accu-Weather is trying to destroy the NWS and the NHC. We should all do what we can to stop them. Boycott Accu-Weather before they destroy a good thing.

[w1andsodidwe]

I must say that listening to the press conferences from the mayors of the affected cities, I find it very chilling. They truly have implemented the nanny state. They must make it safe for the rest of us, because we are too stupid to avoid downed electrical lines and such. It is scary that elected officials have so little regard for those they govern.

[McGavin999]

In the days before the storm's arrival, hundreds of thousands of residents of Texas and Louisiana fled their homes in a mass exodus that produced gridlock and heartbreak.

Ah, the new catch phrase. Just like the body count that is inserted into every report on Iraq, this phrase will be inserted into every article on Rita.

[Knitting A Conundrum]

check this site:

http://www.mvn.usace.army.mil/prj/ihnc/index.asp

There is a lock there. It's on the east central side of the city...

[CedarDave]

Which will it be today? Come back, stay away, come back...
Probably remote from his new home in Dallas instead of NO.

[No Blue States]

"There ought to be some really good sea shell hunting along the shore there next week!"


Thats what Im thinking..good shell hunting..maybe I will even find a gold coin from an ancient shipwreck that washed up. Ours daughters would have driven us crazy if we didnt go to the ocean. At the ocean they happily occupy themselves for the most part. I thank the Lord for having some measure of mercy on Texas. It was bad but could have been so much worse. I predict Rita will not get to an 8th thread.

[LikeLight]

Lafite - lower Jefferson Parish - rescuers pulling hundreds from their homes, sea water pouring in . . .

wdsu

[RDTF]

It's annoying and it's getting old.

[Cboldt]

The only connectors between the river and Lake Ponchartrain that I have ever heard about was the Spillway.

http://www.mvn.usace.army.mil/prj/ihnc/index.asp#

Click on the Area Map for a simple view. I'm looking for a site that has pictures and so forth.

[brytlea]

No place is perfect, but in an emergency I'd way rather be in TX than New Orleans. I'll have to wait and see about S. FL....
susie

[not_apathetic_anymore]

if you know - where in the city are the locks located?

[Knitting A Conundrum]

small map for your convenience:

[STARWISE]

Yes .. I apologize .. I didn't realize that if I reduced the size myself, it wouldn't change the settings.

[Cboldt]

LOL. We posted the same link to each other.

[John W]

Also scary that so much of the populace believes government can save them from anything and everything-and should.

[LikeLight]

Terrebonne Parish LA . . . water still coming up in some areas . . . rescue crews out now . . . several levees topped . . . boats - sheriffs & firemen & Coastguard - in active rescues now . . . many have stayed in this area . . . several areas with problems . . . 7-8 feet around Du Lac area . . .

wdsu

[Knitting A Conundrum]

They are near the area in the lower ninth ward that flooded.

[Conservababe]

Well, hurry and read them. LOL

brythlea, does your friend pronounce Henderson "Hanerson"?
Most Cajuns do. Oh, I wish I could sit myself down at one of the crawfish restaurant right now and "eat them tails and suck them heads".