Posted on 09/24/2005 9:58:36 AM PDT by 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
My hubby finally got his orders to go with his DMAT...they are going to Fort Worth. Maybe a lot of evacuees there?
I expect so. I've not heard anything on how many people in LA and TX lost their homes so it's unclear how many evacuees there will be from Rita. I know there are thousands from Katrina that have now moved to Arkansas.
Say thanks to hubby:)
How are you doing?
I haven't gotten back with you like I should have. I know the last time I posted to you, you had just made an "appointment" to get gas??
Has your community been able to get the utilities and such back in some semblance of normal??
I have been switching the cable news channels on commercials (works except when they all have commercials at the same time). Fox does better than the others on the weekends. But I have to admit that Paula Zahn at CNN is pretty good in her time slot. Fox has come good on scene reporters who have done a pretty good job....and then they finally got the flooded devastation pictures in late this afternoon. I know there are rescues going on - they are asking for boats to help with rescues - so there will be dramatic things happening but in this case they are so spread out - their cameras will likely not be showing any of them. We'll see.
I will..maybe they will have them stop in Miss instead since they are driving the 1100 miles!!!!
We're fine here in central Mississippi. The "gas shortage" was pretty much over by Labor Day. A few stations had no gas yesterday, but someone told me they were saving it in the event there was a shortage after Rita. I wish all our neighbors to the south were in as good a shape as we are.
I liked it. Husband liked it. Price was right.
Oh, sure "NOW" you have power.
/sarcasm
Where were you when we needed on-site up-to-date non-MSM live reports?
Walking in the park watching tree limbs fall.
I had orders, I was doing right.
Congratulations on "winning" the flatware....and if your picture is similar to the one you posted...it must be really neat...
Listening to Geraldo -- mayor of Port Author lost his home to a fire during the storm, all belongings, momentos, pictures, etc. Geraldo gave him his hotel room to sleep in tonight.
That's SE Texas AND SW LA, sorry.
Yeah, poor guy just finished paying off the house two months ago, and it wasn't even the hurricane...it was his daughter's car in the garage that caught on fire.
He is probably a lot better off, insurance-wise, than most people in Port Arthur.
671 WFUS54 KOHX 260120 TOROHX TNC099-260145-/O.NEW.KOHX.TO.W.0008.050926T0119Z-050926T0145Z/
BULLETIN - EAS ACTIVATION REQUESTED TORNADO WARNING
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE NASHVILLE TN 819 PM CDT SUN SEP 25 2005
THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN NASHVILLE HAS ISSUED A * TORNADO WARNING FOR... EASTERN LAWRENCE COUNTY IN TENNESSEE THIS INCLUDES THE CITY OF LAWRENCEBURG * UNTIL 845 PM CDT * AT 812 PM CDT...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR INDICATED A SEVERE THUNDERSTORM CAPABLE OF PRODUCING A TORNADO NEAR LORETTO... OR ABOUT 14 MILES SOUTH OF LAWRENCEBURG...MOVING NORTHEAST AT 35 MPH. * THE TORNADO IS EXPECTED TO BE NEAR THE SOUTHEAST PART OF LAWRENCEBURG BY 835 PM CDT.
Oh, no worries! I just wanted to be sure you understood I didn't write that is all. I've been posting a lot of info for local FReepers from local bloggers and news sites over both the Katrina and Rita threads. I get lazy sometimes and forget the links or a disclaimer "continued", "local blog info", etc. Sorry for the confusion. :o)
My husband thinks what happened with Rita will make the next hurricane to head your way a true disaster: noone will evacuate (it's only a 3, etc), and it won't veer off course. I pray that doesn't happen... it would be truly terrible.
I'm so glad to hear from you, we were so worried about you!
*Smiling* thank you, --- I am still thrilled --- and yes, the print we bought is nicer (I think). I hope to find a listing of the original online to "see" it.
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