Hurricane Rita Live Thread, Part VIII

www.freerepublic.com | September 24, 2005

[Robert A Cook PE]

Computer predictions (at this stage) with the very complex stagnant pressure/fronts conditions in that area of the storm ARE much, much more random than realistic.

Almost all of the time, strong fronts and pressure systems across the country "move" the hurricane after it hits land: with this one, the computer programs are doing the "legendary" butterfly wing flapping" of (almost) random motion as different models use different criteria.

So, the ones earlier this morning showed: stopping over Ark. and Texarkana area, stopping then going left (SW), stopping and going right (E-SE).

They don't know.

[Knitting A Conundrum]

It wants to go down the Achafalaya, at the old river lock. If it did, it would not send all the water down there, but a huge amount that would be catastrophic for those in the center of the flood. It will happen. The river is eating away at the structure, and they keep fighting it. But one year, probably in a high water year with lots of flooding, they will lose the battle.

And when it does, NO will be a back water with a much smaller river, and the rebuilt Morgan City or whatever will become the new major port...and all sorts of horrid things will happen to the economy while people are dealing with the change.

[silentknight]

Vermillion Parish - major flooding. People trapped in houses. Rescue continues...

[SouthTexas]

He sent pics, all trees still up. Hard to tell in a still what's going on. Here is his major priority at the moment:

meat has been on for 3 hours or so at low temp. put the taters,corn,onion and carrots in a little while ago with a little more water with mixed flower in it to thicken the sauce... I'll let cook for another 2 hours..

[Knitting A Conundrum]

Rumours about that since Katrina. But it's not in the news today.

[laz]

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.

And they will all mouth it every chance they get, like a ventriloquist's dummy. I really no longer see members of the MSM as individual human beings. They are like the Borg on Star Trek. One mind controls them all. Each is just an individual cell in a large cancer.

[Rumierules]

They are covering this like a "typical" hurricane, I think. Too early to tell how the damage will compare to others like Ivan and Charley.

However, this was a very atypical evacuation, which will make the aftermath much different than pre-Katrina hurricanes.

[Chaguito]

The amount of air time of local officials on national TV is inversely proportional to the incompetence of said officials.

If I didn't know the name of the governor of Texas already, I probably wouldn't know it via coverage of the storm. He's just quietly doing the job.

Know what I mean?

[BurbankKarl]

Jindal on WDSU asking that unspent Katrina money be immediately available to the Rita affected areas in Lousisiana...

They are trying to bait him into attacking Blanco...but he aint biting. BluesClues is late for another of her pressconferences

[Peach]

This is the timeline the Chair of the ATRW thread did:

http://freerepublic.com/focus/chat/1485619/posts?page=7

[jeffers]

It takes a 9 foot surge to get water anywhere near Houma on my software. That would apply to NO too. West of there it would necessarily get deeper.

[Sunnyflorida]

There are two sets of gates at ANY lock. If both are open then the up level quickly runs to the low level (kind of a fluid thing). The River is much higher than any thing around the NOLA area except the Rivers own levees. If both sets of gates of the Missippi/Industrial Canal lock were open all that River water would flood into the Lake, over the canal and lake levees. and the city would flood fast. ALL of it - even the bits such as the French Quarter, which are above sea level.

[AFPhys]

Thanks for those pic links. It is clear that NOAA is not swallowing the "360º loop by Rita" scenerio, either.

[don-o]

You go Robert.

Been watching that mess in DC. What a contrast.

[Conservababe]

Thanks for the info. Things must not be too bad if cooking is going on. LOL

[76834]

There was a documentary on I beleive the Discovery Channel outling this very thing.

Also the 93 floods on the upper Mississippi deserve comment.
All the best minds said that they had the Ole Muddy under control.

NOT, the river will do what it wants to do and cannot be controlled over the long term.

[bwteim]

Howlin, Thanks for the Ping.

Condolences Err, I mean Congrats on being forced to volunteering to continue this great Thread;)

[The Mayor]

Good to see you post Lonestar!

[RDTF]

[BurbankKarl]

WDSU looked like they were showing aerial videos of some coastal houses....looked unharmed...not sure where that was.