Tropical Storm Rita Live Thread

NHC - NOAA ^ | 18 September 2005 | NHC - NOAA

[NautiNurse]

Tropical Storm Rita has developed from TD 18 in the Atlantic Ocean. TS Rita is currently located north of Hispaniola, the eastern tip of Cuba, and ESE of Nassau, Bahamas. Hurricane watches and warnings are in effect for portions of Florida. Check for local weather statements.

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
Forecast Models
Buoy Data SE Florida
Current Weather Warnings and Watches for Florida

Images:

Storm Floater IR Loop
Visible Storm Floater Still (only visible during daylight hours)
Color Enhanced Atlantic Loop
Florida Radar/Sat Loop Caution: Broadband users only!
Miami Long Range Radar Loop
Key West Long Range Radar Loop
Miami Experimental Radar Still Image
Key West Experimental Radar Still Image

Streaming Video: (coverage may be intermittent)
WFOR-TV/DT Miami (WMP) - http://dayport.wm.llnwd.net/dayport_0025_live"
WSVN-TV/DT Miami (WMP) - mms://216.242.118.141/broadband

Other Resources:

Florida East Coast Surf Reports Lots of great info here, including surf cams
Central Florida Hurricane Center
Hurricane City

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

[NautiNurse]

Will wait and see what her land interaction between FL and Cuba does to the system.

[groanup]

Thanks for the ping NN. You folks in the Keys mind your affairs. Key West is my favorite place in the world I think. My wife and I honeymooned there and we still go back every couple of years. I hate to think what 15 inches of rain and a couple of hours of 80 mph wind will do. What about the chickens?

[Sam Cree]

Would you mind giving your take on Rita's likely impact on the Keys and extreme So FL, nctwx?

[SlowBoat407]

Have the choppers brought in the icebergs yet to cool off the water?

Nah, just have a nuclear sub discharge some superheated steam to create a high-temp, low-air pressure path away from populations!

[Sam Cree]

Sorry, I just looked on the previous thread and saw that you are staying put. Should be OK, but good luck.

[myprecious]

If you have a laptop computer make sure it is charged up - you'll have at least 2 hours battery life and can get to the internet thru dial up if the power is out but the phones still work.

Leave it to a FReeper to want updates on the LIVE thread. LOL.

Don't forget charcoal and/or Coleman stove supplies. On day 3 of power outage, you might as well fire up the smoker and grill. Everything is melting in the freezer and has to be used up. Better enjoy it!

[nwctwx]

I've yet to witness a hurricane first hand. The most I ever see is remnants as they travel up the east coast. I have always been fascinated by their sheer power though.

[LadyPilgrim]

Opal slammed into Birmingham in 1995 and knocked out my power 8 days and phone 7 days. Sections of our city were crippled for that week. Trees were down all over.

She came onshore in the Florida panhandle, and traveled north. Right straight toward me. ;-)

I don't remember her being in Central America and Mexico, like the list says.


Here is her picture.


http://spc.noaa.gov/coolimg/opal10ir.gif

[dogbyte12]

Coleman stove is a great thing to have on hand. The propane heats up really quickly too. I was boiling big old pots of water in under 5 minutes from cold.

[RDTF]

Gas stoves still work without power, right?

[Dog Gone]

One big one is all you'll need in a lifetime to realize that you didn't need that experience. It's not so much about reporters leaning against the wind as it is watching a tree limb come smashing through your window and into your china cabinet.

[floriduh voter]

If the roof goes, I lose my Christmas decorations in the attic. Then govt will make me leave. If that worst case scenario happened, I'd like at least time to get a storage POD or moving van here so I could save some my things.

My trees and plants blew north during one cane last year, blowing parallel to the ground for hours. The next cane, the same landscaping blew south parallel to the ground for hours. Each cane is different.

Hurricane season is over November 30th.

[numberonepal]

I agree with the warnings of comparing this storm to Katrina. She was a rare event not likely to be duplicated anytime soon (words I never want to eat). I just hope there's no panic when Rita bombs.

[OC_Steve]

Coles Crossing here (Jarvis and Telge).

[CindyDawg]

Lot's of good ideas. Thanks yall.

[Sally'sConcerns]

Houston's perfect storm scenario

http://www.chron.com/cs/CDA/ssistory.mpl/metropolitan/3046592

[Ditter]

Even if your gas stove does work when the power is out you might think twice about firing it up. Without a/c your house is going to be unbearably hot. I can't imagine heating it up any hotter.

[Sally'sConcerns]

I know you've already received a couple of responses which are correct.

Here's a good way of remembering...

rising or up = flood
through a roof or coming down = homeowners

[NautiNurse]

Long local hurricane statement:

Statement as of 8:00 PM EDT on September 19, 2005

... Local effects of Rita in the Florida Keys will most likely be
worse than those of hurricane Georges in 1998... All hospitals in the Keys are closed. The Monroe
County emergency management information hotline is available at
1-800-955-5504.

... Storm surge flood and storm tide impacts...
a storm surge of 6 to 9 feet is expected Tuesday. This will inundate
most roads and large sections of the overseas Highway. A storm surge
of this magnitude has the ability to scour the approaches to bridges
on the overseas Highway. This may leave portions of the overseas
Highway impassable. Astronomical tides have been about 1 foot above
normal in recent days due to the full moon. Therefore... a storm tide
slightly higher than 6 to 9 feet is possible should storm passage
coincide with high tide. High tides at Whale Harbor Channel are at
and 1118 am and 1129 PM on Tuesday. High tides at Key West Harbor
are at 230 PM on Tuesday... and 1208 am early Wednesday.
Remember... the total storm tide equals the storm surge plus the
astronomical tide.

... Wind impacts...
residents of the Florida Keys can expect roof and moderate
structural damage to homes and businesses. Mobile homes are not
safe. Many will be damaged... hundreds may be destroyed. Large trees
and power poles will be toppled. Sustained tropical storm force
winds of 39 to 73 mph will begin early Tuesday morning over the
Upper Keys... and by Tuesday mid morning over the middle and Lower
Keys. Category two hurricane force winds of 96 to 110 mph are a
distinct possibility... especially in the Lower Keys... Tuesday
afternoon into Tuesday night.

... Marine impacts...
Jewfish Creek and Snake Creek bridges are locked in the down
position. Considerable damage is likely to piers Tuesday afternoon
and Tuesday night. Marinas will be flooded. Small craft in
unprotected anchorages will be torn from moorings. By Tuesday... seas
will build to 15 to 20 feet beyond the reef... with seas of 25 to 30
feet near the center of Tropical Storm Rita.

... Tornado impact...
isolated tornados will be possible over the Florida Keys beginning
Tuesday morning.

... Rainfall impacts...
a Flood Watch has been issued for all of the Florida Keys for late
tonight and Tuesday. Rainfall amounts from 6 to 10 inches are
expected with locally higher amounts possible. Most streets will be
impassable from water and debris.

... Probability of hurricane/tropical storm conditions...
the maximum probability of tropical storm force winds in the Florida
Keys is 90 percent at Marathon and 89 percent at Key West. The
probability of hurricane force winds is 38 percent at Marathon and
40 percent at Key West.

... Next update...
the next local statement concerning the impacts of Tropical Storm
Rita on the Florida Keys will be issued at 1130 PM EDT... or sooner
if new information becomes available. For additional information you
may visit the National Weather Service Key West web site at
www.Weather.Gov/keywest.

[Willie Green]

Looks like I'm a couple miles NE of you.
Just off Grant, about halfway between Spring-Cypress and Louetta.