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

[Txsleuth]

Maybe some enterprising people in the Hurricane target zone..could rent their house TO the media....while they take off for higher ground!!!

I mean the hotels, and motels are already full in the Houston area...and those in that area will be moving up towards Austin and San Antonio...

I bet FOW would pay some bucks on Galveston for a nice house to ride the storm out in!!!!

[Flux Capacitor]

----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.----

I think that what happened in Florida last year should have been more than enough to tell us that all bets are off and the law of averages no longer applies. My family and I have already made arrangements to get out of town on Friday, if necessary.

-Dan

[Michael Goldsberry]

"would pay some bucks on Galveston for a nice house to ride the storm out in!!!!"

I'm 'Yer Huckleberry.

;)

[Strategerist]

I think that what happened in Florida last year should have been more than enough to tell us that all bets are off and the law of averages no longer applies.

Oh, it's normal; 20 to 30 year cycles. The 1970 to 1994 cycle only had 3 years with above normal tropical activity. The 30 year cycle before it only had 3 years with BELOW normal tropical activity.

We're only 11 years into the active cycle, so at least another 9 years of this.

The problem is people got used to the 1970-1994 cycle as "normal."

[Polybius]

The 35 storm was a 5 tore up the railroad and devestated the area.

It also killed at least 423 people that included 259 World War One veterans employed by the WPA to work on the Overseas Highway Project. Some of the bodies were recovered as far away as Cape Sable (the southern tip of what is now Everglades National Park).

Most of those veterans died when the storm surge hit this train that had been sent from Miami to recue them.

About 350 veterans were already in Miami that Labor Day to watch a baseball game. If it had not been for that Labor Day baseball game, the death toll would have been much higher.

[lexington minuteman 1775]

Wow, read Houston's perfect storm, almost like New Orleans in devastation. I can't remember a time when two major cities have been hit hard like this in same season if Houston/Galveston takes a hit along with one we have already had in New Orleans.

[Txsleuth]

Well, Katrina was a much stronger hurricane than we thought...it blew the whole New Orleans Saints team ALL the way to New York City!!!!

BTW...if Rita peters out...we are gonna have some schizophrenic politicians all along the coast....LOL

[dogbyte12]

We are heading to Atlanta on Thursday tentatively. We have trees up by the root balls still around the house, the shelters are full. Will look at the track update late Wednesday night and decide at that point.

[RDTF]

I saw this on the History channel not too long ago. Riveting.

[brytlea]

I don't know why no one plays reruns of Get Smart. It was such a funny show. To me anyway. I thought the shoe phone was so funny, and now think, we sort of have shoe phones (ok, they aren't in our shoes, but a cell phone is kind of the same idea!)
susie

[RDTF]

Now now, technically they are in NJ

[james_f_hall]

You are wrong. The news and the media keep telling me that Scientists say that activity is up due to Global Warming and they always start from 1970 for some reason. Why would they choose 1970 versus say, 1940?

Hehhhehehehehehhehehehhehehehe.

Unfortunately many people fall for it. Scientists indeed.

[numberonepal]

all bets are off...

You must have sensed my reluctance for absolutes.

[SE Mom]

Speaking of the Keys- here's an interesting tidbit- TWC is NOT going to stay on Key West. Just saw this - they said it will be too dangerous and they're staying north of 7 Mile Bridge.

[brytlea]

I saw something on Discovery a week or so ago (I think it was Discovery). I thought it was about Katrina, so I didn't watch it as I was pretty well Katrinaed out. But I flipped to it the last 15 or so minutes, and it was really more about hurricanes in general. Anyway, they had a guy who was a (I will get this wrong) Paleotempestologist. He studies ancient hurricanes.
He took core samples from marshes using the amount of sand as an indicator of hurricane activity. Now, he may be all wet, but he said his data indicated 1500 year cycles of lots of hurricane activity and 1500 year cycles of mild activity. Or something like that.
Anyway, the last thing said on the program was something to the effect that in a century or 2 there will not be a New Orleans.
It was interesting, and I wish I had watched the whole program. And I haven't seen it on again.
susie

[secret garden]

Are you in Rita's path, Whyisa? Where would you go? Maybe I could give you directions to my dad's house.

[floriduh voter]

FROM DRUDGE

Fla experts - from this photo, Rita doesn't look very organized. Your thoughts? We've seen so many of these...I would be wrong - last thing I need is someone who floods to blame me their flooding. Talking about the weather on FR brings out weather trolls.

[SouthTexas]

Now that's something I haven't considered. Have never run yet, but have never been faced with a Cat 5 either.

[Txsleuth]

Hey---poppa Bush in the announcer's box at the Saints/Giants game!!!

I wonder if he had to tie Bubba up and stuff him in a closet to keep him from taking that gig???