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

[LikeLight]

Here we go. 1515 GOES pic shows an eye forming. NHC seems to be forecasting a hurricane by this evening and a CAT 2 upon arrival just south of Key West.

Yep, saw that too.

[dirtboy]

And there's not a good place for it to hit along upper Texas coast because we have refineries stretching from Corpus Christi to Lake Charles.

I really hate to say this, but best case would be for it to follow roughly in Katrina's track, because it will just be re-arranging the rubble in a lot of cases that way. It would be brutal for the people in the region, but would have the least impact on the economy that way.

[NautiNurse]

"Maybe since I've been away a day or two, maybe he's the new crowned federal mayor of New Orleans."

THANK YOU!

[Diddle E. Squat]

Yep, the possibilities are all over the place. Ridge could move faster, stuff could also be coming in from the west faster than expected to prevent any northward movement(which would be back to a near straight-line move into a Corpus-Brownsville area.)

Should probably know by Wed.

[trillabodilla]

"GFDL doesn't look good for LA."

No! No! No!

*closes eyes, puts fingers in ears*

No! No! No!

[jpsb]

I agree.

[dirtboy]

"Maybe since I've been away a day or two

Ain't that a kick in the head? The city's in ruins and he moves his family out of state and is not around for a couple of days at a stretch.

And then has the nerve to rip into the guy who's probably doing 20-hour days trying to deal with all the state and local screw-ups on this matter.

Nagin, go back to your family in Texas. And stay there. The people of the region would be better served if there WAS a new mayor.

[kara37]

Isn't he up for reelection in February?

[abb]

Forty five years ago when i was a kid, there were "blank spots" along the gulf coast. Hurricanes had a chance to hit areas that were thinly populated. Not any more.

[txhurl]

Whoa.

[Redbob]

What's the situation after the storm passes?

I'm due to fly to Naples, Fla., on the west coast, on Wednesday for work (outdoors) on Thursday and Friday.

Will this prevent that?

[jpsb]

The last real huricane to hit the upper Texas coast was Carla, another Carla would be horrible. A Carla hitting just west of Galveston would be a Sunami of horribles.

[LBelle]

Another year like the past two and paradise to me is gonna be the Midwest!!!

[abb]

I remember Carla. IIRC, it's where Gunga Dan got his first big break.

[Gimme]

Nagin's comments are ridiculous. What an pompous ass he is.

[jpsb]

We had snow here in Galveston area last winter, all the old timers say snow in the winter, huricane in the summer. We shall see if there is anything to this folk lore.

[ContemptofCourt]

No.

[shield]

An interesting discussion taking place starting yesterday, continued discussion today at 2nd thread/link, below:

http://www.easternuswx.com/bb/index.php?showtopic=52630&st=0

http://www.easternuswx.com/bb/index.php?showtopic=52630&st=20

Says ridge will not move fast enough...continues with a N. Mex./S. TX hit.

[ContemptofCourt]

FWIW, the GFDL is also forecasting Rita to turn into a CAT 5 monster in the Keys by tommorrow (ala the 1935 Labor Day Hurricane)....so you'll know soon if the model is onto something or out of its mind (likely the latter).

[RDTF]

"Galveston, Oh Galveston"