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

[Prolifeconservative]

Anyone wishing to save a few bucks should fill their tanks TODAY. Gasoline futures have jumped 24 cents today alone and you'll feel that at the pumps in less than 24 hours. It's probable gasoline futures will jump again tomorrow and yet again Wednesday.

GET IT NOW...don't dither

[CindyDawg]

I just had to go out and check. I noticed Sat that a bed starting at the edge of the driveway. It's gone. Completely. Maybe my husband knocked it down yesterday or maybe.....

The ants come marching one by one hurray, hurray.

The ants come marching one by one hurray, hurray.

The ants come marching one by one

The little one stops to look up at the sun

and they all go marching down into the ground

To get out of the rain

Boom Boom boom

The ants come marching two by two...

[Frankster]

I have a feeling that Rita is going to turn north, due to the currents in the Gulf. Very hot and humid today in Lower Alabama. Am I just being fatalistic?

[shield]

Have you cked out Eastern Weather Forum?

DT-wxrisk Today, 11:42 AM Post

the Op 12z GFS is NOT BULLY!

In fact is is downright SILLY

if you think a 3 contoured closed 500 low is going to form over Vegas and southern calif in mid - late SEP you must be high . It is THAT huge 500 low --- way over done by the GFS -- that allow for RITA to make this turn NW right before landfall ....

gambling on the GFS with a Bizzare unlikely solution in late sept is NOT the way I am leaning

[Trust but Verify]

I agree. And we just got back to pre-Katrina prices here :(

[RGVTx]

If you want to stay in the Texas hill country, try the YO Ranch Resort in Kerrville. They are dog friendly. Get a room on the bottom floor with an inside courtyard view and you'll have a place to walk your dog right outside your patio door.

[brytlea]

Heck, hubby and I go to art galleries all the time and I think...I could do that (some of it, the stuff that doesn't look like anything!)
It would be worth it to live in NM. Altho, I prefer S. NM to Santa Fe or Taos (mainly because my family is there).
susie

[Lanza]

Sorry Bama, but we just can't do the hurricane thing right now. We still have a houseful from New Orleans! I checked some hotels/motels in northwest Houston today where we could go just to get away from the lake, and they are still full with Katrina evacuees.

[Strategerist]

Water currents don't affect the steering of tropical systems whatsoever.

The ridge over the Gulf is already in place and really forecasts out to 3 days are pretty accurate. There currently aren't any quality models with a landfall east of Texas and no models that are remotely useful at all with a landfall east of Western Louisiana.

I wouldn't worry too much if I was you.

[Strategerist]

Oh, I know Dave Tolleris (DT.)

Kind of a strange guy, long story. Anyway, he has this weird pathological hatred of the GFS. It's not like the GFS is off by itself with some weird solution.

[Dog Gone]

You're in no danger of storm surge where you are, Whyisa. And it would take an enormous flood of the Brazos River to impact you, either. You could get localized street flooding, but generally hurricanes aren't the enormous rainfall events until they're well inland unless they hit tall hills or mountains.

Your biggest concern is going to be debris crashing through your windows. And tornados are always a threat. Is your hubby going to be here next weekend?

Welcome back to Texas. ;-)

[Lanza]

Dog Gone, what's your recommendation for us in Clear Lake?

BTW, I too am in the GREAT Tom DeLay's district!

[AntiGuv]

PS. Probably the most memorable part of hurricanes for me, BTW, is the rhythmic sound of the rain as if it's coming in waves. I'm not sure if that's what it was or if it was an illusion of the wind combined with the rain.

[WhyisaTexasgirlinPA]

Yikes - I have a sky light and some large windows! lol....... I was kind of worried about Oyster Creek near the house - but Alkhin is a local girl and says she doesn't recall it flooding......(which is a sure sign it will due to my track record of the past year when saying "never") -

[LBelle]

if the ant theory applies to the pesky sugar ants, Islamorada is home free. They are crawling all over everything as usual. I hope that it's true but am getting ready to get out of here and leave the ants to fend for themselves.

[mhking]

Have you cked out Eastern Weather Forum?

I just got a look at Eastern, in particular them pointing toward the GFDL model, which is suggesting (and yes, I think it's nuts) that Rita will make CAT 5 much, MUCH earlier (i.e., near Key West).

http://www.easternuswx.com/bb/index.php?showtopic=52689

The posters there are pointing out that the GFDL usually over-compensates on the intensity, but even given that, Rita could be notably stronger than the CAT 2 that most have suggested for arrival at Key West...

[shield]

We'll see how accurate he is. I really don't know about him at all. That's why I posted his discussion here. Thanks.

[mhking]

Bryan Norcross/WFOR: All indications are that Rita will become a hurricane by the 5P update if not before...

[CindyDawg]

:')Where are you?

[jpsb]

All the water a storm pushes into Galveston bay goes into Clear Lake. Clear Lake will flood big time in a big storm. Breaking .... Galveston (city) calling for voluntary evac. Emergency plan in effect.