Update: Category 5 Hurricane Rita - Live Thread, Part II

NHC - NOAA ^ | 21 September 2005 | NHC - NOAA

[NautiNurse]

Category 3 Hurricane Rita became the fifth major hurricane of the 2005 season during the night. Hurricane Rita threaded the needle through the Florida Straits and moved into the Gulf of Mexico. Storm damage in the Florida Keys and South Florida Peninsula was light, with scattered power outages, scattered tornados, and mild to moderate flooding.

Mandatory evacuations are in effect for Galveston County TX and New Orleans. Additional evacuation orders in the Greater Houston Metropolitan Area are anticipated throughout the day.

Crude oil prices reacted as oil producers shut down and evacuated workers from platforms in the Gulf of Mexico.

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

Rita Forecast Track Archive
Forecast Models
Buoy Data Eastern Gulf of Mexico
Buoy Data Western Gulf of Mexico
Current Weather Warnings and Watches for Texas

Images:

Storm Floater IR Loop
GOM WV Loop
GOM IR Still Image
Visible Storm Floater Still (only visible during daylight hours)
Color Enhanced Atlantic Loop
Key West Long Range Radar Still Image

Streaming Video: (coverage may be intermittent)

KHOU-TV/DT Houston: mms://beloint.wm.llnwd.net/beloint_khou
WWLTV NOLA

Additional Resources:

Coastal TX Evacuation Maps
KHOU Houston
KTRK ABC News Houston
Hurricane City
Wxnation Houston

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

Previous Threads:
Hurricane Rita Live Thread, Part I
Tropical Storm Rita
Tropical Depression 18

[No Blue States]

You can count on Gen honore to remind the libs this isnt about feelings, its about preparations. I hope he stays in the limelight until Hurricane season ends in Nov 1st, and beyond.

[SE Mom]

Been over at the Weather Underground reading this blog:
http://www.wunderground.com/blog/JeffMasters/comment.html?entrynum=132&tstamp=200509#commenttop

..discussion of the eye replacment taking place in the next 12 hours (approx)- and then possibly going annular..

[sheikdetailfeather]

I love to listen to his answers to the press. Wow! He has quite an impressive background.

[4everontheRight]

He reminds me of my ex father in law...a cajun (or coona$$ as he liked to call himself). He had that same little mustache. Brings back some fond memories.

[Spktyr]

Yeah, that's what *I* am most afraid of here in Dallas. Were I a pilot, I'd think about taking a brief vacation in El Paso or Midland-Odessa.

[dogbyte12]

We can't forget the preppy east coasters here too.

Hurricane Buffy, Tropical storm Skip, Tropical Depression Scooter.

[ErnBatavia]

What time did they call her a 4?

I flipped on FOX around 5:15 PDT this morning, and it was already called a 4.

[cspackler]

My parents are in Victoria, don't know what they're going to do.

I spent MANY a night catching specks and reds off that pier in Rockport. Thise were the days...

[LadyPilgrim]

""GOD, I love soldiers:)""

Oh my!!!!!!

You and me both!!!! ;-)

[steveegg]

What time did they call her a 4?

8 am EDT (15A) update, based on satellite imagery. There finally is an aircraft en-route (the early recon flights were scrubbed with electronics problems on multiple aircraft).

[sheikdetailfeather]

Prayers go up for all in the great state of Texas.

[The_Victor]

Thanks for the ping. I'm south of Houston, getting ready to board up and wait.

Do we want to start a check-in thread for Texas coast Freepers?

[silentknight]

THE PERFECT STORM

11:15 a.m.

http://www.usawx.com/theperfectstormsept211130ameasternrita.jpg

[Jrabbit]

Looking for a place for freeper Jaded and her mom and 2 cats and a dog. They are in Pasadena. Anyone know of any rooms available between Huntsville and Dallas?

[Lemondropkid31]

I jsut went to the store, It is a madhouse and everything is wiped out. I did get some canned food though. Tomorrow morning i will look for water

[Spktyr]

Hey, no fair leaving us Asians out....

"Ghengis destroys mosque, kills 500"
"Kublai comes ashore"
"Fu Manchu holding offshore; nobody has a clue as to what it's going to do"

[Knitting A Conundrum]

I had a student named Vendetta once...wonder if we should name a storm after her...

[texas_brewer]

Can't wait to see how the elite media is going to handle the first looters getting blown away. Gun control Texas style; We have guns so we are in control...

[NautiNurse]

Thanks for the local update. Have you made a storm plan?

[cspackler]

The only good news is that if it hits between Galveston and Corpus is that there's not really a whole lot there for the eyewall to destroy.

Except for my parents and sister in Victoria..