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Locked on 09/22/2005 3:40:46 AM PDT by Jim Robinson, reason:
New thread: http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/news/1489163/posts |
Posted on 09/21/2005 4:19:11 PM PDT by NautiNurse
Extremely dangerous and large Category Five Hurricane Rita is churning westward across the Gulf of Mexico toward Texas. Air Force Reconnaissance indicated the central pressure has dropped to 904mb, making Rita the fifth most intense hurricane ever in the Atlantic Basin.
Hurricane and Tropical Storm Watches have been issued from Northern Mexico through the South Louisiana coastline. Galveston TX used school buses to evacuate residents. Mandatory and voluntary evacuations are in effect along the Texas coastline.
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 Western Gulf of Mexico
Current Weather Warnings and Watches for Texas
Current Weather Warnings and Watches for Louisiana
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
Streaming Video: (coverage may be intermittent)
KHOU-TV/DT Houston: mms://beloint.wm.llnwd.net/beloint_khou
WWLTV NOLA
Additional Resources:
FReeper Sign In Thread Check in to let us know whether you are staying, going, and when you get there
FReepers Offering Lodging To Rita Evacuees People and/or Pet Friendly FReepers Offering Shelter
Coastal TX Evacuation Maps
KHOU Houston
KTRK ABC News Houston
Hurricane City
Wxnation Houston
Galveston Webcams
Golden Triangle Weather Page Provides Galveston Weather, Warnings, Radar, etc.
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 II
Hurricane Rita Live Thread, Part I
Tropical Storm Rita
Tropical Depression 18
It was just trying to find its footing. It wobbled around a bit, but it is now moving west again along the forecast track.
TWC is reviewing the Long Island Express and Hugo.
That came from NautiNurse in post #950. Check that.
PS. That is, the waters become considerably cooler off the coast of southeast Louisiana where Katrina passed through; they become warmer off the southwest coast, nearer Texas.
Cat 4/5....I can not remember..pray for all in Hurricane Rita's path no matter what!
The models, which had been moving all day towards strong agreement on a Matagorda Bay hit have started to diverge again, and with some moving towards Galveston. Had a much bigger move like that a couple of days ago, then swung back west to Matagorda Bay. There is even talk of a stallout inland or offshore. Could be a crapshoot on where it heads until Friday. Kingsville to western LA are still at risk, and I would not be surprised if we woke up to either a Beaumont or Aransas Pass projection. Or back to Matagorda Bay.
It's confusion between SST (sea surface temp) and Heat Content.
It matters not only what the temp of the water surface is, it's HOW DEEP the warm water is.
Right now it's passing over the loop current; it's not that the SST of the loop current is a lot higher than the rest of the GOM, it's that the warm water in it is incredibly deep; for hurricane purposes, infinitely deep.
The heat content of the water from where Katrina is to the Texas coast does in fact DROP, and is less favorable for maintaining intensity. The layer of warm water is quite shallow along the TX coast.
My Dad and I were discussing potential power outages here today and wondering what impact there might be from so many crews being dispatched to FL, AL, MS, and LA. I have no idea if it would make a difference in response/repair time or not but thought I'd mention it.
Me either.
ROFL! That's good, too! Thanks!
All kinds of people calling saying they arent leaving....they are nuts.
http://www.click2houston.com/video/5000985/detail.html
Others are crying not knowing what to do...
take this with a grain of salt:
http://www.chron.com/cs/CDA/ssistory.mpl/metropolitan/3046592
Lost power for three weeks during Alicia, cat 3.
Intensity forecasts are largely wild-butt guesses. You can tell if the environment is favorable or not, but whether the cane will respond as strong as you think or stronger is not something you really can tell. Rita definitely has responded more than expected.
We will see how she weakens when she undergoes eyewall replacement.
Well in 72 hours the favorable becomes unfavorable along the hit zone, assuming favorable means a stronger storm. Am I understanding that right?
He was exiting Jim Rob's lap.
That was Mr. Phudderson
Right, but what about for folks further inland?
If the storm stalls, the flooding will be devestating.
The above is pure nonsense. Never happened, and eyewall replacements typically take 12-18 hours.
Things are different for Cat 5 Storms. An EWR seldom decreases the winds and doesn't take long either.
Again the above is absolute nonsense. I have no idea how so much ridiculously wrong stuff about eyewall replacements has gotten out.
ALL eyewall replacement cycles weaken the storm for the period that the replacement takes (again, 12-18 hours.); however, the radius of strong winds INCREASES even if the absolute highest windspeed drops. After the eyewall is replaced, the storm will either a) strengthen to stronger than before the replacement started, if external conditions like shear and SST are more favorable, b) restrengthen to what it was before the were before the replacement, or c) the storm will never restrengthen at all if it's now being sheared or the water is cooler.
Continuing the trend to correct their products, the NHC has corrected Public Advisory 18 for the rainfall effects in southern Louisiana. It should read, "Rainfall amounts
of 2 to 4 inches will be possible across southern Louisiana...including the New Orleans metropolitan area." (the 24" number in the original was a typo).
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