Hurricane Rita Live Thread, Part III

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

[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

[MSCASEY]

It has not hit yet. It may very well be headed up to NO.

Ms. Casey's Daughter

[kenth]

I can't decide if he's just an excellent meteorologist, or the grim reaper.

[cleveland gop]

Those who don't leave are "STUCK ON STUPID"!!!! I've never been through one, don't EVER want to go through one. Please get out those who are thinking of staying. Even if it drops to a 3, you're looking at massive damage potential.(BTW, if it does lose some punch can we blame that on W's environmental policies???? Just a thought.)
Remember Mitch??? That's what I think of when I see this.My aunt and cousin were caught in Honduras and didn't think they would survive. they did thankfully but the devestation.....

DON'T MESS WITH THIS ONE---TAKE CARE GULF COAST!!!!!

[Revel]

Good to see you here. You must be pretty busy with other things in that I have not seen you post much durring this storm.

[conservative in nyc]

Some of the areas to the right of I-45/US-75 are 30 feet or more above sea level according to Google Earth, especially as you get north or Ellington Field and inside the Sam Houston Tollway. Those areas will likely be okay from the storm surge.

Seabrook, on the other hand, is not even 10 feet above sea level in most places.

I think Jungle Jim will be retreating inland in the next few days, unless the storm takes a more southerly track.

[Spktyr]

Many of those crews are back home. Utility companies from the rest of the US are mobilizing to come down and help out.

[sinkspur]

Unreal, but somebody said that the surge could go in 30 miles. Can that possibly be possible?

It's not only possibly possible, it's probable, if Rita hits at Cat 5 or high Cat 4. That's all the way up to where my idiot cousin is wholed up, in Pasadena.

[eastforker]

Rita is gonna be a bitch but we will survive.

[texpat72]

I tried to call San Angelo tonight, same message.

[lainie]

I've been through one, back in 1985 (Gloria). It was weak and created almost no damage to my locale, but it was the scariest and longest weather night of my life.

[BurbankKarl]

I was just going from the Army Corps of Engineers simulation...there did appear to be some areas that would not be storm surged....

but if you have ever been in Houston in the rain, there is all kinds of street and stream flooding going on

Now there are people at a gas station that dont want REGULAR gas....they are waiting for the tanker to bring PREMIUM!

duh....

[onyx]

Jesus, Mary and Joseph. It's been years since I was on the ground in Houston/Galveston other than Bush International (IAH). I keep forgetting that it's all so flat.

[rwfromkansas]

It looks less "perfect" than 2 hours ago. Of course, all of this is academics. Still amazingly strong and no real sign of weakening.

Heck, this may be her ERC so to speak starting right now. If so, heaven help us because she won't lose much of a punch, just like Katrina.

[tcrlaf]

Looking at the streaming satelite image, it looks like the storm is DRAWING in moisture from the north??

Is this thing so big it's creating it's own weathern pattern and currents?

[onyx]

Of course you will. Are you prepared?

[2Jedismom]

Amen...I'll stand in agreement with you!

I lived my whole life in Texas, grew up in Alvin...am still proud to be a Texan. But when we moved to Sapulpa back in 97, I felt like I'd come home. I really love it here.

[cleveland gop]

It looks like a couple of models has Rita right on top of Houston. How far inland can the storm surge get????

[nwctwx]

I'm trying to be a good student. ;-)

As with Katrina, it's just not as fun watching this for me as it has been in the past. I have, yet again, an sense of impending doom. I love the weather, but I have trouble watching this kind of thing unfold.

[lainie]

I saw onyx and others discussing the flooding heading 30 miles inland!

(hi onyx, LTNS, how ya been?)

[AntiGuv]

Does anyone know when high tide is at Galveston?