Hurricane Rita Live Thread, Part IV

NHC - NOAA ^ | 22 September 2005 | NHC - NOAA

[NautiNurse]

Extremely dangerous Category 5 Hurricane Rita continues to threaten the Greater Houston Metropolitan area. The forecast track has shifted slightly to the northeast, increasing the risk to Southwest Louisiana, and a significant portion of the oil and gas operations in the Gulf of Mexico. Texas Governor Perry is urging all coastal residents between Beaumont and Corpus Christi to evacuate as soon as possible.

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
Houston/Galveston/Beaumont/Lake Charles Wx Watches/Warnings
Current Weather Warnings and Watches for Texas
Current Weather Warnings and Watches for Louisiana
Hi Res Houston Flood Zone Map Slow load, great detail

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)

KPRC-TV/DT Houston - KPRC-TV/DT Houston - http://mfile.akamai.com/12944/live/reflector:38616.asx
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
Beaumont TX evac Routes
Lake Charles/Southwest LA Evacuation Map
KHOU Houston
KTRK ABC News Houston
KPLC Lake Charles Evac Routes, news
KFDM Beaumont/Port Arthur News, evac info
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 III
Hurricane Rita Live Thread, Part II
Hurricane Rita Live Thread, Part I
Tropical Storm Rita
Tropical Depression 18

[RDTF]

p.s. you all - Roberts got approved

[NautiNurse]

She...she...

[cgk]

I thought I heard something about getting gas to "those who need it" on the radio, but wasn't sure! Wow! WTG Texas!

[seeker41]

No, it's on a pier out into the gulf of Mexico. The seawall stretches for 10 miles and is 17 ft tall (I think)...

[Types_with_Fist]

By the panel, right? When does the full senate vote?

[Squantos]

I think the Eakers have an alternate plan to get out of Houston.....

[cgk]

That is excellent news. Do you know... Is is expected to re-strengthen to a 5 again? Or weaken even more to less than 4?

[Moose4]

Be careful, Xena!

}:-)4

[steve86]

Thanks for the interesting information. This is one of the days you have to read 10 small talk and chatter comments on this thread for every one substantive one.

[Spiff]

Tropical Watch and NHC Models for Google Earth - contains 4 NHC storm forecast models, 3 updated satellite images, and a ton of analytical diagrams overlayed on Google Earth.

US High-res National Radar from NSSL/U.ofOkla. National high-resolution (1 km) radar reflectivity mosaic, updated once every two minutes. Note that there are no radar sites in the middle of the gulf, so until the storm nears land and the sites that are there, you won't see much on this radar.

Here's a composite I just did which combines both of the dynamic data layers listed above and overlays them on Google Earth.

[Carolinamom]

On long trips we kids played "Cow Poker", counting the cows we saw on "our side" as opposed to the other kids counting them on the other side. Winning the cow count was enough...no prizes at the end of the trip.........cheapo and non-"feeling" parents in the front seat. LOL

[steveegg]

p.s. you all - Roberts got approved

Actually, he made it out of the Judiciary Committee with a positive recommendation. Voting with all 10 Pubbies on the committee were 'RATs Russ Feingold, Herb Kohl and Patrick Leahy. Last stop before the swearing-in ceremony is the floor of the Senate.

[numberonepal]

I'm going to call a vote and we shall see just who is who around here

I just wish she had admin privileges so she could take care of the riff-raff without having to type. I don't know why these threads elicit so much emotion from folks. It a FRenomenon.

[NautiNurse]

what was the vote? Unanimous except for Biden, Kennedy, Schumer and Kerry?

[Jrabbit]

I thought you posted the "F" word or something.....which I knew you didn't......so, my next guess was a drunk mod!

[RDTF]

I think Monday-

http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,170110,00.html

[cgk]

Wow.

[RummyChick]

I cant wait to see the horses flying down the freeway or motorcycles weaving in and out of cars.

[BurbankKarl]

It is a 17 foot seawall that is at 15 feet, it has sunk 2 feet since it was built.

[Warren_Piece]

We got your back. It's another 2 hours or so to the next set of updates

Agree. I said it yesterday, and I'll say it again today. There is a place - dare I say - a NEED for some humor on these threads. Alarmed people are like a Cat 5 hurricane; they just can't sustain that kind of intensity forever.

NN, I know you mean well, but a constant state of alarm with no exceptions is EXTREMELY unhealthy. As long as it doesn't get out of hand, I'd say even the people who are in some danger need some light banter now and then, just to keep their wits about them.

Freeperisms, humor, chow chow recipes and even weathercaster ogling have their place on a set of threads that last for MANY days. Sure, it won't help save lives, but it tells me that you're too wrapped up in this if you think that, at this point, this thread will either.

Please take a break.