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Locked on 09/23/2005 9:43:13 AM PDT by Admin Moderator, reason:
Part VI: http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/news/1490045/posts |
Posted on 09/22/2005 5:44:09 PM PDT by NautiNurse
Extremely dangerous Category Four Hurricane Rita continues to move toward landfall along the northwest Gulf of Mexico shoreline. Mandatory and voluntary evacuations continue across Texas and Louisiana coastal areas. Lake Charles LA is providing evacuations by bus for residents who have no transportation.
Traffic gridlock in the greater Houston area was compounded by gasoline stations without fuel, long lines at those stations still carrying fuel, and record breaking temperatures on the first day of autumn.
Offshore drilling platforms and rigs, as well as oil refineries, petrochemical and natural gas plants are in the path of the storm. Wave heights recorded by buoy have exceeded 38 feet. The refineries threatened by Hurricane Rita are on higher ground than those affected by flooding from Katrina. As a result, speculation abounds regarding future prices for winter heating fuel and gasoline.
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
KPLC-TV Lake Charles KPLC Streaming
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 IV
Hurricane Rita Live Thread, Part III
Hurricane Rita Live Thread, Part II
Hurricane Rita Live Thread, Part I
Tropical Storm Rita
Tropical Depression 18
You have rubbed a very raw spot. A pox upon you and your proginey. K!c&t^*d
Hey, were you able to move to someplace inland?
Why are they locking the other threads....?
Ha...
Switched to the Dallas Traffic channel
I45 - slow from 287 to I20, due to end of contraflow and drivers unfamiliar with Dallas.
During my hours out in the madhouse on the roads last night, I found that people were being *more* polite to each other than usual, and there was almost a festive atmosphere at the convenience stores and gas stations, with people chatting with strangers a lot more than they would normally. There was an unmistakable feeling of "we're all in this together, might as well make the best of it" in the air.
Thousands of residents became trapped for up to 14 hours on Houston-area freeways as nearly 2 million people along the Texas and Louisiana coasts were urged to get out of the way of Rita, a 400-mile-wide Category 4 hurricane in the Gulf of Mexico.
Red Cross set up a hot line with information about available shelter locations. Call (713) 313-5480 for details on the closest shelter.
"Normally the Red Cross does not open shelters in an area where we think there could be storm damage, as is about to happen. But in this case, we absolutely felt we had to get people off of the freeways if we could and so that's why we're doing this," said Denise Bishop, with the American Red Cross.
Bishop said they expect TxDOT to post shelter information on highway signs along the evacuation routes to help drivers locate them.
State Shelter Hubs Opened
State emergency officials set up shelter hub sites earlier in the week, where people can go to be placed at a shelter in other parts of Texas. These are the receiving points:
Those needing information about statewide shelters can call (888) 312-4567.
Amen Brother!
Thanks Salvation for the ping.
Almost forgot, when I was there they pronounced it "Doom-as".
Good news on the skyscraper glass. Somewhere I read that Houston had replaced all gravel bedded roofs with concrete after a recent storm, to avoid "flying bullets".
Better than nothing.
They always lock the other threads.
Looks like the Contraflow is starting below FM 1488 now. I think that's around Exit 77.
I agree that Texas has done a gret job.
Blanko Blanco and Naggin' Nagin left people in New Orleans to DIE!
Under that same statute, you can shoot people for TPing your house after dark, too. Generally considered to be a waste of ammo, though, and frowned upon by DAs.
Dallas Traffic Signs:
EVACUEE
HOTEL INFO
214-819-6310
He lives directly on Galveston Bay. Back off.
They just showed another shot. The traffic is moving again.
Exactly! I think a lot of people liked it that way too! Never could figure out why they didn't take the side roads either. Houston Interstates on a good day are not the best for free flowing traffic. I can remember taking I-10 back to the San Antonio area and it would be conjested long after we left the Houston corp limits and then all of a sudden traffic just disappeared and it was clear sailing.
Oh the inhumanity!
Local Houston 2 news just showed.....buses. Moving buses. School buses. City buses.
Don't those people know they are supposed to wait for Greyhound????
Mayor Nagin did.
lol
Not aimed at you. jpsb is very welcome to smn. Inflammatory, misleading BS is what the knucklehead posted.
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