Hurricane Rita Live Thread, Part V

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

It's the Twilight Zone, glock :-)

1,361 posted on 09/22/2005 10:34:54 PM PDT by steveegg ($3.00 a gallon is the price you pay for ANWR! Start drilling or stop whining! - HT Falcon4.0)

The DLI special...

Mai-Tai's with a shot of Slo Gin thrown in for good measure...

High School Buddy was in the Army Barracks studying Mandarine while I was studying Korean for the Farce...

I damn near married a waitress at the club myself...

1,362 posted on 09/22/2005 10:35:23 PM PDT by tcrlaf

Interesting entry from NO blog:

http://www.mgno.com/

"We just received word that the management company who we lease space from is closing all of their buildings and only allowing limited access. Basically, this means we are on our own now, much like the first crew was when Katrina rolled in.

There are rumors that the levees have already begun seeping water. I havent been able to confirm the report, but some of my sources are saying that the Lower 9th Ward, a neighborhood that was completely destroyed from flooding 3 weeks ago, is slowly filling up with water again. I assume that this might be caused by the wind gusts blowing across the lake, but I have no idea...

The city is almost completely vacated now - much more so than before. I just heard on the news that they believe there are only a few thousand people left within the borders of Orleans Parish, most of those being military, police and FEMA. I wouldnt be surprised if we were the only "civies" left in town. The current population of the city is probably less than that of when Iberville and Bienville founded it in the name of France. Its really depressing. It almost seems like the world has ended at times. The streets are dark, and no one is around. I was butt naked in the middle of the park today trying to take a shower. No one was even around to notice. Unfortunately, the rain stopped, and I had a head full of shampoo, a body covered in soap, and had to run into the office and rinse with a gallon of spring water. Yikes! It was a cold trek into the building! I must say, after 7 days without showering, I feel freakin great!!!

We were able to get these cute, official-looking badges today with our pictures on them. We now have appropriate credentials - we are now part of the New Orleans Business Task Force! Exciting, eh? Not really. From the looks of it, anyone can get one with a local ID and business card. But they make us feel a little more official.

We are still in wait and see mode. We have prepped about as much as humanly possible. There have been some small leaks from floors above us that were dripping into the offices, but we were able to plug them without any problems. Keeping the ship afloat seems to take on more meaning now...

I just got word that we now have 6,000 Gallons of fuel. Should hold us over for quite some time. Apparently, the National Guard stopped by our building on their way out of town to fill up all of our empty drums because they knew we were riding the storm out (no REO Speedwagon comments please!). Those guys rock! I dont get why people say others are against the troops if they dont support the war....Not to bring politics up, but Im a flaming liberal, and I have seen nothing but respect and admiration for those guys. In fact, I would go so far as to say that they are the ones holding this city together. They have been unbelievable, and I dont know if any of them are reading this, but thanks for what you have done abroad, as well as what you have done here in our crippled city and across the rest of the South. The American people, and our friends around the world, have given me new faith in humanity. I have received emails from across the globe showing support, and I know in the face of Lovely Rita you will keep standing your ground."

.....More at link

1,363 posted on 09/22/2005 10:36:03 PM PDT by Revel

that is probably true. It probably does not have to be windy here for it to come in. I am continung to get that rain smell.

1,364 posted on 09/22/2005 10:36:03 PM PDT by Lemondropkid31 (Conroe, TX)

Take no offense, guy was saying that Texas was all flat, arid, and barren. I just picked the nearest Texas terrain feature that could prove him wrong. Remember, I live in Dallas, and the East Texas forest is the closest one to me.

1,365 posted on 09/22/2005 10:36:11 PM PDT by Spktyr (Dallas TX (Overwhelminglysuperiorfirepowerandthewillingnesstouseitistheonlyprovenpeacesolution))

I've only seen two dove today. One whitewing, one mourning. Anna gracle with no tailfeathers. It is unusual. The cowdog and all four cats are a bit out of sorts. All five gecko's are on the porch. Dunno what that means. Other than beer:30.
Good evening.

1,366 posted on 09/22/2005 10:36:15 PM PDT by ARealMothersSonForever (The Land o' Gar (yes I have a gunrack in my truck))

I chuckle everytime I hear "weakened to a Cat 4". It sounds like "the sun is coming out".

Like saying, "Don't worry, the Romans are only attacking with four legions now."

1,367 posted on 09/22/2005 10:36:45 PM PDT by Mad_Tom_Rackham (Hate yourself? Hate everybody else, too? You'll be at home with the Democrats!)

They are advising people not to evacuate after 9am....

Hurricane Force winds expected 9pm Friday night local time

1,368 posted on 09/22/2005 10:36:49 PM PDT by BurbankKarl

I'm not sure about Midland. My son lives in Abilene,and he says they have some space for evacs, but I don't know where.

1,369 posted on 09/22/2005 10:36:57 PM PDT by Retired RN

I have a Hurricane Rita spin on the Munchkin Land Song:

Hildebeast

Come out, come out, wherever you are and meet the old lady, who fell from a star.

She fell from the sky, she fell very far and Vacaville, she says, is the name of the star.

Munchkins

Vacaville, she says, is the name of the star.

Hildebeast

She brings you good news. Or haven't you heard?

When she fell out of Vacaville A miracle occurred.

Dorothy

It really was a miracle. What happened was just this.

The wind began to switch - the house to pitch and suddenly the hinges started to unhitch.

Just then the Ditch Witch - to satisfy a ditch went flying on her broomstick, thumbing for a hitch.

Munchkins

And oh, what happened then was rich.

*The house began to pitch. The kitchen took a slitch.

It flew with the Ditch Witch in the middle of a ditch,

Which was not a healthy situation for the Ditch Witch.

The house began to pitch. The kitchen took a slitch.

It flew with the Ditch Witch in the middle of a ditch,

Which was not a healthy situation for the Ditch Witch.

... Who began to twitch and was reduced to just a bitch of what was once the Ditch Witch.

Munchkin #1

We thank you Rita sweetly, for doing it so neatly.

Munchkin #2

You've killed her so completely, that we thank you very sweetly.

Munchkin #1

Let the joyous news be spread, The Wicked Ditch Witch at last is dead!

1,370 posted on 09/22/2005 10:37:12 PM PDT by jonrick46

The Monterey Sidestep??

That was when you got so plastered at the Club that you couldn't walk back up the hill. If you tried to walk upright, you'd simply fall backwards...

So we would SIDESTEP MARCH as a group all the way back up!!

1,371 posted on 09/22/2005 10:37:31 PM PDT by tcrlaf

Most of the Houston Red Cross shelters are full....per spokeswoman

1,372 posted on 09/22/2005 10:37:32 PM PDT by BurbankKarl

To: Ichneumon; publana

Technically speaking, you can even shoot people for spray-painting grafitti after dark (under the "criminal mischief" statute), but most folks consider that overreacting.

Well, I suppose it would all depend on how tasteful their art work is.

1,373 posted on 09/22/2005 10:37:37 PM PDT by Colorado Doug (Diversity is divisive. E. Pluribus Unum)

To: conservative in nyc

Thats good news. Traffic flow is clearing. Can you imagine how late they would have been, if it were not for Katrina ? Unfortunately there will be at least a few thousand who stay put. Quite a few of us freepers have reported that we know people who are staying. Anyone who stays should carry a flood map with them. Or at least look at one.

1,374 posted on 09/22/2005 10:37:41 PM PDT by justa-hairyape

I was joking, but ever been west of Abilene on I-20?

1,375 posted on 09/22/2005 10:37:47 PM PDT by ekwd (Murphy's Law Has Not Been Repealed)

It openend up six images and then stalled. [shrug]

1,376 posted on 09/22/2005 10:38:21 PM PDT by Spktyr (Dallas TX (Overwhelminglysuperiorfirepowerandthewillingnesstouseitistheonlyprovenpeacesolution))

To: justa-hairyape

Yes, it is very sad. Some people at that age just get overwhelmed with a situation like this, and just kinda freeze. I know a man in his early 80's who for all my life was self-reliant, very responsible, proactive, and extremely successful. But over the last 5 years he's completely changed. For the first time in his life he had major health problems and suddenly became dependent at times on his children. When the hurricane started to appear as a real threat, they had the hardest time convincing him to leave, to pick out important things to take with him, and even to allow them to board up the windows. Just froze in the face of a crisis, something unthinkable for him just 10 years ago.

1,377 posted on 09/22/2005 10:38:30 PM PDT by Diddle E. Squat

I was wondering if someone was going to pick this up.

I remember the guy with the yellow hot rod leaving me off at the Texarkana border back in '79.

After he disappeared up the exit ramp, a tumbleweed rolled across I-30 and when I looked down in the dust beside the road there was a big white skull with (I'm not making this up) two long tusks sticking out from where the ears should have been.

1,378 posted on 09/22/2005 10:39:02 PM PDT by jeffers

And which route is that?

1,379 posted on 09/22/2005 10:39:08 PM PDT by lainie

I was within easy crawling distance. We were maybe three barracks up from the bottom.

1,380 posted on 09/22/2005 10:39:13 PM PDT by ekwd (Murphy's Law Has Not Been Repealed)

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