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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
Those little things? Well, they are kinda cute, I guess. ;-)
Thx. This was our planned route though I do not think we will need it now.
Mars is warming? Dang, those silly Martians must have failed to sign Kyoto too. I sure hope they've got levees along those canals.
LOL
Sure could have fooled me.
That's just a bump. ;-)
And we also know what happens to a planet that receives more radiation (light) then the earth receives. Just look at Venus. The inverse square law states that it receives more light per surface area.
You are doing a fine job too
You have no idea the great service you are proving, thank you.
proving=providing, time to get some sleep after the 4 am update.
Yes, sunspot activity has been getting more frequent and powerful. I wonder whether warming oceans also lend to more frequent methane blowouts on the oceans' floors. Here's a site where anyone can get free notifications in advance of Auroras and information on increasing sun activity (even after the more intense part the cycle). ...took some photos of a great Aurora a couple of years ago, thanks to the newsletter.
Geomagnetic News - Auroral Activity
http://borealis2000.com/news.html
You are very welcome. Those of us in hurricane alley look out
for each other.
We may have a pleasant surprise with the latest update. Saw pressure was up earlier.
I hope you don't have to evacuate, too!
But if you do, you should have an easier time than those now stuck in traffic. Come on south, there's plenty of room at the inns. Edinburg has a shelter open, too.
I've turned my living room into a dorm room for 6 evacuees. Just got all their beds ready. Expecting them to arrive in about an hour. I'm so happy they made it out so easily.
...Extremely dangerous category four Rita moving northwestward into the northwestern Gulf of Mexico...
A Hurricane Warning is in effect from Port O'Connor Texas to Morgan City Louisiana. A Hurricane Warning means that hurricane conditions are expected within the warning area within the next 24 hours. Preparations to protect life and property should be rushed to completion.
A Tropical Storm Warning is in effect for the southeastern coast of Louisiana east of Morgan City to the mouth of the Pearl River including metropolitan New Orleans and Lake Pontchartrain....and from south of Port O'Connor to Port Mansfield Texas. A Tropical Storm Warning means that tropical storm conditions are expected within the warning area within the next 24 hours. Some portions of the Tropical Storm Warning in Texas could be discontinued later today.
At 4 am CDT...0900z...the tropical storm watch is discontinued for the Texas coast south of Port Mansfield and for northeastern Mexico.
For storm information specific to your area...including possible inland watches and warnings...please monitor products issued by your local weather office.
At 4 am CDT...0900z...the center of Hurricane Rita was located near latitude 26.8 north...longitude 91.0 west or about 290 miles southeast of Galveston Texas and about 250 miles southeast of Cameron Louisiana.
Rita is moving toward the northwest near 9 mph...and this general motion is expected to continue for the next 24 hours. On this track...the core of Rita will be approaching the southwest Louisiana and Upper Texas coasts late today or tonight.
Maximum sustained winds are near 140 mph...with higher gusts. Rita is an extremely dangerous category four hurricane on the Saffir-Simpson scale. Some fluctuations in strength are expected during the next 24 hours.
Hurricane force winds extend outward up to 85 miles from the center...and tropical storm force winds extend outward up to 205 miles. An automated station operated by Louisiana State University near the southeast Louisiana coast recently reported sustained winds of 55 mph with a gust of 65 mph at an elevation of 130 ft.
The minimum central pressure just reported by an Air Force Reserve hurricane hunter aircraft is 927 mb...27.37 inches.
Coastal storm surge flooding of 15 to 20 feet above normal tide levels...along with large and dangerous battering waves...can be expected near and to the east of where the center makes landfall. Tides are currently running about 2 feet above normal along the Louisiana...Mississippi and Alabama coasts in the areas affected by Katrina. Tides in those areas will increase to 3 to 5 feet and be accompanied by large waves...and residents there could experience coastal flooding. Large swells generated by Rita will likely affect most portions of the Gulf Coast.
Rita is expected to produce rainfall accumulations of 8 to 12 inches...with isolated maximum amounts of 15 inches over southeastern Texas and southwestern Louisiana as it moves inland. Since Rita is forecast to slow down significantly after making landfall...total accumulations in excess of 25 inches are possible over the next several days across eastern Texas and western Louisiana. In addition...rainfall amounts of 3 to 5 inches are possible over southeastern Louisiana including metropolitan New Orleans.
Isolated tornadoes are possible today over portions of southeastern Texas and southern Louisiana.
Repeating the 4 am CDT position...26.8 N... 91.0 W. Movement toward...northwest near 10 mph. Maximum sustained winds...140 mph. Minimum central pressure... 927 mb.
An intermediate advisory will be issued by the National Hurricane Center at 7 am CDT followed by the next complete advisory at 10 am CDT.
Forecaster Beven
TV2 Just Now..
National Guard is AIRLIFTING fuel into Houston right now....
...Extremely dangerous category four Rita moving northwestward into the northwestern Gulf of Mexico.
Movement toward northwest near 10 mph. Maximum sustained winds 140 mph. Minimum central pressure 927 mb.
...Extremely dangerous category four Rita moving northwestward into the northwestern Gulf of Mexico.
Movement toward northwest near 10 mph. Maximum sustained winds 140 mph. Minimum central pressure 927 mb.
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