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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
Bus confirmed from nursing home in Belaire, unconfirmed "Brighton Homes" nursing home; destination was Park Lane in Dallas.
Whew! I've finished frying all the bacon. Had a huge breakfast, bagged the rest.
Benji, my Cocker Spaniel, approved.
In fact, I'm considering sticking a magnet on that tail of his to generate electricity later on...
Now, on Fox, O2 tanks possibly contributed...
just an early morning zap LOL
28 is still my estimate
Is this track (just west of the Texas/LA border) about the best possible track of all those that have been identified as likely/pssible projected paths during the last 4 days or so?
Yup.
Nauti mentioned it yesterday, but it bears repeating. Surge is more a factor of peak intensity than it is the intensity at landfall.
Once a storm pulls all that water in, she doesn't let go of it very easily.
I'm zapworthy right now. Too cranky...need coffee. ;O)
Damn. Here we go again in NOLA. Hope Nagin and company hadn't let people back in the first place that flooded in Katrina.
FNC Alert
Water gushing into NO's 9th ward
But I see on Fox news with my own eyeballs.
That would be Dr. Neil Frank .... he's worth payubg attention to, he was (13 years) the director of the NHC
The vapor image around 0400 still showed both walls.
That vortex position is NE of the 1700 track. Maybe only a quarter toa third mile, but on the proper side of the line, all the same.
WHAT?!
All of them.
Good Morning Freepers:
My husband and I worked at the shelter here in Lubbock until 3:00 this morning. We have 900 with another couple hundred flying in. People...let me say.... These are many many many of the lower income, elderly, lots of young mom with children, cancer patients... it just breaks your heart as it did in Katrina. I am learning what true compassionate conservatism is really all about. We can bicker about J. Jackson etc, but these people were on planes for the first time in their lives... desperate, not knowing where they were going... and ending up in Lubbock Tx via, commercial planes and military planes.... we are like living in Alaska to many, we are 9 hours from Houston and I just want to tell you all.... Pray, for our country, pray for these people. We sit in our warm or cool homes daily taking for granted the gifts and honestly, just being born of one skin color.... God sees how we react to our helpless and I have learned through both hurricanes that they are God's Children and just need love and compassion. I know my President is doing the right thing in helping and giving. It is going to be hard on all, but we honestly, have nothing to complain about..... Again... Pray for our country and say an extra prayer for Texas and LA this morning.
"That is what is so strange right now in Houston. I have lived in Houston most of my life and have never felt heat like this in September with very low humidity. My own prediction is once this thing starts to get close to land, the dry air will suck the energy out of this thing. I think it will be a true miracle of God."
Should I become a weather meteorologist or play the lottery today?
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