Hurricane Rita Live Thread, Part V

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

[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

[jeffers]

Surge, storm tide, whatever you want to call it, showing up in New Orleans, 220 miles away, annd Galveston, 250 miles away?


Is Rita acting as a "cork", blocking enough of the gulf that she's already piling up water ashore?

[cajungirl]

You may be wrong.

I have personally seen two people with nasal oxygen, try to smoke cigarets. Both had significant lung disease. Both had pretty bad burns of nasal passages. Both were old and had bad judgement.

I don't know if smokers caused this fire. And I wonder if tanks were stored in the luggage area of buses.

[Types_with_Fist]

Oh... that's cruel posting that photo. Beautiful, but cruel...:-)

[johnb838]

One of the mets said he woke up to the sound of thousands of birds fleeing the coast.

[kassie]

Who is the judge that continues to give interviews? He is a Harris County judge. I am surprised the Sheriff isn't with Mayor White.

[bwteim]

And you're a po' boy for violating the tacit 50Kb agreement;)

[olrtex]

Is Main Street the same as Hwy. 27? If so. looks like lots of streets must be under water.

[fishntex]

Here here.

Now there is a bus fire on 45 up near Dallas and DPS has blocked both sides of 45. Now nobody is able to go north. Geez.

I know the bus fire was really bad and there possibly 20 dead people on the bus but there are also 100's of thousands of people stopped on 45 trying to get away from Rita. Move 50+ parked police cars and fire trucks off of the south bound side and let the folks pass through. They are only making it worse by treating this like an accident that happens on a normal day.

[johnb838]

That's what my Mom told me the big danger to people smoking when they were on oxygen was -- they can set their nasal passages or even their lungs on fire.

[Eaker]

Though I shouldn't even say this after your ignorant post,

Point out my ignorance or shut up.

I am shaking my head at your stupidity.

Why don't you go somewhere else and start your rumors? Or maybe go to a nursing home and berate the elderly for making, in your opinion, bad choices?

I am going to go outside and wipe you off of my boot.

[laz]

Because you made the racist statement "blessed to be born of one skin color"? It's possible that you meant something entirely different than as construed, but darned if I can find another meaning.

I don't wish to take anything away from JFC's wonderful work, but I agree this phrase shouldn't have been included in that post. It is loaded with implications, not the least of which is that it's a curse to be born of another color.

[jeffers]

Check out the "spiderweb":

http://www.ssec.wisc.edu/data/east/latest_eastwv.jpg

[TheMom]

Thank you and your husband for helping those in need.

Do your best to ignore those who think your comment was racist, apparently they are a tad bit sensitive.

[RDTF]

Someone on the other thread said they heard Shep Smith last night say one of the levees was seeping. Anyone see that?

[IamConservative]

With all the pollutants being pumped into the ecosystem in NO, may be awhile before I have the courage to eat one of those, but is 'sho look good! That was the first thing I are everytime I hit NO. Nothin' better than fried bugs on a bun with dress.

[dennisw]

My bad and stuoid.... I realized right after I posted it :(

[smartin]

I did.

[steveegg]

Niiiiice. Thanks.

[johnb838]

Who is the judge that continues to give interviews?

That's Judge Eckels. The County Judge here is like the Chief County Commissioner, so he's the highest authority in the county, that's why they refer to him. He and the Mayor were in tandem on the refugees because the County Sports Authority owns the Astrodome, and on this because it's a city/county cooperative effort.

[padfoot_lover]

Who is the judge that continues to give interviews? He is a Harris County judge.

Judge Eckels -- he's in charge of county operations and he was the person who took charge of all the Katrina evacuees and getting the Astrodome, etc. set up. He's the best.