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

[laz]

Someone else just posted that it appears Phillipe is dying out.

He was supposed to be dying out over the past few days, but it looks like he's trying not to die. Doesn't mean he'll come back to life, but he bears watching.

[4everontheRight]

That is just pure meanness on your part!!!!!

[ElisabethInCincy]

WAIT WAIT !!!!!!!!..... A big, biggy, brobdingnagian, colossal, elephantine, enormous, giant, gigantic, heavy, huge, humongous, immense, jumbo, leviathan, mammoth, massive, monstrous, monumental, mountainous, prodigious, super-colossal, super-duper, thumping, titanic, towering, tremendous, vast, whopping TRICKLE

[humblegunner]

Who was it the other night who had 4 cases of beer, 4 boxes of ammo, and a box of Little Debbies?

I've only got 3 1/2 cases of beer.
This afternoon I'll start on the jack-n-coke to preserve the supply.

[EX52D]

I've been following this thread from the start and feel so helpless and concerned for fellow Freepers in the path of this monster. You are all in my heart, my thoughts, and prayers.

[ralphetta7]

blam, heading over past the ole factory to jacks
for a cold one

stafford is quiet

someone posted they have cinnamon rolls - they were right -were almost sold out but tasted better than ever

glad you're missing this storm for a change

long time lurker

[Cboldt]

FNC showing levees breaching in new orleans.

From what I gather, the Industrial canal is overtopping - the water is higher than the solid levee, and is running over the top - like if you fill a batchtub past its top. When you turn the water off, the tub is still full of water.

A breach would be poking a hole in the tub, so it drains to someplace below it's designed top.

Also, the overtopping is on the east side of the Industrial Canal, flooding St. Bernard and 9th ward - not the city proper.

The location of the 17th Street canal breach is "downstream" (now, but would be considered upstream if the canal is used for moving water back into the lake) of a steel sheet piling that isolates that part of the canal from the lake.

[NautiNurse]

Jeez---how many posts before you start a new thread??

For you - 768,942. I took the time to review your recent posts, noob. I see you flunked out of charm school. Pity.

[syriacus]

"Up until Rita, everyone was pretty upbeat," New Orleans Mayor Ray Nagin (search) said Thursday during a blustery outdoor news conference amid intermittent rain. "Now that Rita has come into the picture, it's been difficult."

~Happy Days are here again~
"Happy Days are here again," Said New Orleans mayor Ray Nagin. "Yes, the water's down, Come back into town. Happy days are here again."

A storm named Rita's coming strong, Nagin fears the levees won't last long. He'll repeat his hymn To folks he once made swim, "Don't blame me. I'm never wrong."

[bwteim]

From

http://www.nhc.noaa.gov/text/refresh/MIATCDAT2+shtml/231425.shtml

"The official forecast calls for philippe to become absorbed and dissipate within 24 hours. However... If present trends continue...Philippe could dissipate even sooner."

[libsl]

Thank god that fool Nagin listened to sense and called off his ill conceived plan to move people back into New Orleans.

[No Blue States]

Type in any city and state in the "get map" area, once the map is shown you can zoom in or out. :)

http://www.mapquest.com/

[Salvation]

Catholic aid agencies
accept donations for hurricane relief

By Catholic News Service

WASHINGTON (CNS) -- Catholic aid agencies are among those accepting donations for the victims of Hurricane Katrina.

Among the Catholic organizations receiving donations are:

-- Catholic Charities USA: Contributions may be made by phone at: (800) 919-9338; by mail at: Catholic Charities USA, Hurricane Katrina, P.O. Box 25168, Alexandria, VA 22313-9788; or online at: www.catholiccharitiesusa.org.

-- Society of St. Vincent de Paul: Contributions may be sent to: The National Council, Society of St. Vincent de Paul, 58 Progress Pkwy., St. Louis, MO 63043-3706. Donating by credit card may be done by clicking "Tribute" on the group's Web site, www.svdpusa.org.

-- Knights of Columbus: Checks payable to Knights of Columbus Charities USA Inc. should be sent to: Knights of Columbus Charities USA Inc., Gift Processing Center, P.O. Box 9028, Pittsfield, MA 01202-9028, Attn: Hurricane Katrina Relief. Donors in Canada should make checks payable to Knights of Columbus Canada Charities Inc. and send them to: Knights of Columbus Charities Canada Inc., Gift Processing Center, P.O. Box 7252 Station A, Toronto, Ontario, Canada M5W 1X9, Attn: Hurricane Katrina Relief.

-- Catholic Extension: Donations may be made online at: www.catholicextension.org, or mailed to: Catholic Extension, Hurricane Emergency Relief, 150 S. Wacker Drive, 20th Floor, Chicago, IL 60606. Donors are asked to write "hurricane relief" on the memo portion of their checks.

[dirtboy]

Well, here's a photo of what's going on with the levee:

Looks like it's well on the way to becoming a breach.

[laz]

Phillipe jealous of all the attention that Rita is getting?

He's been forecast for the past few days to go north, but now he's going east. Reminds me of how Jeanne fooled everybody last year.

[dixie sass]

Well, dirt, start screaming because you know what? They will get FEMA money and they are the ones who can also afford the flood insurance fees.

[bwteim]

And all those others advising against it, just imagine.

/s

[BureaucratusMaximus]

For you - 768,942. I took the time to review your recent posts, noob. I see you flunked out of charm school. Pity.

Naughty AND sassy! My kind of woman LOL!

[EX52D]

And yet another bus in the picture? :(

[dirtboy]

See the photo in post 2494 - looks like it's turning into a breach.