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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
"Rita has stopped wobbling, leveled off and is now bearing down on Galveston again"
That is what I thought too.
Check this 12 hour loop, the last few frames really show it turning west.
http://www.rap.ucar.edu/weather/satellite/displaySat.php?region=GOM&itype=ir&size=large&endDate=20050923&endTime=-1&duration=12
Problem is that's drawn as a 35 mile diameter eyewall, and the latest vapor image looks more like it's up to 40 now. It's already too doggone close to Galveston Bay, and even slight westing at this point will make a significant difference in surge effects.
Anyone hear from Jesse Jackson ,yet ,to see in what way the Black Man is being kept down during the Rita crisis?
OK, thanks! I really appreciate your dedication and knowledge on these threads!
Water is usually the big killer. It's easier to get in a 'bunker' and survive wind. If the water gets to you, it can be very difficult to manage.... especially with massive surge.
prayer bump
Came through fine. House is fine, big trees down on the fences, all my neighbors lost all or some of their roofs, not me. The window AC unit I bought just for this occasion would not run off the generator. Ran the generator for lights and fans...had similar expeiences with getting gasoline. I've just gotten my place back in shape.
Glad to hear you came through okay.
You deserve an honorary meteorology degree after this summer.
I give that an amen..... Nauti Nurse is the BEST!!!!
Thank you.
Dogwood Court...officers asking for K-9...subject in wooded area...light colored truck...little barn in field...2 subjects just crossed tracks...heading toward Conoco station
Beaumont scanner
[this is what amazes me - Police trying to help with rescue and they have to deal with crap like this instead - petty criminals thinking this is their big chance]
No rain here yet.
Conroe has a lot of pine trees. Falling trees is probably the biggest danger there.
Looks that way right now, along with Sabine Pass and Port Arthur. Surge gets a LOT uglier when it has somewhere else to go after it runs up on land, besides back the way it came. That sustained flow breaks things.
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1489655/posts?page=200#200
Larry Cosgrove is a meteorologist from the northeast. He has a daily newsletter that covers the whole nation, and goes out to about 10k people. He also posts over at the weather board I help run. I met him this year, and have always enjoyed his thoughts.
Amen to that.
Yes. It is good news that the traffic is moving much quicker. With the storm slowing down and the traffic speeding up then I am more hopeful that those who want to get out will be able to do so.
It will take about 8 inches of rain to fill up the cracks in my yard. I'm NE of Dallas.
Will Sean let him finish a point? Sean just can't let him finish anything w/o butting in. He did that on the radio today, I was hollering "Sean, STFU" and let hin finish. But that's just me.
Yeah - if it hits ANY point to the SW of Galv. Bay, Houston is toast from surge.... never mind the winds.
Thank you and same to you!
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