Hurricane Rita Live Thread, Part VI

NHC - NOAA ^ | 23 September 2005 | NHC - NOAA

[NautiNurse]

Dangerous Hurricane Rita is expected to make landfall in the northeast Gulf of Mexico within 24 hours. Tornados have spawned in Louisiana. Water is filling the Ninth Ward of New Orleans again. A bus carrying elderly evacuees was gutted by fire this morning outside Dallas, with multiple fatalities. Television crews have positioned their hurricane reporters throughout the region to attain maximum drama effects. Whoooooa.

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
Jefferson Co TX NWS Weather
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:

Lake Charles Long Range Radar Still image, with loop link
Houston/Galveston Long Range Radar Still image, with loop link
Lake Charles Experimental Radar Outages and Delays May Occur

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)

KHOU-TV/DT Houston
KPRC-TV/DT Houston
KTRK-TV/DT Houston
KTRH-AM Houston
KPLC-TV/DT Lake Charles/Lafayette
KSLA-TV/DT Shreveport

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
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 V
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

[Don'tMessWithTexas]

I am proud of Texas and Texans. Again they show how things are supposed to be done. No finger-pointing, complaining, blame shifting or whining. Even Sheila behaved herself and gave props to the local, state and federal officials.

[Halls]

Yep, it looks like Rita is gainin power! What a beeeaaaccchhhh!

[Rte66]

"Don't send my boy to Texas, the dying mother said ..."

I don't think I can do that, except in the years it would make *us* look good. Some things are just *wrong.* Un-hookem.

[shield]

How neat. That's a keeper. What a treasure.

[SouthTexas]

I'm at home today, sitting at the computer, and MISSED it!

[dirtboy]

the fact that it is moving faster towards land???

It means it will get there a bit faster.

A key consideration now is the tides for the landfall area - will the storm hit at high tide or low tide? That can mean 3-5 feet as to the water level.

And did anyone see the 5-day forecast track that is out? The storm is projected to be around Texarkana on Sunday. And Monday. And Tuesday. And Wednesday.

FOUR DAYS with the remnants of a large hurricane parked over the region. Close to the Gulf for an endless supply of moisture. And a cold front nearby to enhance rainfall.

This could be the worst inland flooding we've seen in modern times from a hurricane.

[BurbankKarl]

N.O. ran out of cash in two weeks...and La. had to come up with some risky scheme to keep money flowing. I expect another downgrade by S&P on Monday....

[silentknight]

This is a DANGEROUS and POWERFUL hurricane

http://www.usawx.com/powerfulritasept22430pmeastern1y.jpg

Just dang!

[hummingbird]

I'm pretty sure it was David Gregory from NBC. He has a hx of disrespectful comments.

Does this make David Gregory the new "Clymer?"

I think so....."big time."

[jpsb]

I am fine, my only worry was storm surge, I am on the good side of Rita so my spot will not flood. Another worry gone is flying debree, only two palm trees between me and the water, wind is coming right off the water so flying stuff in not a worry either.

[ArmyBratsMom]

Both of my kids though are in complete agreement with their new favorite politician.

LOL ... Same here. I just told my two high schoolers about their 4-day weekend. They were doing the happy dance.

Now they're trying to figure out a way to load up a U-Haul trailer with relief supplies so we can head to Texas. We have friends and family scattered all over southeast TX, especially in Galveston and Houston. We're worried sick about them. I know we'll have to wait a few days for the storm to pass and the roads to clear. But we're planning to head that way as soon as possible to do what we can to help. Wish we could push that 4-day weekend back to next week.

[PAR35]

If you are not smart enough to know for certain that a firearm is unloaded, or otherwise disabled, you are not smart enough to judge those who are

Your eyes are certainly better than mine if you can tell from that picture that the guns are unloaded. In fact, for the one in the shadows in the center of the picture, if you claim that you can tell its state from that picture, I would conclude that you were dissembling.

You really do need to take a gun safety course and learn something about handling 'unloaded' guns. At this point you remind me a bit of that police training officer in Georgia.

[MamaTexan]

Just hear a rumor that there was no gas to be found east of Big Spring, TX all the way to Dallas. Any truth to this?

As of yesterday, there were only a few stations with gasoline in Austin. Cedar Park (on 183) was running out as well.

Kudos to Texas officials on the evacuation plan. It seems they filled the furtherest evacuation locations in Leander, Georgetown, etc, FIRST in order to allow the closer evacuation locations in Austin to remain available until the last minute.

[DallasMike]

Here's the latest predicted storm track. Click on the image to pop up a full-sized view.

 

 

 

[uncitizen]

La. had to come up with some risky scheme to keep money flowing.

Well it's now obvious that La is #1 when it comes to risky schemes.

[Bahbah]

Long-time lurker, who finally got around to signing up just now.

Good to know you. I have to agree that the dear lady would not have taken to sitting on a highway somewhere for hours. Prayers for your safely.

[trillabodilla]

I predict landfall at Cameron, LA.

[dirtboy]

High tide at Sabine Pass is at 12:39 AM tomorrow morning.

[ncountylee]

The Mayor of Houston is from which party?

[tazman3]

This was a mistake. He just started another gas panic in Georgia IMHO.