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

[Bahbah]

I'm sorry, meant to type a Cat 3

[NautiNurse]

I added long range radar loops at the top of the thread. Two of them have the eye already.

[Types_with_Fist]

Perfectly normal. I've been interchanging the two storms myself with people. Really... the last month seems like one long, on-going hurricane.

[RedBloodedAmerican]

Better decide quick. It's going on ebay in 5 minutes...
looks like the oil refineries in Houston might mss a direct hit and get the west/weaker side.

[rintense]

So is Houston safer now?

[Stayingawayfromthedarkside]

Where are you?

[Flyer]

Howdy, and a big thanks from Texas going your way.

I think we are as ready as we're gonna get.

[GOPJ]

What's with NewO reflooding?

[Fawn]

There was no need to call me names and be rude...I simply asked when a new thread was to be started....

[MamaB]

Me, too.

[IndyTiger]

Fox news crawl: water cascading into NO ninth ward, St Bernard parish sheriff, "only way out of here is by boat in 5 minutes"

[Wneighbor]

I almost put Hurricane Katrina in the title

Please don't tell me us Texans are reminding you of the Katrina refugees!

I know, the media is trying to overpower you with Katrina.

[Shazolene]

Evacuations are, by their nature, difficult and disruptive at best. It does sound like TX made some mistakes with this one, even with the example of Katrina right in front of them! (For example, waiting all night before reversing direction on the main road out of town, closing auxiliary roads, etc.)

This is why govt's hesitate to order them, and why people hesitate to obey the order. Evacuations are not to be taken on lightly.

Especially in areas that experience lots of hurricanes, we need to weigh the specifics of each situation, and order/suggest evacuation only when warranted. Otherwise people start 'turning off' the evacuation notices!

Prayers to all.

[humblegunner]

Locked and loaded, ready for power outage.

I had to loot some sidearm rounds and cat food from Eaker
but we're trying to get him to quit eating cat food anyway.

[SouthTexas]

OMG...I almost put Hurricane Katrina in the title...eeesh

May as well.

[MamaB]

Levee broke. It was built to hold 7 feet of water and it is now 7 1/2 feet.

[Dog Gone]

I'm going to pay online bills while I still can. I'll check in later.

[cynicalman]

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.

Car 54 where are you!!

[MarineMom613]

Have no fear. Dan Rather has arrived in Houston. On KHOU live. His words : STEADY

[IndyTiger]

Fox: levees built to hold 7 feet of water, NO water now 7 1/2 feet high...