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

[Milly]

I was just given a Maxine PURPLE Hat, does that Count?

[A Citizen Reporter]

Laura Ingraham
Steve Forbes

[sinkspur]

LOL, venison marinated in an ice chest does not taste anything like Popeye's chicken! Unless you drink enough beforehand, of course. Then it does.

Of course it doesn't. I thought he was bringing crawfish. My wife has a crawfish pot, and we were looking forward to some etouffe.

We'll probably have to go to Razoo's to get our etouffe.

I'm afraid to go to church on Sunday and leave these crazies alone in the house. They don't go to church, but along about this time of night they sure say "Jesus" an awful lot.

[Jorge]

The Fox News Hat Trick.

LOL!

[raygun]

I's alright.

I have to call 'em like I see 'em (and with unwavering conviction). I appreciate people getting in my face when I'm way off base (as has happened most recently by - profession meteorologist - WTHRMAN13 who cared enough to spend the precious heartbeats of his life, so as to try to straighten my set in concrete mind).

One thing I learned about all this, its akin (but not quite) to taking a test: NEVER CHANGE YOUR ANSWER (people are depending on you to BE the rock of infallibleness).

Furthermore, the antagonistic nature of some people with respect to what I've said over the whole period is, well, mild (to say the least), compared to what the community (scientific or otherwise) does to itself. You think the geeks you knew in school were mild, meek, and unassuming. Hah.

That's how progress occurs.

[beckybea]

Shep needs to wear the fox hat.

[LikeLight]

Gonna be crazy fires in the wind without fire fighting equipment . . .

In the midst of Shep and Geraldo's antics, let's not forget people are getting hurt and likely killed by this storm while we sit at our keyboards . . .

There's a bunch of National Guardsmen from PA, one guy from my church - his wife is pregnant here and almost due - and she found out tonight they didn't get evacuated for some reason and he is now hunkered down just north of Lake Charles - right where storm is coming through - prayers for him and his fellow soldiers . . .

[Flyer]

She is the only sober one amongst us.

Ahem!

The only thing in my coffee is Sweet and Low and milk.

[carton253]

Depends on who it is... some of them aren't worth keeping.

I'd keep Geraldo though.. he is so entertaining...

[Jeff Head]

Take care and stay safe. Thoughts and prayers on your behalf from here in Idaho.

Looks like Lake Charles is going to be close to ground zero so you may be spared the worst...but it's big enough you are going to get some kind of wild ride anyway.

I was there in '83 when Alicia came through. NW side of the city. We were without power for 72 hours and had a little minor damage.

[John Jamieson]

You just put him in any mail box.

[AliVeritas]

LOLOLOLOL

[Sender]

I went through at least 3 indirect hits from hurricanes in Florida when I was young, and I don't remember anything particularly 'scary' about the sky then, just a lot of gray clouds, wind and rain.

I was in Lexington KY in 1974 when the 'swarm' of tornadoes broke out all around us. Now that was scary. The sky literally turned green, and all was muggy calm. It was like the universe was holding its breath, waiting for the unseen forces to burst into view. Luckily the chaos went all around us. I'll never forget the feeling of eerie foreboding in that sky.

[blam]

"Dear Lord that bridge in Lake Charles is one of the most scary bridges to travel on anywhere. I can't imagine trying to cross it with a hurricane pounding on the door. What a horrible way to die. =("

When crossing that bridge, look real close at the railings on each side. There are crossed pistols made of iron on each of the supports. They look like some kind of pirates type pistol. Neat.

[TheMom]

Eaker could no longer tolerate watching Fox. He said, "You don't want to watch the three stooges and I don't want to watch these stooges".

[Jeff Head]

Stay safe. Our prayers for all of y'all from here in Idaho.

[LA Woman3]

Anyone in Baton Rouge area???? I'm north of the metro area and we still have power. Thankfully no tornadoes either. My sis in law near Grosse Tete (Iberville Parish south of I-10)has been w/o power for two hours now. What's the power situation elsewhere?



I'm in Prairieville....still have power.
What have you heard about Lake Charles?

[Squantos]

I knew it.......:o)

LMAO !

What's the weather report at this point at Casa'Eaker ?

Weather stick bent and wet aside ?

[Republic]

That did it....I am no longer roflmasso....I am convulsed, in pain, and feeling a wee bit guilty ( just not guilty enough to stop howling- sides are aching )as I know this is one horrific storm.