Hurricane Rita Live Thread, Part VII

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

[NautiNurse]

Hurricane Rita landfall is anticipated within the next few hours. Strong winds and heavy rains are battering southern Louisiana and southeastern Texas.

MSM news crews are shouting over the howling winds as they foolishly describe blowing rain, swaying trees, and crashing waves through rain splattered camera lenses. It's a hurricane. We know these things already.

An 18 wheeler rig reportedly overturned on an I-10 bridge. The fate of the truck driver is unknown at this time. Reports of widespread power outages in Lake Charles. KPLC-TV Lake Charles local news has remarkably improvised their reporting from a remote location. They are taking calls from residents, NWS, and public utility representatives, and alerting residents to local conditions.

On the flip side, CNN announced to the world that law enforcement officers had evacuated from Port Arthur TX with the rest of the population. Engraved looter invitations would have been more elegant.

Godspeed to all those in the path of this storm.

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 VI
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

[sam_paine]

If a lot of people decide that they don't actually need that Humvee to drive little Missy to school and of their own free will switch to a Honda Accord (that actually began to happen months ago), then the price of gas will fall.

The supply side of your post is spot on. This demand side is weaker, though. 10% of passenger vehicles switching from 18mpg to 30mpg is not going to make the difference that a Reaganesque supply enhancement will.

When are people that demonize SUVs going to properly attack USAGE instead!? MPG is meaningless if you don't compare total CONSUMPTION.

Where is the outrage of people that CHOOSE to commute 30 miles everyday in a Honda for a government job vs. a farmer that "works at home" and produces a real product directly from fuel. Why not have a direct impact NOW rebates for gas tax on total number of gallons per month, (or whatever), to encourage conservation of total usage rather than just mileage enhancement for idiotic shopping trips.

[janetjanet998]

the right front eye hit right where alot of the oil and gas infrastructure is along Cameron county LA and port author texas..also Port Author/buemont area has over 200,000 people metro..I am really concerned about the city of Orange texas..was in the north eye wall..on a river just off the bay and has 30,000-40,000 people metro area

but at least it wasn't houston area

[bwteim]

And good morning to you, jeffers. You provided a great summary of the levees on your other thread.

[secret garden]

Amen, T&L, amen!

[dixie sass]

The stalling reminds me of the one that came up through the gulf and stalled over south Georgia and parts of Alabama about ten years ago.

[weef]

Any word from The Woodlands this morning?

I'm in the back of The Woodlands near Magnolia and everything's OK here. Gusts of winds and light rain. No trees down around me. We still have power too.

[Seattle Conservative]

"How does this storm compare to Audrey in 1957? It is going to landfall in almost the exact same place."

I have some movies (you show them on a reel-type projector) my dad took (with one of those old home movie cameras) through the window in Lake Charles while he was hunkered down in Audrey and the day after. Haven't watched it in quite some time, but the water the next day was up to the top of the wheel wells on the old cars (my quess is about 1-1/2-2 ft from what I could tell/remember).

[Bahbah]

Very good to hear from you and to know you and your family are all well.

[secret garden]

Thanks weef. I'm glad you are still safe and have power.

[ekwd]

Thanks for the info.

My neighbor's son lives in Daphne and had a limb come through the roof- that's all. I saw a little video of some idiot standing in two feet of storm surge in Bayou la Batre
and some pictures of Dauphin that looked as bad as Gulfport.

We are not hearing of any shelters full of evacuees but there are a lot of people from LA and MS staying in motels.
I'm sure there are many in private homes too.

[jeffers]

Thx.

Working on surge assessments for Beaumont, PA, Orange and LC now. All DEMs downloaded, halfway thru the street overlays, probably an hour or so before they're up.

Still looking for any levee breaches affecting any part of New Orleans besides 9th ward.

[mathluv]

If they hurt the tree, they can be fined.

[laz]

That'll work. :)

It's a good analogy for the chances of getting hit increasing with each dummy. When several storms end up not hitting, people get complacent. However, the reverse should be true, because each miss increases the chances the next one will be a hit.

[backhoe]

Thank you. Wind has died down somewhat and getting light outside. Devastation just unbelievable. This house used to have solid woods in back behind lot... now looks like it's been clearcut by timber company. Huge trees everywhere either down by their roots or split in half and hanging onto themselves like broken toothpicks. Someone here works for electric company and heard them mumble, "We'll be weeks before we get power back." Ugh. Signing off to save battery. Wind kicking up again. Please continue praying. We feel it and thank you very much.

I never can locate that "Just Damn!" graphic when I need it, dadblameit.

We're pulling for you, Nita- it sounds awful.

[dixie sass]

If the power is out and they are using candles or kerosene laps...

[Tijeras_Slim]

I don't think Eddie would show up. Probably afraid of ending up on a platter with those little booties on his drumsticks.

[bwteim]

Speaking of doing well, has anyone had any freepmail from greene66? He was the new signup from Nederland yesterday.

http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1490045/posts?page=934#934

[dixie sass]

Good morning.

The reporters tell people to stay inside and not to venture out into the storm or even the eye when it passes. Yets these idiots (sorry about the name calling) should listen to there own advice and the advice and wisdom of the locals who have gone through this type of storm.

[pageonetoo]

Sounds like the Man upstairs is saying "Can you hear me now?"

Job 1:1ff-

1 In the land of Uz there lived a man whose name was Job. This man was blameless and upright; he feared God and shunned evil. 2 He had seven sons and three daughters, 3 and he owned seven thousand sheep, three thousand camels, five hundred yoke of oxen and five hundred donkeys, and had a large number of servants. He was the greatest man among all the people of the East.

4 His sons used to take turns holding feasts in their homes, and they would invite their three sisters to eat and drink with them. 5 When a period of feasting had run its course, Job would send and have them purified. Early in the morning he would sacrifice a burnt offering for each of them, thinking, "Perhaps my children have sinned and cursed God in their hearts." This was Job's regular custom. Job's First Test

6 One day the angels [a] came to present themselves before the LORD, and Satan [b] also came with them. 7 The LORD said to Satan, "Where have you come from?"

Satan answered the LORD, "From roaming through the earth and going back and forth in it."

8 Then the LORD said to Satan, "Have you considered my servant Job? There is no one on earth like him; he is blameless and upright, a man who fears God and shuns evil..."

-

13 ...One day when Job's sons and daughters were feasting and drinking wine at the oldest brother's house, 14 a messenger came to Job and said, "The oxen were plowing and the donkeys were grazing nearby, 15 and the Sabeans attacked and carried them off. They put the servants to the sword, and I am the only one who has escaped to tell you!"

13 16 While he was still speaking, another messenger came and said, "The fire of God fell from the sky and burned up the sheep and the servants, and I am the only one who has escaped to tell you!"

13 17 While he was still speaking, another messenger came and said, "The Chaldeans formed three raiding parties and swept down on your camels and carried them off. They put the servants to the sword, and I am the only one who has escaped to tell you!"

13 18 While he was still speaking, yet another messenger came and said, "Your sons and daughters were feasting and drinking wine at the oldest brother's house, 19 when suddenly a mighty wind swept in from the desert and struck the four corners of the house. It collapsed on them and they are dead, and I am the only one who has escaped to tell you!"

13 20 At this, Job got up and tore his robe and shaved his head. Then he fell to the ground in worship 21 and said:

13 "Naked I came from my mother's womb,

13 and naked I will depart. [c]

13 The LORD gave and the LORD has taken away;

13 may the name of the LORD be praised."

13 22 In all this, Job did not sin by charging God with wrongdoing...

[Cboldt]

Looking for a hard location on NO levee breaches.
Got 9th ward, looking especially for reports from London Canal or any other affecting downtown New Orleans.

Times Picayune report covers Industrial Canal overtopping, and notes nothing regarding problems at 17th Street or London Avenue.

An article notes that rainwater is being held underground in tunnels until the sheet steel piling at the 17th Street and London Ave. canals is removed, to facilitate pumping out of the accumulated rainfall. Capacity is about a 6 inch rainfall.

Times Picayune Sept 24, 2005