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

[Howlin]

Well, hurry back; we can't "do" a hurricane without you.

[Howlin]

You still have power?

[johnb838]

I don't think Stanley could live in this brave new world.

[jeffers]

Thanks, Cboldt, nice find. From the article:

A section near the Lakefront, once dried out from Katrina, was taking
water once again. The London Avenue Canal, also fortified by sheet
piles, was seeping water into the Vista Park neighborhood, on the west
side of the canal, which had several inches of street and lawn flooding in
places. A day before it had been bone dry.

Other reports indicate more than a seep. If and when the CoE reports it increasing to a "trickle", look out.

Lake P is at plus 4.5 feet, 3.5 above normal, 1 foot less than when NO reached equilibrium after Katrina. NOAA has much of the lower Mississippi River watershed under an 8 inch flood watch, and this article indicates that one lock from the Mississippi to Lake P is standing open.

NO is liable to flood again, the only question now is how much and where.

[tomkat]

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

Perhaps, but he did call Him most everything except late to dinner.
Having seen a plague or two, I'd charge Him with indifference, if He actually gave a damn.

but, this is a 'Hurricane Live' thread.

This is not a 'Smugly Post Your Three Favorite Pages of the Bible' thread.

[johnb838]

Father Martin used to say, "Faith can move mountains, bring a shovel."

[bwteim]

bump to that.
Of course, by NN going, it could mean an early end to the season;)

[xsmommy]

i am ROARING at your tagline!!

[laz]

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

No one here is charging God with wrongdoing. Nothing God does is wrong, because He is perfect. It is man who does wrong, and doing so brings consequences, because God is also Justice.

I am always tickled by people who are scandalized by any hint that a terrible disaster is done by God. The story of Job shows that while Satan inflicts disaster, God permits it for His own reasons. And God's ways are not our ways.

While some people find it offensive to hear that God allows pain and suffering, I find it more offensive that such people, by their reasoning, are implying that something can happen that is against God's will. If a disaster is not God's will, how does it manage to happen? Is there someone more powerful than God who can make something happen against God's will? Satan may inflict pain and suffering, but it is God who permits it according to His will.

All that happens, be it good or bad from our point of view, is the will of God -- otherwise, it simply wouldn't happen at all.

[dixie sass]

When an evacuation is planned every road should be one way out of town. There should be only be a couple of incoming roads for emergency personnel. We learned that in Charleston after Hugo 16 years ago.

Areas like the Keyes need special evacuation plans set up for them.

[ekwd]

If the prices stay "high" you will begin to see people make rational decisions that affect demand a lot- car pooling or parking Yukon's and driving Geo's instead, for example. When only the very well to do and the people who actually need (rather than want)one of full-size trucks, big vans, or SUV's,are driving one, demand will go down.

When you consider the cost of living vs discretionary income (I haven't seen any recent figures) the Huntsville, AL area is one of the richest areas in the nation. The last time I was out in rush hour I saw more F-150's and Grand Cherokee's than Honda Accords coming in from 30+ miles away. It may not be as great an effect as the supply side, but there will be an effect. Every gallon voluntarily saved will have some effect. I fear price controls and gas-guzzler taxes more than I fear anything else.

[Howlin]

You think she's a hurricane magnet???

FWIW:

CNN President On The Fonts Rita Needs ("CATEGORY 4=viewership". Insensitivity due to Blackberry)

[bwteim]

[Howlin]

Then you'll love this one:

http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1490378/posts?page=744#744

[xsmommy]

well i know all 3 of ya, and you are all lying through yer dang teeth bc you are all nice! LOL!

[Ellesu]

Did you see this?

Shreveport lawmaker wants details about governor's actions on Katrina


A state lawmaker from Shreveport wants answers from Gov. Kathleen Blanco about what steps were taken immediately before and after Hurricane Katrina hit Louisiana.

Waddell, a member of a select committee that will look at the state's response before and after Katrina hit, has sent a letter to Blanco asking for detailed information about what state officials did and didn't do -- and when that happened.

"I love this state and I want to stand up for this state, but I have to have the information to do it with," Waddell said.

Waddell, a Republican representative for the past eight years, is known as a consensus builder who doesn't seek the political spotlight. He said he's relaying questions raised by voters in his district.

"That was the reason for it. There's no grandstanding in it," he said.

Blanco has admitted mistakes were made at all levels of government. Among the criticisms leveled at the state are slow response, slow requests for outside help and being overwhelmed after Katrina hit.

Waddell wants details about what was done by the governor and her staff in the days before the hurricane and the week after the storm.

He's asking for e-mails, memos and letters in four areas: Preparations for the hurricane; evacuations; requests for assistance from other states and the federal government; and relief planning after Katrina hit and New Orleans flooded.

"Where I could do a time line, put it on a grid system and put it out there where everybody could see what we did do," Waddell said.

The governor's press office did not immediately comment on Waddell's actions.

Waddell is among the lawmakers appointed by the Speaker of the House to the House Special Committee on Disaster Planning, Crisis Management, Recovery and Long-term Revitalization.

http://www.ktbs.com

[Howlin]

Can you please post that over on the daily prayer threads?

Thanks in advance.

[hoosiermama]

Glad you posted....Been wondering if you and yours were OK?

[Robert A Cook PE]

(No, I'm not as nice as NautiNurse. :-))

"Nobody" is as nice as NautiNurse whene she's naughty ...

[No Blue States]

"Can anyone recommend a good forecast link? I'm wondering if we'll even see a drop of rain here in Austin. "

Click forecast discussion and tab down to Autin area at 4am.

http://iwin.nws.noaa.gov/iwin/tx/tx.html