Hurricane Rita Live Thread, Part VIII

www.freerepublic.com | September 24, 2005

[Howlin]

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:

Hurricane Rita Freeper CHECK IN THREAD

FReeper Sign In Thread (LOCKED) 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 VII
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

[Timeout]

Hey, Gov. Blanco!

The way I see it, Texas not only did a better job evacuating their people. They had to evacuate YOUR people, too!

Really. A southern lady should show more appreciation.

[Mo1]

Geraldo is having a bad hair day

[conservative in nyc]

That's near Kountze, where NautiNurse has been hunkering down. She reported downed trees, high winds and no power, but not much flooding, IIRC.

[Knitting A Conundrum]

Old flatware is neat. I have a set of Morning Star that was my grandma's...even have her box for it. It's such a neat, kind of art deco pattern....and we have a few pieces of Queen Bess....I like that a lot. But I have this wonderful sugar shell, and i haven't been able to identify the pattern yet. Elaborate, but tasteful. Very victorian. And I think it is victorian, or maybe edwardian.

[cajungirl]

I know a man who does a huge business all over the world and it is a unique business. He said doing business in Baltimore City was the most corrupt he had ever experienced and his Grandfather said it was worse than Chicago in its heyday. He said there was an enormous bribe graft factor.

[hoosiermama]

DOes he ever have a "good hair" day?

[TheLion]

What a strange pattern....this could change the weather on the east coast before it is through.

[onyx]

Oh yes, I love the antique auction we have here every fourth Sunday. I practically LIVE for it. So much fun stopping in during the week to see all the stuff and pick out what all I might want to bid on. Gee, I see so much stuff I want...lol.

[Txsleuth]

2 million????

Puh-leeze....I thought all of this hoo-ha this last 3 weeks was over the amount of people that DIDN'T make it out...and now the Governor is saying that she got more out than Governor Perry? na, na, na, na-ha????

Well alrighty then----President Bush...never mind, you didn't screw up and let all those black people die...Gov. Blanco says that they all got out...because in order for 2 million people to have evacuated that area...

ALL of NO would have had to have evacuated.

[LA Woman3]

Bragging that there were no traffic jams out of N.O....a snide dig at Houston.


She is delusional. There were plenty of traffic problems out of New Orleans. She is trying to rewrite history. That being said, how many rooftop rescues have you seen out of Texas?

[Howlin]

Good gracious. What the heck is that?

[Howlin]

You all had spats without me? Huh.

[cajungirl]

We are talking flatware and bribery. It has been peaceful.

[hoosiermama]

Had a shop for awhil, but missed being home....Now that I'm going to retire from my part time job may have a little shop at the B&B cabin....CLick on Hoosiermama to see

[onyx]

LOL! I've not been outbid on ANYTHING I have really wanted and I hope tomorrow is no different. I am still sitting here trying to determine how high I will go for this silver service.

[james_f_hall]

She better not head back into the gulf for a 2nd swipe at Texas!!

[Torie]

That evacuation plan that Blanco said was perfectly executed for NO, while in Texas they just sat on the roads and ran out of gas, did not seem to offer any public transportation out for folks without cars. She said everybody who wanted to get out did. I guess everyone had cars in NO. I have a headache. Or maybe the answer to the riddle that was/is perfect for Louisiana, sucks for the rest of the nation. The just set the bar lower. Or msybe answer to the riddle is that when you see Blanco's lips moving, you know she lying.

[TheLion]

Maybe it is heading back to NO.

[AggieMom x 3]

I agree! There are so many places that are incredibly corrupt. Unfortunately, NO was the only one who got exposed. I only wish others would clean up their acts as well.

[cajungirl]

I love it! We have about ten pieces from a great great grandma, with no markings, not even a company but it is sterling and very very old looking. Reminds me of some of the patterns around the Revolution. Very simple with sort of a crown on top, like the one Onyx has.

Going to look up Morning Star and Queen Bess.