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

[jeffers]

I don't know if you got to it yet, but that "20 foot surge" probably wasn't that high. The elevation at Lafitte isn't 13 to 17 feet, which removes the only corroboration for that assumption.

At least that's what we all decided, but the river is still running upstream at Lafayette, per recent posts here.

Go figure.

[Brad’s Gramma]

Neat!!

BRB!

[Ingtar]

From that picture of Mandeville, I am glad I am no longer living in Covington.

[BurbankKarl]

When is the last time it flooded like that before this year?

[cgk]

People Don't Listen

Problem #1 - People Don't Listen

You want to know why "plans fail"? You want to understand why government officials can't guarantee a 100% effective emergency plan? It's because there will always be a segment of the population that just doesn't cooperate.

"Please stay where you are," said Gov. Rick Perry. "Be patient, stay put." Despite the governor's urging people to stay off the roads while search-and-rescue crews assessed the damage, state officials said gridlock was starting again as people began to return to the densely populated Houston area.

And it's usually these same people who ignore the government officials that wind up criticizing the same government officials for not doing more.

Not only are many of these people returning to homes without power, but they'll also be low on, or out of gas when they get there with no way to refuel. Why? Because of the gridlock they're creating, gas tankers can't get into the Houston area to restock gas stations and emergency workers can't reach coastal communities flooded by the storm. Estimates are showing that it may take as long or longer to get into Houston as it did for folks to leave. So why in the hell would you want to endure that again, only to return home and live like an outdoor camper?

Now I am a big fan of self-determination, so don't get me wrong. It's well within their rights to leave, stay, return or whatever the hell they want to do. But for the sake of sanity, remember the government officials are giving you the information and directions... if you don't want to listen, then stop complaining and blaming and figure out yourself how to get out of the mess you put yourself in!

[laz]

There was a report last night from the NHC, in the discussion, that mentioned Rita's convection really firing up again after she hit land.

The eye appears to have intensified just before landfall. Convection increased, too late to increase her winds, but I believe they kept the winds from decreasing when they normally would have.

[cgk]

One more, same source:

Schedule for Return of Refugees Displaced-Texan-Americans

State and local leaders have developed a plan to stagger the return of more than 2.5 million Hurricane Rita evacuees over at least three days to ensure that the affected areas are safe, fuel supplies are adequate and traffic keeps moving.

Sunday: Residents may return to communities west of I-45 and north of I-10, including residents of Tomball, The Woodlands, Waller, Hockley, Katy, Brookshire and surrounding communities.

Monday: Residents may return to communities west of I-45 and south of I-10, including residents of Richmond, Stafford, Rosenberg, Sugarland, Pearland and surrounding communities, plus all Houston residents inside Loop I-610.

Tuesday: Residents may return to all remaining areas east of I-45 and north of I-10 up to the Liberty and Chamber county lines.

State and local emergency officials continue to develop a plan for the safe return of evacuees to communities east of the Houston area that sustained the most damage from Hurricane Rita.

The Governor cautioned that evacuees should not begin returning to the affected areas ahead of the state schedule. Anyone doing so ought to be tagged like cattle, so we can easily recognize the idiots in our neighborhoods.

Update: Texans who evacuated their homes because of Hurricane Rita may claim an exemption from state and local hotel tax by signing an exemption certificate stating that they're stay is due to Rita.

[silentknight]

We should just call both of these

KARITA

[NautiNurse]

Good evening all. Greetings from D.C.

OMG...was caught in the middle of the anarchist march/rally/riot *twice* this afternoon. What a bunch of useless destructive morons.

[Brad’s Gramma]

EEEEEEKK!!

Hope you SHOWERED and threw away the clothes you were wearing!

[BurbankKarl]

I hear they are eligible for $2000 Waffle House cards.

[Brad’s Gramma]

I'm logging off, AND placemarking this.

Sleep well everyone.

[Ichneumon]

She said everybody got out that wanted to. Everybody had a car. A chicken in every pot.

Oceania Has Always Been At War With Eastasia.

[BurbankKarl]

5:24 P.M. - Orleans Parish District Attorney Eddie Jordan said today his office is laying off at least 54 percent of its "non-essential, non legal staff members" because the city is facing a financial hardship in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina.


The layoffs do not include assistant district attorneys.


A statement from Jordan's office says though the city is seeking financial assistance, it must downsize and advised that the DA's do the same.


The statement says the decision to lay off certain employees was based upon the needs of the office as well as seniority.

[MAWG]

" Problem number 1, people dont listen."

You really dont know what you are talking about. These people who " evacuated" were forced outa their homes by a very slick and organized media blitz that focused on their fears and ignorance. The mantra here in Houston for 4 days prior to landfall was " get outa town or you'll die." Well, 1.8 million did just that and many more died on the road than did here in Houston. As a matter of fact, I haven't heard yet that any ones' death has been blamed on the storm. Most of them are very angry because they now know that they were duped and used in a political shell game called " cover your ass."

You bet they are coming home and mad as hell. They are outa patience and outa money. Let's see if they get a FEMA card worth 2k.though I seriously doubt it, most of them are white.

[laz]

Gov. Blanco is actually BRAGGING to Geraldo about "the effective evacuation" of New Orleans before Katrina. LOL! Bragging that there were no traffic jams out of N.O....a snide dig at Houston.

I seem to remember the pics of the traffic jams on I-10. What a liar. Also, NOLA evacuated far less people than Houston did, and there are far less people in NOLA to evacuate than in Houston to begin with. But who needs facts and reality when a simple misleading soundbyte will do?

[cgk]

I didn't write that. A Houston evacuee wrote it.

You saw the link, right?

[laz]

But Phillipe's remains are possibly going to form a new tropical system. Wonder if they'll rename it or go back to Phillipe?

I knew we hadn't seen the last of that guy. Fortunately, it appears he's going to head north.

[BurbankKarl]

Blanco, we have a problem...

[laz]

I really think Nagin is on drugs, probably crack.

Judging from recent behavior, he needs to take the edge off his jones.