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 wonder if there isn't a graphic somewhere that color codes rivers based on predicted accumulated rainfall?

[tx_eggman]

They just announced on KHOU that a 80,000 cfm release has started from the dam on Lake Livingston. This was necessitated by damage to the dam that needs to be assessed.

They are trying to prevent a breach or catastrophic failure of the dam. Downstream flooding will occurr and evacs have been ordered:

http://www.khou.com/perl/common/video/yahooPlayer.pl

[laz]

The good news is that this may, repeat may, have been a rather benign surge event, a slow rise rather than a tidal wave...

Yes, indications seem to be that the rise was gentle, and not like what happened in Mississippi. I guess it's the difference between Cat 3 and Cat 4.

[BlessedByLiberty]

"This would be a new pehnomenon, and sounds as though it is Gulf surge, coming in from the south."

Astounding!

Thanks for that informative link.

[Cboldt]

http://www.weather.gov/ahps

Just found it, not sure if it's any good - haven't "clicked in" anywhere yet.

[janetjanet998]

your mission, if you choose to accept it, if too get all info you know and keep us updated :) that would be HUGE

[benjaminjjones]

Looks like a weak tornado passed right over us.

OMG! Hope you're OK. Where are you?

One of my Cinci brother's had one go by his house a few years ago. Blew the door off the hinges of his son's upstairs room. It freaked the kid out so much he had to get counseling.

[BlessedByLiberty]

"She needs to be b*itch-slapped with some reality."

The line of people who would want to do that would be longer than the cars trying to leave Houston!

[patriciamary]

This is all a matter of simple math ,Democratic Governor from Louisiana +Democratic Mayor from New Orleans= Thousands needed rescued and hundreds died.Republican Texas Governor + Republican Mayors= Little if any needing rescued and a very few died.Democrats cannot lead.Republicans are leaders!NONE of this is Bush's Fault.

[glock rocks]

That's some good news. Let's hope for more in the coming days...

[Cboldt]

This was necessitated by damage to the dam that needs to be assessed.

Wonder if the damage is washout due to heavy rainfall. Serious business, to be sure.

[jeffers]

I saw your earlier post. I was wrong. My map software searches faster if you give it a city to work with. Unfortunately, it thinks New Orleans and Gretna are two different cities.

I know, I know....no excuse...

(I see that that canal's walls range from 5.0 to 9.5 feet. That means a surge at least 5 feet above sea level.)

[pollyg107]

I'm in Ridgeland, Mississippi, just north of Jackson. We're just fine. We're getting feeder bands from Rita. The warning bells on the poor weather radio are just about worn out, LOL.

[janetjanet998]

i think that flooding being caused isn't a true storm surge..yes there was a surge too but now the wind in still onshore slowing down the flow back to the gulf. meanwhile all the rain that fell is draining out but getting backed up..

in other words more water is flowing into the gulf now then is moving backout..creating a backup...that would explain the "slow" water rise and why it is still rising in places

[txdoda]

This was necessitated by damage to the dam that needs to be assessed.

This don't sound good .......

[jeffers]

Not good news...the buses are on the way to the town of Liberty for an evac.....right?

[queenkathy]

wow that's well said. You should write than in my local paper.

[Flyer]

REPEAT...

They just announced on KHOU that a 80,000 cfm release has started from the dam on Lake Livingston. This was necessitated by damage to the dam that needs to be assessed.

They are trying to prevent a breach or catastrophic failure of the dam. Downstream flooding will occur and evacs have been ordered This will approach TS Allison levels of flooding.

[ruoflaw]

God bless you and thank you for letting us know you are safe!

[oceanagirl]

New info on Storm2K has the Jefferson Parish emergency manager Maestri declaring that there is no overtopping now, but that the canal is being watched "minute by minute." Perhaps things are settling down.