Posted on 09/24/2005 9:58:36 AM PDT by 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
Hemmer is all worried about water back in the ninth ward. Its gone. You cannot fix houses that have been flooded. I feel sorry for the people but FOX needs to get the facts straight.
I was driving around my home town of Punta Gorda and our little town is still in demolition mode from Charley. We are years and years away from being fixed. We still have blue tarps everywhere. Wrecked houses and businesses. Sunk boats in the harbor. It will decades to re-do NOLA. If they do it at all.
Flatware? Did I hear flatware?
Having a Runaway bride de ja vous.
Just ignore me.
She definitely brought CAT4 pressure and storm surge with her. Winds, borderline probably. CAT3 / CAT4 really doesn't matter. There is extensive damage that hasn't been reported yet in Louisiana. Which means more federal money for Lousiana... grrr. We are going to end up dropping 300billion in that state before all is said and done.
I also was reading that Rita was about to drop another 10-20mb from 898 but it started sucking up dry air off Texas. Texas really dodged the bullet on this one. Thank God that high receded.
I agree Sunnyflorida! FOX needs to get their facts straight and pass out a map or two!! I really think it will take a VERY long time to rebuild New Orleans..if they can ever rebuild?
I am so sorry about your town Sunnyflorida...I have never been to Florida but I hear that it is beautiful!!
LOL! I HAVE to win the bid. I am set to go to the wall for this beautiful set. Various relatives divided my grandmother's silver, so I just know I NEED this...lol.
Sleeping through a hurricane is a greater blasphemy than refusing a kiss from Jennifer Anniston.
Yer ate up.
;-)
Water,water everywhere, and not a drop to drink.
I believe the worst of the flooding is yet to come.
LOL---I didn't even have to scroll your post to onyx all the way up to know it was from you....
That thread we had about the runaway bride was just about the most fun I have had here on FR...and YOU, my lady, made it that way...what a hoot!!!
Suthren women...I declare!!
Saw her at a gas station once, she didn't offer. I think she was very pretty though with little make-up, not sure because I was looking else where.
Goes along with whatever idiot I heard this morning say he was in downtown Houston in front of the Galleria!
Muleteam1
Suthren women -- I declare! FOTFLOL!
Yep, I agree, CJ made that thread HILARIOUS!
If you had to pick a place for Rita to come ashore between Houston and New Orleans, I'm not sure you could do better than what she did.
I don't mind spending the money on fixing things, otherwise it's like surrendering to mother nature. We're only talking less than one year's defense budget here.
Ok we can't win, but we can fight to a draw, or at least try.
What I won't do though, is spend it on new Vuitton purse for Ms. Blanco.
Her and her cronies are the cork in the bottle.
With them in place, nothing goes in and nothing comes out. That's my take on it.
I know what you mean. Everytime I see the gas prices, my jaw drops and I just stare at them trying to figure out. Can't look anywhere else.
;-)
There's a link to a video of a flyover made this afternoon of Silsbee and Lumberton at:
http://www.khou.com
Look below the photo for the links, next to "Aerial Tour of Coastline"
Agreed. Can Louisiana recall Blanco and put Jindal into office. He'd be better Governor to lead the rebuilding effort IMO.
If I were in Louisiana, I'd seriously think about starting a recall campaign, if it is legal.
Hmmm,,do you mind if I ask what pattern?
I am sorry, but flatware is like crack cocaine to me!
Ah, the best thread ever was the underpants thread,,I have never laughed so hard in my life.
Thannks! Did she get married or what? The RB I mean.
Queen's Lace.
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