Tropical Storm Rita Live Thread

NHC - NOAA ^ | 18 September 2005 | NHC - NOAA

[NautiNurse]

Tropical Storm Rita has developed from TD 18 in the Atlantic Ocean. TS Rita is currently located north of Hispaniola, the eastern tip of Cuba, and ESE of Nassau, Bahamas. Hurricane watches and warnings are in effect for portions of Florida. Check for local weather statements.

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
Forecast Models
Buoy Data SE Florida
Current Weather Warnings and Watches for Florida

Images:

Storm Floater IR Loop
Visible Storm Floater Still (only visible during daylight hours)
Color Enhanced Atlantic Loop
Florida Radar/Sat Loop Caution: Broadband users only!
Miami Long Range Radar Loop
Key West Long Range Radar Loop
Miami Experimental Radar Still Image
Key West Experimental Radar Still Image

Streaming Video: (coverage may be intermittent)
WFOR-TV/DT Miami (WMP) - http://dayport.wm.llnwd.net/dayport_0025_live"
WSVN-TV/DT Miami (WMP) - mms://216.242.118.141/broadband

Other Resources:

Florida East Coast Surf Reports Lots of great info here, including surf cams
Central Florida Hurricane Center
Hurricane City

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

[janetjanet998]

new GFS model just in..Direct hit Houston area...will be passing over even more oil fields then Katrina did which only skirted the eastern edge on the bigger fields..also lots of rain in the eastren side of the HUGE storm..dumps several inches on New orleans

[not-alone]

Thanks for all your work

[BigSkyFreeper]

ROFL! All it's missing is a blue Press Corps helmet, and matching blue flak jacket emblazoned with "TV" on the front.

[shield]

LOL...you bet. ;o)

[hobson]

[shield]

Is this a version of Florida last yr?

[i_dont_chat]

bookmark

[CindyDawg]

WHOA!

[Orange1998]

Huh? Storm surge is hurricane damage and flood is rising water. Least I thought.

[johnb838]

N.O. is definitely on the "wet" side of the hurricane. The will probably get a lot of rain at the least.

[SE Mom]

LOL! I was just thinking the same thing.

[johnb838]

The last thing you want to do is panic and cause a gas shortage.

EXACTLY! (keep your voice down... shhhh!)

[Orange1998]

All of NOLA had the news a good 3 days out. Local have no excuses!

[Revel]

"Rita is expected to hit mid Texas Coast today."

HUH ?

[ContemptofCourt]

system rapidly exploding now....huge storm area wise...will likley be a high end Cat 3 when it hits the lower Keys

Current recon in the system does not support this.

[No Blue States]

I agree, nor do their local officials.

What do you bet they take the NHC forecast more seriously now?

[WestCoastGal]

"oh that is soooooooooo snagged! :-) "

Yessssssssss, lol I thought I had all of them. Too cute to pass up.

Here's one in case we get a blizzard next!

[hobson]

Wow! It's in great shape! My husband likes to say, 'if they didn't want me to drive there they should have planted a tree.' Needless to say we are always getting out of traffic jams via 'alternate' routes.

[johnb838]

Named storm, 2% deductible, according to my agent.