Hurricane Rita Live Thread

NHC - NOAA ^ | 20 September 2005 | NHC - NOAA

[NautiNurse]

Hurricane Rita is in the Florida Straits, impacting the Florida Keys and South Florida Peninsula. Hurricane watches and warnings are in effect for numerous portions of South Florida. Check local weather statements for updates.

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 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
Extra Large Miami Radar Broadband only
Extra Large Key West Radar Broadband 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)

WTVJ-TV/DT Miami (NBC6)
WFOR-TV/DT Miami (CBS 4)
WSVN-TV/DT Miami (Fox)

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

Previous Threads:
Tropical Storm Rita
Tropical Depression 18

[oceanperch]

Is the Lil Texas Termite safe where ever he lives in Texas?

[El Gato]

Rita is now a category three hurricane on the Saffir-Simpson scale. Additional strengthening is forecast during the next 24 hours...and Rita is expected to become a category four hurricane sometime later today.

That's happened about 8 hours ahead of when the last forecast said it would. IOW, she's strengthening faster than they thought just a few hours ago.

Scary.

[DrewsMum]

Where in La Porte are you? I promise not to stalk...maybe

[Howlin]

Location, tagline, get with the program!

[Tex_GOP_Cruz]

Thanks, fatima. I'm less worried about wind damage or flooding (we took two feet of rain in less than one day during T.S. Allison w/o any problem) than I am about the prospect of several days w/o power. That's the main thing on my mind.

Shield, I think there were some downed trees in this area (NW, just outside the loop). Sugar Land, IIRC, didn't get the eye, which went downtown and blew out all the windows. What's your plan this time?

[shield]

Since I really hate beer...yuck...that's the only thing I will do with them except...open them up and pour them down the sink...yucky beer...they weren't even mine...a friend and I took a trip so I took them out of the car and put them in the Frig...

Well, I could use them on my hair when I'm shampooing.

[DrewsMum]

Where in La Porte are you? I promise not to stalk...maybe

[Howlin]

You don't suppose she'll burn herself out, do you?

[oceanperch]

My 12 yr old Lab on of 4 opens and closes doors and has severe anxiety seperation.

I used to park where he could watch me in the store but now we are into park and walking.

I came back to the van today and the people working on the building said that is one smart dog you have....we though an alarm was going off in your van your Lab was continueosly honking the horn while you were gone.

KOLBE! OMG!

[DrewsMum]

Hey, wasn't Cindy Sheehan supposed to be here (houston) on saturday to march or something,,,of course, you know, she's still welcome

[Turtleman]

On the far west side of town...........close to the college

[DrewsMum]

me too no kidding

[hobson]

He lives in Sugarland which is SW of Houston. He's probably in DC.

[DrewsMum]

did you see the computer models w/neil frank tonight that showed la porte completely sumerged in cat 4?

[txhurl]

Cat 3.... I have this awful feeling this storm is going to test the upper limits of 5.

[hummingbird]

Well, I could use them on my hair when I'm shampooing.

Beer-batter onion rings are yummy!

[shield]

Waiting...to see the actual track...I think Rita will be quite a bit further south than all the weather hype that's taking place now...Rita will probably be a cat 3 at landfall...coming into the shallower water will kick her down quite a bit...

If push comes to shove I have a sister in Glen Rose, TX which is southwest of Ft. Worth...my brother lives west of me about 5 minutes so that wouldn't help... LOL

[oceanperch]

Does that mean Rita could just go away out in the ocean and never make land fall? Hope Hope

[ex-Texan]

My prediction (for what it's worth) is that Rita will pick up power after it moves into the Gulf. Reason is Gulf waters are warmer than the Florida Keys. Rita is now a #3 hurricane. Tomorrow she will be a #4 and pick up speed heading northward. Rita will veer away from Galveston, Texas and more towards New Orleans.

Rita will have 140 mph winds by Thursday. Another direct hit on N.O. is coming. Prophetic Biblical allegories galore.

[oceanperch]

How about not so common names.
Like internet screen names.
Or cultural names.
Or Pet names.