Hurricane Rita Live Thread, Part IV

NHC - NOAA ^ | 22 September 2005 | NHC - NOAA

[NautiNurse]

Extremely dangerous Category 5 Hurricane Rita continues to threaten the Greater Houston Metropolitan area. The forecast track has shifted slightly to the northeast, increasing the risk to Southwest Louisiana, and a significant portion of the oil and gas operations in the Gulf of Mexico. Texas Governor Perry is urging all coastal residents between Beaumont and Corpus Christi to evacuate as soon as possible.

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
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:

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)

KPRC-TV/DT Houston - KPRC-TV/DT Houston - http://mfile.akamai.com/12944/live/reflector:38616.asx
KHOU-TV/DT Houston: mms://beloint.wm.llnwd.net/beloint_khou
WWLTV NOLA

Additional Resources:

FReeper Sign In Thread 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
Coastal TX Evacuation Maps
Beaumont TX evac Routes
Lake Charles/Southwest LA Evacuation Map
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 III
Hurricane Rita Live Thread, Part II
Hurricane Rita Live Thread, Part I
Tropical Storm Rita
Tropical Depression 18

[silentknight]

Check out the storm on satellite here

Defin looking weaker!!! Let's all hope this is a trend.

http://www.easternuswx.com/bb/index.php?showtopic=53500

[Flyer]

My son left downtown Houston Wednesday evening headed for San Antonio. He is still in Houston!

Pay attention.

[AntiGuv]

Yep, fifth day after landfall.

[txdoda]

Where is FEMA???

LOL.....yep, I expect the "blame game" to start even before this monster hits land.

[Rebelbase]

FoxNewschannel just said some wind gusts now up to 212 mph. OMG!

[topher]

Don't mess with Texas!

Sounds like someone has a plan!

I am seeing shifts to the Northeastward of the storm track -- may be heading East of Houston -- which means Lake Charles, LA may get hammered (along with Port Arthur).

The landfall of the lethal North East Quadrant of a storm is important -- the brunt of the storm hammers that area. West of the eye is a much better place to be...

But this storm may pull a Camille.

Camille, if I remember right, drew a bead on Corpus Christi, then Houston, then Lake Charles, then New Orleans, and then went ashore around the Mississippi/Alabama border.

The bad news about Camille was that it just seems to stall before coming inland.

But it has been 30 years since I watched that storm via TV from the Louisiana Gulf Coast.

[johnb838]

heh. I topped off the other day and I ain't wasting it in a traffic jam. I may need it to get away from the looters.

[PigRigger]

Good Lord; the news on Rita just keeps getting worse. Prayers lifted for all our in her projected path.

To anyone who is thinking of riding this out, don't be foolish, leave while you still can.

I pray Rita weakens significantly....the potential destruction is hard to fathom...

[SheLion]

The short answer? There's a weather system that Rita will slide around. Exactly where she will fall will depend on how fast the surrounding systems move to guide her toward the coast.

Thanks! I figured it had something to do with pressure but just needed reassurance. :)

[gov_bean_ counter]

I watched the season premier of "Invasion" last night. Could explain the behavior of Ray Nagin. Hey, it could happen.

[trillabodilla]

I'm hoping not. We're just north of Baton Rouge.

[tincture82]

The guy at the hotel says it is still on "as far as he knows."

Sorry to butt in, but what you have in your gas tank might be the last you get for a while. Do you really want to expend it idling in traffic for a class that nobody else will likely be able to make it to?

Like the old ad said, 'Is this trip really necessary?' Please consider developing some 'car trouble' or a sudden case of the flu.

[Rebelbase]

I would be taking obscure state roads at this time driving either north or west.

[truthandlife]

I was going to leave this morning but found out about the traffic. It is the worst it could be. In my area, from the 610 loop on 290 to Fairfield it will take 11 hours. This is probably about 30 miles. People are running out of gas and it is sickening. It will also be 100 degrees again today so cars will be overheating too.

The newscasters last night were saying if you could get out then you need to get out. Now they are saying you need to reconsider because of the traffic. My brother has been trying to head to San Antonio since 4 am and he is turning around and going back home because of the traffic. It is a nightmare!

Pray for Houston and the people on the roads.

[Flyer]

Today is gonna be a day full of changes, for sure.

[johnb838]

There is no Cat 6. If there was it would be. There may be a Cat 6 by next year.

[NautiNurse]

Hope you are ready for power outages again. You are on the dirty side of the storm this time too.

[Miss Marple]

Is that show worth watching? I forgot about it and went to bed early.

[silentknight]

Get off the interstates and take some back roads. Geesh

[mtbopfuyn]

Normal drive time from Galveston to Austin is 2 1/2 hours, last night it was 12 hours.