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

[bwteim]

I missed that....;)

[MSCASEY]

It may hit closer than 20 miles. I would not be that surprised if the French Quarter took a direct hit.

Ms. Casey's Daughter

[WoodstockCat]

ala Fredric '79?

[handy]

Free Link to the Wall Street Journal Hurricane Blog

http://online.wsj.com/public/article/0,,SB112731385505947351-BJ0nkKk5ENd7mMG3PLMk1lEXK88_20060921,00.html?mod=blogs

[TheBigB]

"Ah said...put...the bunny...back...in the box."

[Romish_Papist]

Weather CHannel says it's now a CAT 4, no longer a CAT 5.

[Carolinamom]

I see from your profile page that you have no children and thus cannot or will not understand how a father (presumably driving), mother (w/1 child on her lap), and 3-6 other kids Plus Grandma in the small back seat together sitting on laps and w/the family's dog or cat, PLUS survival supplies enough for all that crowd...clothing, food, medicines, water, first aid, etc....is evidence enough that that family w/laps needs more than a compact car.

You try that scenario just once and get back to me.

[AliVeritas]

Con Loose (LA version)

[frankjr]

It is now down to a Cat 4 with 150mph winds. It will be a max Cat 3 when it hits land...maybe less. Trust me, I have been exposed to weather for over 40 years.

[fjsva]

people who decide not to evacuate should write their Social Security number on their arms in permanent marker!

That's been SOP in VA Beach for a couple years now. I would do it to my kids whether we were staying or evacuating. Never know what's going to happen.

[Types_with_Fist]

A guy on CNN was explaining the eddys Rita is passing over... yesterday a warm one, today a cold one and later today and tomorrow a hot one. He's saying the storm will grow again.

[Spktyr]

Buy a motorcycle and ride out through the traffic.

[AliVeritas]

You owe me lunch with those Blanco quotes.

[Petronski]

I think you're all talking about the same thing:

As Rita's projected track begins to extend less westerly and more northwesterly, her projected landfall moves easterly.

The storm is moving generally westerly, but her target is drifting generally easterly.

[frankjr]

Did you see the weather girl on TWC in Galveston with that tight grey t-shirt? I can't wait until it starts to rain.

[Romish_Papist]

Got it. Just going with what they are saying now as it's so tricky to predict what will happen later.

[pageonetoo]

But seriously folks... yeah, I think later on in mankind's advancement, we will find out that there are actual physical forces causing hurricanes to be drawn to a given spot.

[pgyanke]

RE: Your Tagline

Me too.

[Double Tap]

Thank you. I'm out of this one.

[bwteim]

You're on!

Galatoires in Nawlins as soon as Nagin and Blanco call it clear.