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New thread: http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/news/1489655/posts |
Posted on 09/22/2005 3:25:57 AM PDT by 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
000 URNT12 KNHC 221127 VORTEX DATA MESSAGE A. 22/11:10:10Z B. 25 deg 07 min N 088 deg 12 min W C. 700 mb 2287 m D. NA kt E. NA deg nm F. 040 deg 133 kt G. 304 deg 009 nm H. 907 mb I. 11 C/ 3062 m J. 27 C/ 3064 m K. 5 C/ NA L. CLOSED WALL M. E03/20/16 N. 12345/ 7 O. 0.03 / 1 nm P. AF307 1618A RITA OB 23 MAX FL WIND 159 KT NE QUAD 09:16:30 Z OCCASIONAL LIGHTNING STADIUM EFFECT -- TOP OF WESTERN EYEWALL BRIGHTENING AS SUN RISES EYE IS CLOUD FILLED BELOW FLIGHT LEVELOther significant changes in the 1 hour 58 minutes since the last one -
- Movement 12 minutes north, 17 minutes west
- Eyewall elliptical and cloud-filled; 20 mn wide on the 30-210 degree axis, 16 nm wide on the 120-300 axis
I wish your family the best. It's nuts out there.
Thanks.
"Donald Trump is going to be on Fox shortly to give us his thoughts on how we can prepare for hurricanes and how to lead a country in times of disaster.
I can hardly wait."
WTF?!?! Donald Trump needs to get in his private jet and fly down here to Houston so that I can take a rolled up newspaper and smack him across the nose with it!
every mb counts
Would you read that as going through an eyewall replacement?
Yesterday, everyone had "LaGrange" and "Lovely Rita" in their heads. Today, I've got that wonderful Jimmy Webb/Glen Campbell classic "Galveston" stuck in my brain.
"Galveston, oh Galveston. I can see your sea waves crashing..."
No class for me!
Quite possibly, but I'd ask an expert instead of me.
Weaken, you old bat! Weaken!
I second that. Let's see what they say in the 7 am intermediate advisory.
Where is he and where is he trying to get to?
WOOHOO!
Have a beer!
FNC - wind gusts up to 212 mph.
...Potentially catastrophic category five Rita over the central Gulf of Mexico...slight weakening is anticipated today.
A Hurricane Watch remains in effect for the Gulf of Mexico coast from Port Mansfield Texas to Intracoastal City Louisiana. A Hurricane Warning will likely be required for portions of the Hurricane Watch area later today.
A Tropical Storm Warning remains in effect for the southeastern coast of Louisiana east of Morgan City to the mouth of the Mississippi River. A Tropical Storm Warning means that tropical storm conditions are expected in the warning area during the next 24 hours.
A tropical storm watch remains in effect on either side of the Hurricane Watch area...from east of Intracoastal City to Morgan City Louisiana...and from south of Port Mansfield to Brownsville Texas.
A tropical storm watch remains in effect for the northeastern coast of Mexico from Rio San Fernando northward to the Rio Grande.
A Hurricane Watch means that hurricane conditions are possible within the watch area...generally within 36 hours. A tropical storm watch means that tropical storm conditions are possible within the watch area...generally within 36 hours.
Interests in the northwestern Gulf of Mexico should monitor the progress of potentially catastrophic Hurricane Rita.
For storm information specific to your area...including possible inland watches and warnings...please monitor products issued by your local weather office.
At 7 am CDT...1200z...the eye of Hurricane Rita was located near latitude 25.2 north...longitude 88.3 west or about 490 miles southeast of Galveston Texas and about 595 miles east-southeast of Corpus Christi Texas.
Rita is moving toward the west-northwest near 9 mph and this general motion is expected to continue for the next 24 hours.
Maximum sustained winds are estimated near 170 mph with higher gusts. This makes Rita a potentially catastrophic category five hurricane on the Saffir-Simpson scale. A slow weakening trend is forecast but Rita is expected to reach the coast late Friday or early Saturday as a major hurricane...at least category three.
Hurricane force winds extend outward up to 70 miles from the center...and tropical storm force winds extend outward up to 185 miles.
The latest minimum central pressure recently measured by a hurricane hunter aircraft was 907 mb...26.78 inches.
Tides are currently running about 1 foot above normal along the Mississippi and Louisiana coasts in the areas affected by Katrina. Tides in those areas will increase up to 3 to 4 feet and be accompanied by large waves...and residents there could experience some coastal flooding.
Heavy rains associated with Rita are forecast to begin to affect the western and central Gulf of Mexico coastal areas tonight into Friday. Rita is expected to produce total rainfall accumulations of 8 to 12 inches with isolated maximum amounts of 15 inches from the central Texas coast to southwestern Louisiana. Rainfall amounts of 2 to 4 inches will be possible elsewhere across southern Louisiana ...Including the New Orleans metropolitan area. After Rita moves inland...total rain accumulations of 5 to 10 inches will be possible over eastern Texas... and central and eastern Oklahoma during Saturday and Sunday.
Repeating the 7 am CDT position...25.2 N... 88.3 W. Movement toward...west-northwest near 9 mph. Maximum sustained winds...170 mph. Minimum central pressure... 907 mb.
The next advisory will be issued by the National Hurricane Center at 10 am CDT.
Forecaster Avila
$$
No comment...
;o)
Some on the weather forum speculate change in structure is due to the turn being made. I don't know. Possibly some shear now in the environment? Shear is brutal on these storms and can knock the power out of them very quickly.
Trump was on O'Reilly last night bashing Bush again. I can't stand even looking at that stuck-up egomaniac.
Morning Eaker. Family is gone and I just planted my 6'6" Masai spear in the front flower bed (spear tip up)with a sign that reads "Looters Welcome"
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