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

[writmeister]

High Island is primarily beach houses. My aunt and uncle used to own a house there.

The concern with Beaumont-Port Arthur is that it is another major oil refining center.

[not-alone]

I am wondering the same thing about the eye wall. Didn't it reorganize quickly overnight?

[JFC]

I was just thinking that commercials are coming fast and furious.... it is all a ratings deal.... FOX CNN all know that people are glued to the t.v.. radios etc.. so they are selling time and getting it done while they can.

[LuLuLuLu]

Is there a thread or FR clearinghouse to offer refuge to FRpeers who might lose their homes?

[NautiNurse]

Take care, and Godspeed to you. Please check in when you can. Prayers are with you, FRiend.

[Gabz]

[writmeister]

And now President Bush is directing the storm to hit Jefferson County which is heavily minority and heavily unionized.

The MSM will be pleased.

[JFC]

9000 people about to be flown from Houston and Beaumont.. to Lubbock, Amarillo, Abilene, El Paso....

I tried to tell you all long ago... GO WEST YOUNG MEN!

[CedarDave]

Do you need Power Point installed on your computer to view the slide show?

[glock rocks]

placemarker

[freema]

That's kinda what they said about Cat. 1 Ophelia, the way she tore at the beaches...

[sweet_diane]

"FOX CNN all know that people are glued to the t.v.. radios etc"

Nothing like bashing the President while folks are trying to use the TV to make life or death decisions and keep up with a natural disater. Even if Clintoon was still the President I wouldn't want to see that crappola, and wrote to FOX and told them that (like they care, but hey).

[bwteim]

Yes.

[CedarDave]

Who is sponsoring these? Moveon.org?

[texianyankee]

I used to drive thru High Island to get to Crystal Beach back in early '80's.
Back then it had nothing more than a gas station/grocery store. Maybe 100 people lived there?

It sits on top of a salt dome.

[sheikdetailfeather]

Fox saying a big airlift is going to take place to help about 9,000 people in Beaumont and Houston to evacuate. (Nursing homes, etc.)

[AntiGuv]

Best of luck, and I hope your home makes it through better than you expect.

[Jrabbit]

I wonder how many people that are on the highway, sitting in overheated cars, will now turn around and go back to Houston. Seems Rita is not going to come in south of Galveston, or even at Galveston. If the track has changed to the LA-TX border, how much damage will Houston get?

[bwteim]

Even if you don't have PPT, MSFT has PPT viewers for free downloading.

[Howlin]

I'm sorry, but that made me LOL!