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

[rwfromkansas]

Do you think this means it will hit land before another ERC? Or perhaps during the beginning stages?

[Dog Gone]

You're not going to get Rita, thankfully, blam. But I'm going to credit the "blam factor" for moving its track east of where it was yesterday.

Thank you. I'll still get Rita, but last night it looked like I'd have 130 mph winds and be on the dirty side of the storm. Now it might be nearly half that. Hoping the "blam factor" continues in place. ;-)

[texianyankee]

"...High Island's altitude of 38-feet makes it the highest point on the Gulf Coast between Mobile, Alabama, and Campeche, Mexico."

Driving south toward's High Island on Hwy 124, the rise in elevation was clearly evident in the distance. I didnt realize it was only 38 feet, however. But that sure is higher than Galveston.

[jeffers]

That projection puts landfall 18.6 miles east of the 10 am projection.

Landfall projection has shifted 140 miles to the northeast since 4 pm yesterday. That's 7 miles of shift to the NE per hour.

[JFC]

No one knows... everyone on Gulf should be prepared... doplers and radars can only do so much. Anyone on that path, should heed notice....imho

[Diddle E. Squat]

Ya know, clearly we can walk and chew gum at the same time, but on the day when the TV shots of the evacuation will show the worst gridlock, and the media can hype the most desperation, it probably isn't the best time to give a speech on Iraq. How much easier does it make it for the media to whip up the lie that he is out of touch during the height of an emergency? Of course that is a lie, but it continually amazes me how politically tone deaf his advisers can be.

[Dog Gone]

I just saw a reporter in New Orleans giving a report wearing a rain slicker. It wasn't raining.

New Orleans is the center of the universe for the media. A few weeks ago, it was dusty field in Crawford, Texas.

I think they have no clue how ridiculous they are.

[RDTF]

Very observant of you. I hope that the people of LA realize this.

[jeffers]

NautiNurse wrote:

"Any one else have a sick feeling?"

"for two days"



Thought of a name yet?

[bwteim]

lol

[L,TOWM]

Actually that SHOULD have been my handle, but when I stopped lurking and joined this forum, I could not use "Liberals, The Other White Meat" as my screen name.

Of course, if you were referring to the other portion of my tagline, that is from the translation of the fine song "Baby Got Back" into Latin.

[Types_with_Fist]

It wasn't raining.

Notwithstanding a raincoat or slicker does no good whatsoever in southeast Louisiana because of humidity, especially this time of year. In all my years down there I never saw anybody wear one. You end up just as wet because of sweating. It's really annoying down there when it starts to rain and your car window will fog up too.

[SE Mom]

Exactly- NOLA has become the Cause de jour.

[kenth]

FUBAR, CYA, Rinse, Repeat

[ktw]

I am in Spring TX, just north of Houston. And ALL Freeways are gridlocked at this time!

[Rob_DSM]

That just shows all the areas that could be flooded, combining all the potential landfalls, right? I wish there were a graphic showing the areas that would flood for one particular path, so we could get an idea of how bad it could be in the vicinity of the storm. Some friends of mine have a house near La Porte that sits about 5 to 10 feet above sea level, right on the bay.

[LasVegasMac]

WG, you need to get those folks to Las Vegas!

Be safe and ping when you can.

Thoughts and prayers.

LVM

[Dog Gone]

***That sound you hear is my head exploding***

ROFL!

[dirtboy]

Are the people being flown out folks without cars or means of otherwise getting out of town?

[rwfromkansas]

OH my word.....Rita is actually already starting to look better.

If this is the case, she may have extremely short ERC cycles that won't really weaken her.

I hope I am wrong, but others are noting she is already looking better over at easternwx.