Hurricane Rita Live Thread, Part V

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

[NautiNurse]

Extremely dangerous Category Four Hurricane Rita continues to move toward landfall along the northwest Gulf of Mexico shoreline. Mandatory and voluntary evacuations continue across Texas and Louisiana coastal areas. Lake Charles LA is providing evacuations by bus for residents who have no transportation.

Traffic gridlock in the greater Houston area was compounded by gasoline stations without fuel, long lines at those stations still carrying fuel, and record breaking temperatures on the first day of autumn.

Offshore drilling platforms and rigs, as well as oil refineries, petrochemical and natural gas plants are in the path of the storm. Wave heights recorded by buoy have exceeded 38 feet. The refineries threatened by Hurricane Rita are on higher ground than those affected by flooding from Katrina. As a result, speculation abounds regarding future prices for winter heating fuel and gasoline.

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
KPLC-TV Lake Charles KPLC Streaming
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 IV
Hurricane Rita Live Thread, Part III
Hurricane Rita Live Thread, Part II
Hurricane Rita Live Thread, Part I
Tropical Storm Rita
Tropical Depression 18

[cgk]

I found the update... scroll up (or down? ) :)

[SVTCobra03]

"One of the helicopter shots show cars driving through fields to get around the bus."

Which is why I am getting a 4X4 bugout vehicle.

[fishntex]

That is a great shot.

[dirtboy]

Let's call a breach a breach. What else can you call it?

I'd call it overtopping from that description - the current wind direction, from the WSW, is pusing water from the Gulf up into Ponchatrain and causing modest surge. However, recall that a wall used to be in place at the former breach point - and that wall is no longer in place. So it wouldn't take much of a rise to overtop the levee at that point.

So the key question is, will it remain overtopping? Or will the water eat down into the repairs and re-open the breach?

And then there's that little problem of 5 inches of rain when the city pumps are not fully back on line yet...

[elfman2]

My mistake, that was a 50mph tropical storm, not a Cat 1 that I surfed in.

[SE Mom]

Glad your wife is ok:) Good plan on the garage door!

Stay safe.

[Aggie Mama]

You know, when we were watching events unfold in the Superdome in NO, one thing that kept going through my mind is, "Where were the real men and why didn't they do what men were supposed to do--protect and defend?"

You and my husband and all the men on my street are demonstrating that there are real men out there that do know how to protect and defend. The guys on my street are securing things, doing recon around the area to see is still here and if there is fuel, going to make a trash run. The women are preparing the indoor shelters and keeping the children focused on other things than the hurricane.

[cgk]

My confusion with breaches is it's worse if it is an actual breach/break versus water just flowing over the levee... isn't it? A big hole for ALL the water to flow through until they can fix it versus only the water over a certain height flowing over?

I'd been hoping they weren't actual breaches. But they are. :(

[dirtboy]

As for those who refuse to leave, Gov. Kathleen Blanco advised: "Perhaps they should write their Social Security numbers on their arms with indelible ink."

I actually agree with Blanco here - her statement is akin to the local sheriff asking folks refusing to evacuate for the name and phone number of their next of kin. It drive home the fact that there is a good chance they will die if they stay put.

[Krodg]

Do you know where to find a decent map showing your area? My daughter was trying to explain where she lives, but I couldn't find a map to follow what she was saying. I don't think she's in danger from the storm itself, but I am concerned about the conditions later. Her new baby us due at any minute and as a mom, I'm worried about her. She might go to her in-laws in Spring, TX and I'm just trying to get an idea where they are.

[publana]

Oh definitely if you are in League City. I would have hauled my fanny out of there as quickly as possible with this one. It's all the people that left that are much further inland that evacuated that blew my mind. I have friends in Spring that are in Dallas.

[texianyankee]

I really dont either, Deguello. We just rinse out our milk jugs really good and store them.

People at HEB (elsewhere, too I am sure) were buying cases of pint size water bottles!

Over here, I really dont sense the need for storing much water - not unless something like a water system failure happens & that is unlikely.
Maybe people fear that the stores will close & they just cant buy their water bottles?

[steveegg]

Tornado Warning for Ascension, Iberville and St James Parish in southeast Louisiana until 11 am - Possible tornado on the ground reported to a radio station 9 miles southeast of Gonzales moving northwest at 45 mph - near Gonzales by 10:40, Geismer by 10:45 and Carville by 10:55

[NautiNurse]

It's raised about three feet about the ground about six inches from a bay window.

Consider cutting and capping. Last year, I was out in the middle of a storm cutting 3" pvc with a saw when the wind dislodged the solar pool mats on the roof. The pipe was attached to the porch railing, and that was being ripped away too.

[bwteim]

And the bashing and second guessing continues:
11:42 EST
MSNBC now saying, GWB is leaving to go to Texas BEFORE Rita hits as opposed to Katrina.

[cgk]

There was a story in one of the UK papers about the British tourists who were in the Dome with evacuees. The men formed a circle with metal chairs and kept the women in the middle of the circle to protect against the roaming gangs who were grabbing girls to take away and gang-rape/murder. So there were a few good guys there. :)

[Aggie Mama]

Where is she located and where are her in-laws located. get the zips and plug it into mapquest or find out exactly where she is located and we can try and give directions from there. Spring zip is 77379. What is the name of the subdivision she is trying to get to?

[Trust but Verify]

Some relatives of a co-worker of mine live in Spring and they also left for DFW. They are the nervous type.

[ElisabethInCincy]

A Gargantuous Trickle ?

[Dog Gone]

I'm going to be fine in all likelihood, Miss Marple. We've got plenty of gas to get to the safe shelter if things turn sour. On her current track, Rita will give me far weaker winds from the north. My office is on the south side of the house, so even though I'm about four feet from a large window at the moment, debris won't be coming in that way.

For me, I think the biggest story will be the aftermath. There's not a drop of gasoline in the city, and it's unlikely that any significant amount will arrive in the next week. All the refineries have shut down. And without power, no gasoline can be pumped anyhow, so the city will be paralyzed for quite some time. Employees will be unable to get to work because they don't have gasoline, even if power is quickly restored.

It's going to be a mess getting back to normal even without widespread devastation in the Houston area.