Hurricane Rita Live Thread, Part VII

NHC - NOAA ^ | 23 September 2005 | NHC - NOAA

[NautiNurse]

Hurricane Rita landfall is anticipated within the next few hours. Strong winds and heavy rains are battering southern Louisiana and southeastern Texas.

MSM news crews are shouting over the howling winds as they foolishly describe blowing rain, swaying trees, and crashing waves through rain splattered camera lenses. It's a hurricane. We know these things already.

An 18 wheeler rig reportedly overturned on an I-10 bridge. The fate of the truck driver is unknown at this time. Reports of widespread power outages in Lake Charles. KPLC-TV Lake Charles local news has remarkably improvised their reporting from a remote location. They are taking calls from residents, NWS, and public utility representatives, and alerting residents to local conditions.

On the flip side, CNN announced to the world that law enforcement officers had evacuated from Port Arthur TX with the rest of the population. Engraved looter invitations would have been more elegant.

Godspeed to all those in the path of this storm.

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
Jefferson Co TX NWS Weather
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:

Lake Charles Long Range Radar Still image, with loop link
Houston/Galveston Long Range Radar Still image, with loop link
Lake Charles Experimental Radar Outages and Delays May Occur

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)

KHOU-TV/DT Houston
KPRC-TV/DT Houston
KTRK-TV/DT Houston
KTRH-AM Houston
KPLC-TV/DT Lake Charles/Lafayette
KSLA-TV/DT Shreveport

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
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 VI
Hurricane Rita Live Thread, Part V
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

[Republic]

Thanks for the link. Thing is, unlike the other pic I was referring to, your radar shot shows the storm as organized with small bits appearing only as far north as northern alabama.

The other showed Indy all grayed out, I guess cloud cover, likewise for Kentucky and Tenn, etc. and showed this area in a swirl pattern coming from Rita.

[Spktyr]

I'm guessing that you and your children are looking forward to this coming looter season?

[Armedanddangerous]

Let's see

There's a 50 cal rifle on the roof, an SR-25 stoner and was that a Streetsweeper on the hood?

My idea of an effective neighborhood watch.

[Republic of Texas]

The Cameron gage is at the mouth, it will rise first, then the others as the surge goes upstream.

[Krodg]

Where am I?

You are in Rove territory. Every word you say will be held against you.

[Mo1]

The boots make her look taller

[Republic of Texas]

I don't doubt that. Probably a combination, as there is no drainage there.

[jacquej]

Anyone want to consider the consquences of this horrible mess? Or am I the only nervous grandma in the bunch.

[nwctwx]

Inner eye wall coming ashore:

[Arizona Carolyn]

I already thought the same thing.

[nerdgirl]

This is pathetic I've had to switch to CNN - some guy who looks like he could be an extra on the Sopranos.

Get the live stuff back, Fox!

[Armedanddangerous]

Since you asked...

I'm actually planning on doing that in the next couple of weeks in a 70+ year old lumber warehouse that I have access to in Danville, WV.

Stay tuned.

[NormsRevenge]

Yup, Satellite Infrared versus Visible shot.

Stuff link below in your browser or click on it, eye is close to hitting land

http://icons.wunderground.com/data/nids/RITA_N0Z.gif

[A Citizen Reporter]

But the thighs.....

[nuclady]

You aren't the only one hitting the Cheap White Chablis!!!

[woofie]

14 Reporters blown out to sea?

[LikeLight]

Fox is live - they are live all night tonight.

[Spktyr]

There's a lot of consequences. One of the more significant ones is that the MSMSOS will now have to stop saying that it's impossible to evacuate a major American city, and another is that they can't continue to give the corrupt politicos in LA a pass. Texas very publically got *FIVE TIMES* the number of people out of the strike zone that LA had to get, in LESS time than Louisiana.

Approximately five million people, all evacuated in about 72 hours.

[nerdgirl]

Sorry I meant live like as in batting around in the wind live - not phone calls w/ officials, etc.

[A Citizen Reporter]

And 124 ball caps that once belonged to them.....