Posted on 09/24/2005 9:58:36 AM PDT by Howlin
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:
Hurricane Rita Freeper CHECK IN THREAD
FReeper Sign In Thread (LOCKED) 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 VII
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
I believe that the thug in question was being held at gun point by the locals.
Another Texas sign from KHOU, not mine: "You loot, we shoot"
http://forms.belointeractive.com/sharedcontent/datafiles/1127573615067_ORIGINAL_Loot-shoot.jpg
We seem to have a distinct shortage of looters for looter season. We've heard of a few, but it's sporadic and to be expected. No widespread looting or panic.
There ought to be some really good sea shell hunting along the shore there next week!
Joe Bastardi, Accuweather, said he was worried that Rita may stall over Texarkana and then go east-southeast back into the gulf heading towards Mexico.
Bring on some rain for DFW, Ive had .40" in 6-8 weeks.
It sure looks like some could wrap around to at least Dallas this afternoon.
Earlier feed: If everyone comes back at once there wont be enough gas in Houston.
Well, "seeping" is better than "trickling".
Commish, me too.
Shame on you, don't abuse your husband that way. :-D
I'm in Richardson. The gusts do seem to be picking up, but not that large yet.
Some of the models project Rita making a 360 around NO and then crossing back into the Gulf.
Started yesterday, I think.
0923 AM HURRICANE LUFKIN 31.33N 94.73W
09/24/2005 ANGELINA TX LAW ENFORCEMENT
IN LUFKIN TREES AND POWERLINES DOWN...SOME ON HOUSES.
SOME PEOPLE TRAPPED IN A HOUSE. ROOF OFF A CHURCH.
EXTENSIVE STRUCTURE DAMAGE IN OTHER AREAS. NUMEROUS
REPORTS OF TREES AND POWERLINES DOWN IN OTHER PARTS OF
ANGELINA COUNTY.
and the sky is getting dark too.....we might get a drop or two of rain out of this yet!
Pretty heavy wind and rain. First time we got cut off, he was outside under carport, so it couldn't have been that bad. He said they were told it WILL get worse. More concerned about the water than anything else. He wasn't too worried though.
what area is ABC13 showing...?
Joe Bastardi also said this storm would hit Houston head on - he still clung to that as late as last night - everyone else had already changed their forecast to Port Arthur. Accu-Wx sucks.
I'm going to go hop outside for a little bit and look around. Back in a bit.
My subdivision in SC has buried lines. It was built after Hugo. Most of the ones in the new ones are buried. They have just not changed the old ones. We had people come here to the midlands from the coast. They got hit worse than they would have at the coast. Hugo was a monster that left a major path of distruction from the beaches to the mountains. That is what scared me about Rita. People who were running away from the storm were going to end up in the middle of it.
Your post made me laugh. My husband and I were in hysterics watching Shep lose his hat and nearly fall into the water last night. Not that I would want to be out there in that doing what he was doing, but it really was pretty funny.
susie
You don't miss a chance, do you?
Early reports (read: "rumor") had the spillway locked open. Credible press reports so far have only stated that a "lock" is stuck in the open position.
Thanks for helping rule out the spillway.
The only connectors between the river and Lake Ponchartrain that I have ever heard about was the Spillway.
Unless they are talking about something that connects to the Industrial canal. Need to check the map...hmmm...
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