For all the work and info on the Hurricane threads!
(even though Howlin will probably burn my post)
DITTOS!!!
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
Two more tropical waves to watch out there, too... :(
No hard news on Polk, did you get my earlier post on that? Big wind at Lufkin and Nacadoches...not far away but hopefully far enough.
Ch. 11/TXCN showing video of the Lake Livingston Dam. More damage than initially thought, long stretches where the rip rap(large boulders) is completely gone all the way to the top of the earthen dam. Lake level is now down a lot, so overtopping leading to a breach is very unlikely. However there is still danger of seepage, though dam officials don't believe it to be high. Current release rate is projected to continue for 2 days.
BTW, someone please tell the news anchor that it is "rip rap" not "riff-raff"!
What are the gas prices in Houston this afternoon like?
I've got a neighbor here in Modesto who works for SBC. He and 15 co-workers from SBC - NoCal (Bakersfield to Sacramento) are headed for Texas tomorrow to join with 150 other telephone company workers from throughout the country who will be working throughout the Gulf region to restore telephone systems that have been destroyed.
He had to empty out his truck of all personal tools earlier this week. The trucks were taken to San Leandro to be serviced, repaired and shipped to the jump-off point in San Antonio.
He will be working 13 days on, 1 off, 12 hr days minimum through Dec 18th. I just talked with him this morning and he jokingly said "I'm going TDY to Texas." More help is on the way.
Stan and Tammy, maybe. My prediction is that Stan wimps out and Tammy kicks our butt.
Jeepers. I hope not.
For all the work and info on the Hurricane threads!
(even though Howlin will probably burn my post)
DITTOS!!!
The anchor said $3/gallon...but I didnt see the sign.
Yes, these areas were spared by Katrina.
That area hasn't even gotten any rain. Just talked to my folks in Dallas, and they were hoping they would get some rain. They need it.
The NWS report shows what appears to be a carefully selected release rate, with flood levels worts near the release (of course) and down to 2' above flood level by the time it gets to Liberty, and 1 foot at Moss Bluff.
Sometimes you just gotta cry. Damn!!!
Katrina hit Louisiana on the east and Rita hit it on the west. Tammy comes right up the middle and gets Blank-o in Baton Rouge.
I was a little surprised we didn't get any rain in Houston.
Thanks for that - explains the rationale for the draw down.
LOL about the news anchor
Tiki Island, Texas resident Denise Zeon waits in the car with her dogs, Snoopy and Princess, to return home Saturday, Sept. 24, 2005 after Hurricane Rita passed. The Galveston area was not seriously damaged by Rita. (AP Photo/David J. Phillip)
Beat me to the punch, diddle.
Excellent coverage on an excellent response by the Texans. Said that will need to release for two days at what 80,000 cu ft per sec?
I also talked to a friend of mine earlier today.
He picked up a FEMA load of ice on 9/9 headed for N.O. tried to deliver it to three FEMA stg sites had been sitting on it for a week, was reconsigned to put it in cold stg in Mass., only to be stopped and staged in Va. for two more days, redispatched to a holding pen for Rita and got notice this morning that he'll be directed to Houston.
So far between line hauls and detention he says he's got $17,000.00 in charges not counting anything from today forward, for a load of frozen water worth $4500.00 if it melted...
ya think 200b is really gonna rebuild N.O.?
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