Hurricane Rita Live Thread

NHC - NOAA ^ | 20 September 2005 | NHC - NOAA

[NautiNurse]

Hurricane Rita is in the Florida Straits, impacting the Florida Keys and South Florida Peninsula. Hurricane watches and warnings are in effect for numerous portions of South Florida. Check local weather statements for updates.

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 SE Florida
Current Weather Warnings and Watches for Florida

Images:

Storm Floater IR Loop
Visible Storm Floater Still (only visible during daylight hours)
Color Enhanced Atlantic Loop
Florida Radar/Sat Loop Caution: Broadband users only
Extra Large Miami Radar Broadband only
Extra Large Key West Radar Broadband only
Miami Long Range Radar Loop
Key West Long Range Radar Loop
Miami Experimental Radar Still Image
Key West Experimental Radar Still Image

Streaming Video: (coverage may be intermittent)

WTVJ-TV/DT Miami (NBC6)
WFOR-TV/DT Miami (CBS 4)
WSVN-TV/DT Miami (Fox)

Other Resources:

Florida East Coast Surf Reports Lots of great info here, including surf cams
Central Florida Hurricane Center
Hurricane City

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:
Tropical Storm Rita
Tropical Depression 18

[The South Texan]

" doubt it'll be CAT5 at landfall. I hope this thing pulls a Danny to be honest. Or hit King Ranch, where Brett hit."

Thank you. Then you can kiss the entire Corpus metro area goodbye since we would be on the north end of this thing easily within the hurricane force winds.

[maineman]

Any word on how this will impact oil production and refining yet?


I'm sure companies like Boots & Coots are on standby.

[sheikdetailfeather]

Gen Honore up...

[james_f_hall]

Below from CNN.com:

Hurricane Rita expected to reach category 4 in the Gulf of Mexico by 2 p.m. ET Tuesday, forecasters say.

Below is my comment:
Isn't today Tuesday. And isn't it 5:08ET? I am confused.

[Types_with_Fist]

I thought Nagin sounded like a different person today...good for him.

The thing to watch for is when he speaks alone to the press. He's revealed himself as really two-faced. He'll be nicy-nicy when with the president or fed officials and then curse against them and snidely criticize them when alone at the podium. A real low-class jerk.

[TXBSAFH]

Zippo in my pocket.

[laz]

Tornado watch in Keys and South Florida has been extended to 1 AM Wednesday. Yikes.

[Jim Noble]

Can you FReepmail me about the tri-fuel option?

We have a Generac on order, and I'm planning to run it on propane (we don't have hurricanes, but we were -10F with no power for two days last winter, and that sucked).

[Sprite518]

LOL! I am not... I am just guessing the way this storm is gaining strength... Hopefully, I am wrong...

[maineman]

I thought Nagin sounded like a different person today...good for him.


Yea, good for him. Did you catch Blanco?? OMG, she sets Women back 1000 years.

[james_f_hall]

I lived in Portland, Texas. I don't want it to go away. I don't want Corpus to be hit either.

I hope this thing pulls a Danny. I remember going to sleep in a closet as a youngin one night when Danny was supposed to come ashore. And nothing happened.

Or this thing could pull a Gilbert and go into Mexico. People evac Corpus to SA and more damage was done there than back in Corpus.

[silentknight]

County orders mandatory evacuations

By TJ Aulds
The Daily News

Published September 20, 2005 - Updated 31 minutes ago

Officials have called for mandatory evacuations ahead of Hurricane Rita. The order is for every one living in Galveston County.

People in medical centers and nursing homes to start at 6 a.m. Wednesday. Residential evacuations start at 6 p.m. The county's evacuation plan calls for the evacuation of residents in phases.

People in medical care and other facilities needing special help are scheduled to begin evacuations at 6 a.m. Wednesday morning.

Zone A of the evacuation plan which includes the southern portions of the county including Galveston Island, Tiki Island and Bayou Vista begins at 6 p.m. Wednesday.

Zone B of the plan which includes the central portions of the county's mainland as well as the bay front communities of Kemah, San Leon and Bacliff are to start evacuation at 2 a.m. Thursday.

Zone C which is the northern reaches of the county including League City and Friendswood will start evacuation at 12 p.m. Thursday.

Tropical force winds from Hurricane Rita are expected to hit the county by early Friday.

EVACUATION ZONES

ZONE A – 6 PM Wednesday, Sept. 21

Galveston Island (I-45)
Jamaica Beach (I-45)
Tiki Island (I-45)
Bayou Vista (Hwy. 6)
Clear Lake Shores (Hwy. 146)
Kemah (Hwy. 146)
San Leon-Bacliff-Bayview (Hwy. 146)
Bolivar Peninsula (Hwy. 87 and Hwy. 124)

ZONE B – 2 AM Thursday, Sept. 22

Texas City (Hwy. 146)
La Marque (I-45)
Hitchcock (Hwy. 6)
Dickinson (I-45)

ZONE C – 12 NOON Thursday, Sept. 22
(Use Highway 6)

League City (I-45, Hwy. 146)
Friendswood (I-45)
Santa Fe (Hwy. 6)

[sheikdetailfeather]

BWAAAHAHAHA! Mayor Nagin said The FEDERAL government is doing a lot better this time around!!!!" CAN YOU BELIEVE IT?

[mewzilla]

Any shear in the offing to give her a buzz cut?

[Dog Gone]

Good recap!

The latest LBAR run picks Port Aransas as landfall for Rita. We'll see.

[Prolifeconservative]

Not good. She continues to strengthen! I assume we will see her sustained winds increase in the next advisory.

[thackney]

As a likely category-3 storm

More likely stronger

Be prepared, don't take this one for granted, my FRiend.

[mewzilla]

BWAAAHAHAHA! Mayor Nagin said The FEDERAL government is doing a lot better this time around!!!!" CAN YOU BELIEVE IT?

Sigh. They got what they voted for...

[Michael Goldsberry]

"Cat4 by Noon on Wednesday."

Lovely. What, I wonder, by Saturday morning?

[Petronski]

Is that a cat 2 now?