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

[PAR35]

Whats the rain prognosis for up there

One foot/two feet/three feet of rain depending on whether it stalls out there.

[Spktyr]

One of the things I like most about Texas. People are rather friendly here.

Of course, it doesn't hurt that "failure to stop and render aid" is a state jail felony.... We *really* don't like people that leave other people to die out in the vast spaces that are Texas.

[texpat72]

Near Alpine and Ft. Davis, where the McDonald Observatory is. About 230 miles east of El Paso.

[RGVTx]

Just an FYI about traffic coming south. Family left Surfside this evening around 9pm. They've made it to Refugio with no traffic problems. Refugio was the first place they found with gas and are waiting in about a half block line to refuel. Should be smooth going from there on south on 77.

I've been worrying about my family members getting out and am relieved to know they are doing fine. They called me this evening about 6pm or so saying they couldn't find gas to get out of the Surfside area. I had just heard Fox News reporting from Surfside that one bait and tackle shop was open selling gas and supplies, so I directed them to call there. Sure enough, they made it there and got gas to get out of town. So a special 'Thank You' to Fox News for providing that information and to the guy at Surfside's Beach Bait and Tackle for the service he is providing. The bait shop owner is staying open all night and providing gas and supplies to police and anyone in need.

I hope this info might help others in need.

[Torie]

I am sure the locals are acting magnificently, and helping each other, when they can. The problem is on the macro level, not the micro level. and I don't blame the macro makers much. It is just a learning curve. They will do much better next time.

[Spktyr]

We know about Houston. It's the most liberal city in Texas.

We're working on it. Texas didn't go Red State all at once, you know.

[not_apathetic_anymore]

Thanks, gonna have to tuck that info away, it may come in handy someday. I've liked every Texan I've met, and loved the time I've spent there (except for the darn heat:)

[silentknight]

Water going over Seawall Avenue in Galveston - already

[Torie]

Actually, at one time, HOuston and Dallas were the only red places on the Texas map. And these days, metro Houston is more GOP than metro Dallas. The big swing red is in rural Texas. It used to be said, as rural Texas goes, so goes the nation. No more.

[KingKongCobra]

Such much for cutting you slack. When they ever have to try to get people out of LA, get back to me. Until then ......

[Lemondropkid31]

Ok, channel 2 says that hurricane force winds are going to hit Galveston at 9 am in the MORNING. They said that if you are going to go out, do it now and stay inside after 9. Does that mean just for galvaston or should I leave for work before 9?
I am confused

[conservative in nyc]

From the Houston-areavariable message signs, it seems like the DOT is clearing I-45 North by forcing people to take other, much less congested routes out of town. Exit ramps to I-45 North are closed from I-10 and the beltways, for example. Contraflow is now likely in place from the North Beltway 8 to Ennis, TX.

[laz]

I've had this open, most of the day, hitting the refresh button lower on the page. Watching it this long, this thing "seems" to be heading MORE towards LA than TX.

If she keeps going in a straight line in the direction she's been moving in those last few frames, she'll hit east of Port Arthur.

[texpat72]

Yep, I'm ready for Fall, but it's going to be in the 90's all week.

[Brad’s Gramma]

Clean up please.

[John Jamieson]

The Dallas Morning Blues is as bad as CNN. Time for a new paper.

[Torie]

And in any event, metro Houston doesn't vote like metro LA. LOL, not by a Texas mile.

[CobaltBlue]

OK, found a loop. Can't believe how slow it is moving.

If you click on this link, you can see that there is a front to the west that is pushing east, and steering the hurricane north, and maybe east.
http://www.goes.noaa.gov/GSSLOOPS/ecir.html

Still plenty of westward momentum, but I can't believe the people who say it will hook west.

And it's no Katrina. Katrina was a BIG mother, wide enough to touch Florida and Mexico at the same time.

[John Jamieson]

No.