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

[Spktyr]

Austin does not have such a law, which I thought was odd, too.

[KingKongCobra]

"15 million folks, and really only 3 major roads out."

Ya think? I'll bet I'll be able to find some really nifty things to say like "it's macro blah blah" and "why didn't you preposition gas" and "contraflow sooner" and nevermind.

[Deetes]

mark

[Colorado Doug]

That's ok :) ... I think we used to own it.

LOL

[GOPyouth]

I just checked the latest forecast on weather underground. It has the eye coming within about 25 miles east of Tyler.

Are you in Tyler? The stores here were wiped clean of bread/water/etc. I think they were getting re-stocked tonight. Tyler was crazy today.

[Brad’s Gramma]

Backatcha!

Hope you got some rest.

[PAR35]

Where are these TX mountains? If I knew you had places that had a cooler climate I might consider a move...one of these days Berkeley North is going to get the best of me:)

The Davis Mountains are probably what you are looking for. Look for a large area basically south of where I-20 and I-10 merge.

[bd476]

No, was unable to find a loop for that particular graphic.

[Torie]

I do have a way with words don't I? :)

[Spktyr]

Give us a while to think about it. I'm pretty sure we could move them, but we need to figure out where we'd put them first. :-D

[Lemondropkid31]

Yea, there are two High Pressure systems controling this hurricane. One of them is going to win.

I went back outside and the little clouds are gone, and there are sheets of clouds out there and I didn't see them moving at all.

[de Buillion]

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

You might know about Houston, but you obviously don't know about the most Loony, left-wing, liberal Moonbat city in TX, AUSTIN. No contest.

[CobaltBlue]

I found this one:
http://www.goes.noaa.gov/GSSLOOPS/ecir.html

Also this:
http://www.goes.noaa.gov/MOVIES/ECIR.mpg

From this site:
http://www.goes.noaa.gov/

It is hardly moving at all.

[Colorado Doug]

So, not only do we use the buses that are there, we bring in other buses to haul people away.

Shouldn't you be waiting for FEMA to do this? I'll bet these buses don't even have restrooms.

[publana]

Time for me to crash before I say something I will regret later. Have a good evening and stay safe!

[laz]

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.

The next time that DemGirl bitch who refused to help a stranded woman and her baby because the woman had a W sticker, I hope she's driving through Texas.

[John Jamieson]

I've been wondering just how high Cedar Creek Lake can get. It's about 100 yards from my front door now.

Enchanted Oaks, Texas

[Wneighbor]

Are you still in the Cripple Creek area? I have a much loved friend from McGregor, Texas who lives in Manitou Springs. Sure need to get up there and see him.

[Spktyr]

I was referring to the state and local elections there, not the Presidential elections. They sold a LOT of "Another Democrat for Bush" stickers down there.

Even our Democrats are generally a slightly better breed than those found elsewhere.

[Lemondropkid31]

Heck no! I am where my tagline says. Conroe, about 35 miles north of Houston.