Hurricane Rita Live Thread, Part VIII

www.freerepublic.com | September 24, 2005

[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

[Ditter]

I did. I raked clear about 30'X 30' spot and my back told me to quit. My back is still talking to me. LOL! I think it has something to do with all the flower pots I moved on Fri as well.

[LA Woman3]

Wrong parish gets evacuation warning Pathetic, isn't it??

[ncountylee]

The plantation must rise again. After WWII Stalin killed many of his soldiers because in defeating Germany they had seen such western wonders as in door plumbing.

[Howlin]

Don't feel bad now; my back is killing me just from cleaning out the garage (sort of) this morning, and I didn't even go through what you did for the last two or three days!

[Eaker]

Flyer Rocks!

[laz]

Poor Blank-o and Naggin. They can now see that they will NEVER get their serfs back.

The majority of those evacuees will never go back. They've gotten a taste of freedom and they have no interest in returning to that prison. What are Nagin and Blanco going to do, drag them back by force against their will? I can't wait until Blanco starts begging them to return.

Blanco: Please, come back! Come home! Please!
Evacuees: Are you kidding? We ain't never going back! We're not stuck on stupid!

[ArmyBratsMom]

I think hurricanes can smell unpreparedness the way that animals smell fear. Rita sniffed at Texas. "Those folk are ready." Rita sniffed at Louisiana. "Those folks ain't as ready. Let's go there. More fun."

Don't Mess with Texas!

[Flyer]

Thanks.

Our entire Mutual Aid clan rocks!

[Eaker]

We are glad you are safe!!

[cajungirl]

I was amazed as I followed the people through this maze. The connections between political think tank groups and private enterprise. And the boosterism of politicians to enterprise. I know there are quid pro quids.

On the surface, it looks like our senator is promoting local business, great, huh? Until you read that the same senator helped write the medicare rules to enable this business to triumph over othere smaller locals.

I can't understand,,why would one ambulance co have an exclusive contract with an entire parish.

I got started on ths when an administrator of a local small hospital started talking about this company, their highhanded ways and their extorting money from local hospitals.

I think the political class is so embedded is this that there won't ever be a change. I really do.

[ncpatriot]

Texas is a challenge to all states to be prepared.

[cajungirl]

Tyrone somebody.

[sheikdetailfeather]

You are so right laz. I saw the evacuees in Orlando say on local tv that they will never go back to New Orleans. I saw the astounded looks on the peoples faces in Texas saying they never saw a place with so much love. Why would the evacuees go back after they get treated like human beings somewhere else?

[Ditter]

Thanks, Eaker. The worst part was not being able to freep for 16 hours. That is cruel and unusual punishment.

[tarheelswamprat]

So you're saying that the people in Texas who go back won't ask the authorities for ANY help? No electricity, no water, no sewage, no police patrols, etc.? Because is a lot of those places that's what they are going to face.

That's not what I said at all.

What I said was that they would go back in full awareness and acceptance of the fact that "the authorities" might not be able to provide those things, that they understood that those comforts and necessities are not unconditionally "owed" to them, and that that reality would not deter those who are able from stepping-up and pitching-in to do whatever they could.

I think you're missing an essential point in this discussion. The Texans who will be going back immediately are not the helpless, the sick or the elderly. Most of those folks will have enough sense to hold off till they know their needs can be met.

The folks who'll go in first are the able-bodied, who will be well-equipped with food, fuel, tools, weapons and all the necessary gear to handle the conditions they'll encounter while they set about cleaning-up and repairing their communities. It's really no different than going on an extended camping trip or wilderness expedition.

Furthermore, these people will not be in the way of the authorities, but will in fact be of immense help to them in re-establishing the security and safety of their communities. The elderly, the infirm, et al. can return later after the situation has improved.

Texas is simply not like New Orleans (nor is the rest of Louisiana like NO). Also, while I'm a native Tarheel and love North Carolina, it's not quite like Texas either. I'm near Wilmington, and have been through Hurricanes Fran, Floyd, Ophelia and the others, and I'm proud of how we have learned to handle ourselves.

I've also lived in Texas for many years, and in my work I traveled the entire state, something many native Texans never get to do. There is a different mindset there, and it transcends politics.

Texans will get the job done, and they'll do it differently than Louisiana, and differently than North Carolina. Trust me, and trust them.

[cajungirl]

The military industrial complex sort of thing is what it reminds me of.

I don't mind people making up companies and Bowles has every right to use himself and his fortune to open a company. What gets me is the government and their flunkies using the law and obscure regs to favor a company.

[Conservababe]

Would this company be Acaidiana Ambulance? My mother, who lived in Butte LaRose signed a contract with them and paid yearly fees. The one time she had to call them, they told her she wasn't on their list, and would have to pay up front.

[cajungirl]

I think the root of La political corruption goes back to its origins as a French and Spanish colony.

We were bought but so were all the other states of the La purchase. So why are we do different.

[cajungirl]

I have Demco for electricity and Entergy for gas.

[Eaker]

I'll say it again.

I am proud of my wife, kids, nephew that stayed with us, my friends, neighborhood, city and State.

We stocked up big time. We have about 100 gallons of water to pour into the yard that needs it and probably 50 pounds of ice that will be thawed and used for watering. All of the extra food will be eaten and the batteries will be drained eventually. The camping stuff will be stored again for next time.

The only thing that I bought that was out of the norm was a 300 watt inverter. I have always wanted one anyway.

I thank God that the beast didn't hit us, but we were as ready as folks can get.