Hurricane Rita thread

[deanws]

Plywood is out for the most part but more is on the way says a Home Depot spokesperson.

Yes, it is. Yesterday my husband got the last three packages of hurricane clips at HD. There was no water left at any of the stores in Baytown. I am glad he shopped early. I do think we are going to be spared the direct hit in Galveston and Houston that was earlier predicted. I am grateful for that. I think this one is going to be a horrible one. The waters are so very hot. As far as flooding....well I don't even need to mention that one do I? Allison was just a TS! :doh: I hope everyone is safely out of the way when this one hits.

Quoted from Baytown Sun..........
We’ve already sold out of water and flashlights,” said a Target Manager Courtney Casey. “We pulled everything from the back today that we thought people would need.

Kroger is also running out of water but expects a half a truck of water to be delivered today.

 

[concernedperson]

Rita has just been upgraded to a Cat. 2. Still in the Keys....high tide at 2:30 eastern.....expect a fairly large surge. From CNN.

 

[kato]

Yes, it is. Yesterday my husband got the last three packages of hurricane clips at HD. There was no water left at any of the stores in Baytown. I am glad he shopped early. I do think we are going to be spared the direct hit in Galveston and Houston that was earlier predicted. I am grateful for that. I think this one is going to be a horrible one. The waters are so very hot. As far as flooding....well I don't even need to mention that one do I? Allison was just a TS! :doh: I hope everyone is safely out of the way when this one hits.

Quoted from Baytown Sun..........
We’ve already sold out of water and flashlights,” said a Target Manager Courtney Casey. “We pulled everything from the back today that we thought people would need.

Kroger is also running out of water but expects a half a truck of water to be delivered today.

I have cousins in Baytown. They live in Country Club Estates off Decker Rd..

 

[deanws]

I sometimes really wonder what good plywood does, except there is more debris to blow around. I am sure it might save some windows in a few homes when it comes down to it, but all in all, is it really worth it.

It keeps you safe from flying debris. It also helps with keeping snakes and such out of the house. If you blow out a window...you have no protection from critters looking for a place to get out of the storm themselves. http://www.weather.com/activities/homeandgarden/home/hometips/severeweather/hurricane_shutters.html

 

[deanws]

I have cousins in Baytown. They live in Country Club Estates off Decker Rd..

We are around the block, in Country Club. Who are your cousins?

 

[BarnGoddess]

It keeps you safe from flying debris. It also helps with keeping snakes and such out of the house. If you blow out a window...you have no protection from critters looking for a place to get out of the storm themselves. http://www.weather.com/activities/homeandgarden/home/hometips/severeweather/hurricane_shutters.html

See my post on the previous page. If you make shutters and save them you won't have to panic every time there's a threat. Anything to keep the flying debris out is a bonus. If anchored properly, they won't fly off and become debris themselves.

 

[Buzz Mills]

HURRICANE RITA SPECIAL ADVISORY NUMBER 12
NWS TPC/NATIONAL HURRICANE CENTER MIAMI FL
2 PM EDT TUE SEP 20 2005

...RITA REACHES 100 MPH WINDS...

A HURRICANE WARNING IS IN EFFECT FOR ALL OF THE FLORIDA KEYS...AND
FROM SOUTH OF FLORIDA CITY ON THE FLORIDA SOUTHEAST COAST SOUTHWARD
TO EAST CAPE SABLE...THEN NORTHWARD TO CHOKOLOSKEE ON THE SOUTHWEST
COAST.

A HURRICANE WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT FOR THE CUBAN PROVINCES OF
MATANZAS...CIUDAD DE HABANA...AND LA HABANA.

A TROPICAL STORM WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT ALONG THE FLORIDA WEST
COAST NORTH OF CHOKOLOSKEE TO ENGLEWOOD.

AT 2 PM EDT...1800Z...THE HURRICANE WARNING FROM GOLDEN BEACH TO
SOUTH OF FLORIDA CITY HAS BEEN DOWGRADED TO A TROPICAL STORM
WARNING.

A TROPICAL STORM WARNING IS NOW IN EFFECT ALONG THE FLORIDA EAST
COAST FROM FLORIDA CITY TO JUPITER INLET...AS WELL AS FOR LAKE
OKEECHOBEE.

A TROPICAL STORM WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT FOR THE CUBAN PROVINCE
OF PINAR DEL RIO.

A HURRICANE WARNING MEANS THAT HURRICANE CONDITIONS ARE EXPECTED
WITHIN THE WARNING AREA WITHIN THE NEXT 24 HOURS. PREPARATIONS TO
PROTECT LIFE AND PROPERTY SHOULD BE RUSHED TO COMPLETION.

A TROPICAL STORM WARNING MEANS THAT TROPICAL STORM CONDITIONS ARE
EXPECTED WITHIN THE WARNING AREA WITHIN THE NEXT 24 HOURS.

FOR STORM INFORMATION SPECIFIC TO YOUR AREA...INCLUDING POSSIBLE
INLAND WATCHES AND WARNINGS...PLEASE MONITOR PRODUCTS ISSUED
BY YOUR LOCAL WEATHER OFFICE.

AT 2 PM EDT...1800Z...THE CENTER OF HURRICANE RITA WAS LOCATED NEAR
LATITUDE 23.9 NORTH...LONGITUDE 81.7 WEST OR ABOUT 50 MILES... 80
KM...SOUTH OF KEY WEST FLORIDA AND ABOUT 65 MILES...105 KM...
NORTHEAST OF HAVANA CUBA.

RITA IS MOVING TOWARD THE WEST NEAR 15 MPH ...24 KM/HR...AND THIS
MOTION IS EXPECTED TO CONTINUE DURING THE NEXT 24 HOURS. ON
THIS TRACK...THE CORE OF THE HURRICANE WILL CONTINUE TO MOVE OVER
THE FLORIDA STRAITS BETWEEN THE CITY OF HAVANA AND THE FLORIDA KEYS
TODAY. HOWEVER...STRONG WINDS ASSOCIATED WITH THE NORTHERN EYEWALL
ARE EXPECTED TO IMPACT PORTIONS OF THE FLORIDA KEYS DIRECTLY.

MAXIMUM SUSTAINED WINDS HAVE REACHED 100 MPH...160 KM/HR...WITH
HIGHER GUSTS. RITA IS NOW A CATEGORY TWO HURRICANE ON THE
SAFFIR-SIMPSON SCALE. SOME STRENGTHENING IS FORECAST DURING THE
NEXT 24 HOURS.

HURRICANE FORCE WINDS EXTEND OUTWARD UP TO 30 MILES... 45 KM...
FROM THE CENTER...AND TROPICAL STORM FORCE WINDS EXTEND OUTWARD UP
TO 120 MILES...195 KM.

LATEST MINIMUM CENTRAL PRESSURE REPORTED BY A RECONNAISSANCE PLANE
WAS 978 MB...28.88 INCHES.

STORM SURGE FLOODING OF 4 TO 6 FEET ABOVE NORMAL TIDE LEVELS...ALONG
WITH LARGE AND DANGEROUS BATTERING WAVES...ARE POSSIBLE IN THE
FLORIDA KEYS IN AREAS OF ONSHORE FLOW. COASTAL STORM SURGE
FLOODING OF 2 TO 4 FEET IS POSSIBLE ALONG THE EXTREME SOUTHEASTERN
FLORIDA COAST.

RITA IS EXPECTED TO PRODUCE TOTAL RAINFALL ACCUMULATIONS OF 6
TO 8 INCHES OVER THE FLORIDA KEYS..CENTRAL AND NORTHWESTERN CUBA...
WITH ISOLATED MAXIMUM AMOUNTS OF 12 INCHES. RAINFALLAMOUNTS OF 3 TO
5 INCHES ARE POSSIBLE ACROSS THE SOUTHERN FLORIDA PENNISULA. RAINS
ARE EXPECTED TO CONTINUE TO DIMINISH ACROSS THE BAHAMAS.

THERE IS POSSIBILITY OF ISOLATED TORNADOS OVER SOUTH FLORIDA AND THE
FLORIDA KEYS.

REPEATING THE 2 PM EDT POSITION...23.9 N... 81.7 W. MOVEMENT
TOWARD...WEST NEAR 15 MPH. MAXIMUM SUSTAINED WINDS...100 MPH.
MINIMUM CENTRAL PRESSURE... 978 MB.

AN INTERMEDIATE ADVISORY WILL BE ISSUED BY THE NATIONAL HURRICANE
CENTER AT 2 PM EDT FOLLOWED BY THE NEXT COMPLETE ADVISORY AT 5 PM
EDT.

FORECASTER AVILA

Hurricane Rita Position
http://tinyurl.com/7ju9l

Hurricane Rita Projected Path
http://tinyurl.com/c4fym

Hurricane Rita Satellite Imagery (Patience Required)
http://tinyurl.com/6fmsy

The above links will update automatically, so if someone wants to include them in their future posts, they will be valid for that time.

 

[deanws]

See my post on the previous page. If you make shutters and save them you won't have to panic every time there's a threat. Anything to keep the flying debris out is a bonus. If anchored properly, they won't fly off and become debris themselves.

Also, they are expensive to make if you have a lot of windows, doors, sunroom, ect...so it makes sense to store them properly so they won't warp. :dance:

 

[kato]

We are around the block, in Country Club. Who are your cousins?

The Hegmans. They live on Ashland.

 

[deanws]

The Hegmans. They live on Ashland.

Ok...no, I don't know them. I live on Ironwood. :angel:

 

[kato]

Local Homeland Security holding PC here in Houston in a few min. just in case Rita comes here.

 

[Beyond Belief]

Four large head bolts in the sills of the window, place measured cut piece of of plywood preferably 3/4 inch, but 5/8 ths will work, in window. If bolts are place right, the board doesn't move an inch. Its easy and the boards pop up in minutes. Just have a fire exit, people have died trapped in the boarded up houses.

 

[deanws]

Local Homeland Security holding PC here in Houston in a few min. just in case Rita comes here.

Thank you for the heads up! Channel 2?

 

[kato]

Thank you for the heads up! Channel 2?

YW 13 & 2.

Glad I have a TV in my office. The guy says they are expecting a catastrophic storm. Hopefully not man!

 

[BarnGoddess]

Also, they are expensive to make if you have a lot of windows, doors, sunroom, ect...so it makes sense to store them properly so they won't warp. :dance:

Compared to the cost of shutters that they could buy custom built, they were a pittance. Sheets of corregated aluminum and two by fours wouldn't be that bad. Dad labeled them, kept the bolts in a safe place and they were stored in the carport just under the roof on a shelf he made for them. Lasted for years until they did custom made shutters that slid accross the windows and were decorative on the edge until needed. Something to think about with this cycle of storms the last couple of years. Better to be safe than sorry. If you have to leave, you can be relatively secure that you have protected your home. Masking tape on the window isn't going to stop your thoughtless neighbors' lawn furniture and garbage cans left out to become missles.

 

[deanws]

Compared to the cost of shutters that they could buy custom built, they were a pittance. Sheets of corregated aluminum and two by fours wouldn't be that bad. Dad labeled them, kept the bolts in a safe place and they were stored in the carport just under the roof on a shelf he made for them. Lasted for years until they did custom made shutters that slid accross the windows and were decorative on the edge until needed. Something to think about with this cycle of storms the last couple of years. Better to be safe than sorry. If you have to leave, you can be relatively secure that you have protected your home. Masking tape on the window isn't going to stop your thoughtless neighbors' lawn furniture and garbage cans left out to become missles.

It sounds like something an engineer would do! LOL...my husband is a civil engineer. You are right I think this is going to be a regular thing for the next couple of season. YULK

 

[Buzz Mills]

HURRICANE RITA ADVISORY NUMBER 13
NWS TPC/NATIONAL HURRICANE CENTER MIAMI FL
5 PM EDT TUE SEP 20 2005

...RITA PASSING SOUTH OF KEY WEST...MOVING INTO THE SOUTHEASTERN
GULF OF MEXICO...

A HURRICANE WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT FOR ALL OF THE FLORIDA
KEYS...AND FROM SOUTH OF FLORIDA CITY ON THE FLORIDA SOUTHEAST COAST
SOUTHWARD TO EAST CAPE SABLE...THEN NORTHWARD TO CHOKOLOSKEE ON THE
SOUTHWEST COAST. THE HURRICANE WARNING WILL LIKELY BE DISCONTINUED
LATER TODAY AS RITA MOVES FARTHER INTO THE GULF OF MEXICO.

A HURRICANE WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT FOR THE CUBAN PROVINCES OF
MATANZAS...CIUDAD DE HABANA...AND LA HABANA.

A TROPICAL STORM WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT ALONG THE FLORIDA WEST
COAST NORTH OF CHOKOLOSKEE TO ENGLEWOOD.

A TROPICAL STORM WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT FOR THE CUBAN PROVINCE
OF PINAR DEL RIO.

AT 5 PM EDT...2100Z...THE TROPICAL STORM WARNINGS NORTH OF FLORIDA
CITY AND FOR LAKE OKEECHOBEE HAVE BEEN DISCONTINUED.

A HURRICANE WARNING MEANS THAT HURRICANE CONDITIONS ARE EXPECTED
WITHIN THE WARNING AREA WITHIN THE NEXT 24 HOURS. PREPARATIONS TO
PROTECT LIFE AND PROPERTY SHOULD HAVE BEEN COMPLETED.

A TROPICAL STORM WARNING MEANS THAT TROPICAL STORM CONDITIONS ARE
EXPECTED WITHIN THE WARNING AREA WITHIN THE NEXT 24 HOURS.

FOR STORM INFORMATION SPECIFIC TO YOUR AREA...INCLUDING POSSIBLE
INLAND WATCHES AND WARNINGS...PLEASE MONITOR PRODUCTS ISSUED
BY YOUR LOCAL WEATHER OFFICE.

AT 5 PM EDT...2100Z...THE CENTER OF HURRICANE RITA WAS LOCATED NEAR
LATITUDE 24.0 NORTH...LONGITUDE 82.2 WEST OR ABOUT 50 MILES...80
KM...SOUTH-SOUTHWEST OF KEY WEST FLORIDA AND ABOUT 55 MILES...90
KM...NORTH-NORTHEAST OF HAVANA CUBA.

RITA IS MOVING TOWARD THE WEST NEAR 15 MPH...24 KM/HR...AND THIS
MOTION IS EXPECTED TO CONTINUE DURING THE NEXT 24 HOURS. THIS TRACK
WILL BRING RITA INTO THE SOUTHEASTERN GULF OF MEXICO.

MAXIMUM SUSTAINED WINDS ARE NEAR 100 MPH...160 KM/HR...WITH HIGHER
GUSTS. RITA IS A CATEGORY TWO HURRICANE ON THE SAFFIR-SIMPSON SCALE.
SOME STRENGTHENING IS FORECAST DURING THE NEXT 24 HOURS.

HURRICANE FORCE WINDS EXTEND OUTWARD UP TO 45 MILES... 75 KM...
FROM THE CENTER...AND TROPICAL STORM FORCE WINDS EXTEND OUTWARD UP
TO 140 MILES...220 KM. SAND KEY JUST REPORTED SUSTAINED WINDS OF 60
MPH...97 KM/HR AND A GUST OF 92 MPH...148 KM/HR. VARADERO CUBA
MEASURED GUSTS TO 60 MPH...90 KM/HR.

LATEST MINIMUM CENTRAL PRESSURE REPORTED BY AN AIR FORCE PLANE WAS
973 MB...28.73 INCHES.

STORM SURGE FLOODING OF 4 TO 6 FEET ABOVE NORMAL TIDE LEVELS...ALONG
WITH LARGE AND DANGEROUS BATTERING WAVES...ARE STILL POSSIBLE IN THE
FLORIDA KEYS IN AREAS OF ONSHORE FLOW. COASTAL STORM SURGE
FLOODING OF 2 TO 4 FEET IS POSSIBLE ALONG THE EXTREME SOUTHEASTERN
FLORIDA COAST....BUT GRADUALLY DECREASING THIS EVENING.

RITA IS EXPECTED TO PRODUCE TOTAL RAINFALL ACCUMULATIONS OF 4
TO 8 INCHES OVER THE FLORIDA KEYS...CENTRAL AND WESTERN CUBA...
WITH ISOLATED MAXIMUM AMOUNTS OF 10 INCHES...EXCEPT UP TO 20 INCHES
OVER PORTIONS OF WESTERN CUBA. RAINFALL AMOUNTS OF 4 TO 6 INCHES
ARE POSSIBLE ACROSS THE SOUTHERN FLORIDA PENINSULA.

THERE IS POSSIBILITY OF ISOLATED TORNADOS OVER SOUTH FLORIDA AND THE
FLORIDA KEYS.

REPEATING THE 5 PM EDT POSITION...24.0 N... 82.2 W. MOVEMENT
TOWARD...WEST NEAR 15 MPH. MAXIMUM SUSTAINED WINDS...100 MPH.
MINIMUM CENTRAL PRESSURE... 973 MB.

AN INTERMEDIATE ADVISORY WILL BE ISSUED BY THE NATIONAL HURRICANE
CENTER AT 8 PM EDT FOLLOWED BY THE NEXT COMPLETE ADVISORY AT 11 PM
EDT.

FORECASTER AVILA

Hurricane Rita Position
http://tinyurl.com/7ju9l

Hurricane Rita Projected Path
http://tinyurl.com/c4fym

Hurricane Rita Satellite Imagery (Patience Required)
http://tinyurl.com/6fmsy

The above links will update automatically, so if someone wants to include them in their future posts, they will be valid for that time.

 

[Sassygerl]

Breaking News CNN-----Rita expected to be cat 4 by 2 pm ET tomorrow

 

[Beyond Belief]

There is no sheer to effect it over the gulf, so it will strengthen. However it will meet a low off the coast of Texas which might slow it down a a little. This is going to be a very dangerous storm and all precautions should be taken.

The old expression 'DON'T MESS WITH MOTHER NATURE' should be heeded.

 

[deanws]

There is no sheer to effect it over the gulf, so it will strengthen. However it will meet a low off the coast of Texas which might slow it down a a little. This is going to be a very dangerous storm and all precautions should be taken.

The old expression 'DON'T MESS WITH MOTHER NATURE' should be heeded.

But the slower it travels the more water is picks up....making it all the worse. ;( I am so glad it is going to miss Houston. I feel so bad for who it hits.