Hurricane Rita thread

[KT Can]

Good luck to all my fellow Houstonians!!! I live in Spring which is just north of Houston and kind of close to Jules, I think she lives in Cypress. I am very concerned about Rita. A couple of the projections I have seen have said that winds could reach up to 75-100 mph where I am at. I was just a kid, born in '71, when Alicia hit but I remember it well. Same with Allison. We were having a pre-planned party (not a Tropical Storm party!) the night Allison came in and I ended up with drunken houseguests for six days. Fun, but unexpected.

Just to show you what the mentality of people who have survived bad hurricanes can be like, EVEN AFTER KATRINA..... My mother and stepfather live in Galveston at 15th Street and the Seawall, half a block from the water, in an OLD house that partially survived the 1900 storm and they are being very blase' about the whole Hurricane Rita thing, at least my mom is anyway. I've been wondering what those people who stayed behind in New Orleans were thinking and now I know, they were just like my knucklehead mother! They are going to come to my house, but my mom wants to wait until the last minute on Friday. My husband and I offered to go down there yesterday and this morning to board up some of their windows and to help them pack and she has refused our help. The whole "if it's gonna go it's gonna go" attitude. My stepfather works with the city council and is busy helping with the bus evactuations for the people who don't have cars as well as evacuting the nursing homes, so I can understand that he is busy helping out and will leave when he is finished with his duties, but my mom on the other hand is completely frustrating me with her attitude. She works from home on her computer and I asked her if she was going to pack up all of her computer stuff and she said that she would just back everything up and take just her laptop. Now what heck is that all about? Computer equipment is easy enough to disassemble and why would you not take the means to your livelihood with you if you could? They also own a shuttle bus that they use for a tours of the island as well as for contracts with nursing homes to take residents to grocery stores and such. Well, my mom actually just said that they were going to leave the bus there and just take one car to my house. I went off on her with that one. She could practically pack her whole damn house in that bus and there is no reason to leave a livelihood producing vehicle behind! Good lord, it's better to be safe than sorry, especially when you have ample warning. My siblings, who live in other states, are furious with her right now. I may have to get ugly with her today, I am glued to the news to see how this thing is progressing. Just a comparison of how ridiculous my mother is being, we have some other friends who are also coming to stay with us tomorrow morning. They live inland but close to the bay and the ship channel and even they are taking this thing seriously! Well, I've got to go out to the stores right now for a few more things. The shelves were picked clean last night, let's hope that they have restocked some items!

 

[deanws]

Thanks, DD. I just don't believe it's gonna be that bad. But better safe than sorry. Maybe I'm in denial? Oh well, you can't do anything about Mother Nature.

Kato...it is going to be bad. You remember how much flooding we had with just the tropical storm! It will definitely flood and ruin Baytown. Please make plans to protect your home, pets, and loved ones. They just said on the weather channel it might even be a cat. 5. It is huge...so anywhere it makes landfall in Texas, we in the Houston areas are going to have major damage.

 

[kato]

The mayor has asked residents that are evacuating that have cars to give others a lift.

 

[poco]

K-toe - or anyone, give me some idea where some of these cities are located per the link below, i.e., Galveston, Houston, etc. Can't tell from this map. Also, maybe San Antonio would be a good place to head - wouldn't hurt to call and make a reservation somewhere. San Antonio is a great town to visit too, if you haven't been there lately.

http://www.nhc.noaa.gov/refresh/graphics_at3+shtml/145605.shtml?5day

 

[deanws]

The mayor has asked residents that are evacuating that have cars to give others a lift.

My 3 dogs, kitty, 2 rabbits, 3 parakeets and cocktiel, along with the two tanks of fish say NO...there isn't enough room. My husband also said something to that affect...but it was kinda muffled. I have a hard time hearing him from the trunk when the car is running.

 

[kato]

Man! Everybody is calling me at work and I can't pay attention to the news. My aunt is stressing.

 

[poco]

My 3 dogs, kitty, 2 rabbits, 3 parakeets and cocktiel, along with the two tanks of fish say NO...there isn't enough room. My husband also said something to that affect...but it was kinda muffled. I have a hard time hearing him from the trunk when the car is running.

I know, don't you just hate that. Mine does that, too. Bahahaha! (good one!)

 

[kato]

K-toe - or anyone, give me some idea where some of these cities are located per the link below, i.e., Galveston, Houston, etc. Can't tell from this map. Also, maybe San Antonio would be a good place to head - wouldn't hurt to call and make a reservation somewhere. San Antonio is a great town to visit too, if you haven't been there lately.

http://www.nhc.noaa.gov/refresh/graphics_at3+shtml/145605.shtml?5day

poco, it's hard to tell by that map. San Antonio is probably still full of Katrina evacuees also.

 

[kato]

My 3 dogs, kitty, 2 rabbits, 3 parakeets and cocktiel, along with the two tanks of fish say NO...there isn't enough room. My husband also said something to that affect...but it was kinda muffled. I have a hard time hearing him from the trunk when the car is running.

LOL re: the trunk. The mayor has asked employers to let their employees stay home Thurs. and Fri.. I hope our bosses heard that.

 

[poco]

poco, it's hard to tell by that map. San Antonio is probably still full of Katrina evacuees also.

Well, I'd invite ya here (West Coast Florida), but you will have to probably evacuate here, too, the way things are going this season!

Map of Texas -
http://www.merriam-webster.com/cgi-bin/nytmaps.pl?texas

 

[Shortcake21]

K-toe - or anyone, give me some idea where some of these cities are located per the link below, i.e., Galveston, Houston, etc. Can't tell from this map. Also, maybe San Antonio would be a good place to head - wouldn't hurt to call and make a reservation somewhere. San Antonio is a great town to visit too, if you haven't been there lately.

http://www.nhc.noaa.gov/refresh/graphics_at3+shtml/145605.shtml?5day

Here is a map of Texas. http://travel.yahoo.com/p-travelguide-577952-map_of_texas-i

 

[kato]

News saying we should start feeling some effects by tomorrow (Thurs.) night. Winds have shifted a little more south. Center expected to be Port O'Conner and Matagorda.

 

[deanws]

K-toe - or anyone, give me some idea where some of these cities are located per the link below, i.e., Galveston, Houston, etc. Can't tell from this map. Also, maybe San Antonio would be a good place to head - wouldn't hurt to call and make a reservation somewhere. San Antonio is a great town to visit too, if you haven't been there lately.

http://www.nhc.noaa.gov/refresh/graphics_at3+shtml/145605.shtml?5day

http://www.ih2000.net/ira/bmt-wth.htm
Scroll down to the bottom of the page....and it lists each city for you. This is a good site...just takes a while to load everything. The fact that Rita is soooo big, will cause disaster even if it isn't a direct hit.

 

[kato]

Well, I'd invite ya here (West Coast Florida), but you will have to probably evacuate here, too, the way things are going this season!

Map of Texas -
http://www.merriam-webster.com/cgi-bin/nytmaps.pl?texas

poco look at the map shortcake just posted. It's a good one.

 

[poco]

The link that Deandaniels gave is great, too. Takes a little to load, but shows ya just about everything there is to know!!!!

 

[Buzz Mills]

HURRICANE RITA ADVISORY NUMBER 16
NWS TPC/NATIONAL HURRICANE CENTER MIAMI FL
10 AM CDT WED SEP 21 2005

...RITA REMAINS AN EXTREMELY DANGEROUS HURRICANE...WINDS NOW
ESTIMATED 140 MPH WINDS...

AT 11 AM EDT...1500Z...THE TROPICAL STORM WARNING FOR THE
FLORIDA KEYS FROM THE MARQUESAS KEYS WESTWARD TO THE DRY TORTUGAS
HAS BEEN DISCONTINUED.

A HURRICANE WATCH WILL LIKELY BE ISSUED FOR PORTIONS OF THE
NORTHWEST GULF OF MEXICO COAST LATER TODAY OR THIS EVENING.

INTERESTS IN THE NORTHWESTERN GULF OF MEXICO SHOULD MONITOR THE
PROGRESS OF DANGEROUS HURRICANE RITA.

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

AT 10 AM CDT...1500Z...THE EYE OF HURRICANE RITA WAS LOCATED NEAR
LATITUDE 24.3 NORTH...LONGITUDE 85.9 WEST OR ABOUT 260 MILES...
WEST OF KEY WEST FLORIDA AND ABOUT 755 MILES EAST-SOUTHEAST OF
CORPUS CHRISTI TEXAS.

RITA IS MOVING TOWARD THE WEST NEAR 13 MPH AND THIS MOTION IS
EXPECTED TO CONTINUE DURING THE NEXT 12 TO 24 HOURS.

MAXIMUM SUSTAINED WINDS HAVE INCREASED TO NEAR 140 MPH...WITH HIGHER
GUSTS. RITA IS A EXTREMELY DANGEROUS CATEGORY FOUR HURRICANE ON THE
SAFFIR-SIMPSON SCALE. SOME ADDITIONAL STRENGTHENING IS FORECAST
DURING THE NEXT 24 HOURS AND COULD REACH CATEGORY FIVE INTENSITY IN
THE CENTRAL GULF OF MEXICO.

HURRICANE FORCE WINDS EXTEND OUTWARD UP TO 45 MILES FROM THE
CENTER...AND TROPICAL STORM FORCE WINDS EXTEND OUTWARD UP
TO 140 MILES. THE WIND FIELD ASSOCIATED WITH RITA IS FORECAST TO
EXPAND DURING THE NEXT DAY OR TWO.

ESTIMATED MINIMUM CENTRAL PRESSURE IS 944 MB...27.88 INCHES.

REPEATING THE 10 AM CDT POSITION...24.3 N... 85.9 W. MOVEMENT
TOWARD...WEST NEAR 13 MPH. MAXIMUM SUSTAINED WINDS...140 MPH.
MINIMUM CENTRAL PRESSURE... 944 MB.

THE NEXT ADVISORY WILL BE ISSUED BY THE NATIONAL HURRICANE CENTER AT
4 PM CDT.

FORECASTER AVILA

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

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

Hurricane Rita Strike Probabilities (Scroll Down)
http://tinyurl.com/8hqt6

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.

Category Four Hurricane:
Winds 131-155 mph (114-135 kt or 210-249 km/hr). Storm surge generally 13-18 ft above normal. More extensive curtainwall failures with some complete roof structure failures on small residences. Shrubs, trees, and all signs are blown down. Complete destruction of mobile homes. Extensive damage to doors and windows. Low-lying escape routes may be cut by rising water 3-5 hours before arrival of the center of the hurricane. Major damage to lower floors of structures near the shore. Terrain lower than 10 ft above sea level may be flooded requiring massive evacuation of residential areas as far inland as 6 miles (10 km). Hurricane Charley of 2004 was a Category Four hurricane made landfall in Charlotte County, Florida with winds of 150 mph. Hurricane Dennis of 2005 struck the island of Cuba as a Category Four hurricane.

Category Five Hurricane:
Winds greater than 155 mph (135 kt or 249 km/hr). Storm surge generally greater than 18 ft above normal. Complete roof failure on many residences and industrial buildings. Some complete building failures with small utility buildings blown over or away. All shrubs, trees, and signs blown down. Complete destruction of mobile homes. Severe and extensive window and door damage. Low-lying escape routes are cut by rising water 3-5 hours before arrival of the center of the hurricane. Major damage to lower floors of all structures located less than 15 ft above sea level and within 500 yards of the shoreline. Massive evacuation of residential areas on low ground within 5-10 miles (8-16 km) of the shoreline may be required. Only 3 Category Five Hurricanes have made landfall in the United States since records began: The Labor Day Hurricane of 1935, Hurricane Camille (1969), and Hurricane Andrew in August, 1992. The 1935 Labor Day Hurricane struck the Florida Keys with a minimum pressure of 892 mb--the lowest pressure ever observed in the United States. Hurricane Camille struck the Mississippi Gulf Coast causing a 25-foot storm surge, which inundated Pass Christian. Hurricane Andrew of 1992 made landfall over southern Miami-Dade County, Florida causing 26.5 billion dollars in losses--the costliest hurricane on record. In addition, Hurricane Gilbert of 1988 was a Category Five hurricane at peak intensity and is the strongest Atlantic tropical cyclone on record with a minimum pressure of 888 mb.

 

[kato]

Awww people in Galveston are already crying because they are scared they are going to lose their homes.

Just got back from a smoke break. The building maintenance guys are already bringing the patio furniture in and I saw stacks of plywood.

 

[DEPUTYDAWG]

Update from conference call at work:

1,100 buses coming from out of state to Texas to assist with evacuations.

Utility crews from North and Central Texas are being diverted to South, so YES, those of us in Central Texas will be at the "bottom of the service list," per the Captain, LOL. He said we should be seeing convoys of the trucks on I-35 within an hour, heading south.

Shelter details being worked out, availability lists will be finalized by this evening.

400 troopers called to Austin HQ by noon on Friday, waiting for further instruction...100 more within 1 hour of response time to Austin, so 500 troopers assigned to "wherever" needed for Rita activities.

 

[kato]

Gov. on news asking that all along the coast from Corpus to Beaumont/Port Arthur to leave NOW. It takes 33 hrs. to fully evacuate. Do not panic we have been preparing for years for this type of catastrophic event. Do not forget ID's.

 

[kato]

A grocery store in north Houston was running so low on water they have started rationing it out.