Hurricane Rita thread

[kato]

I'm sure some of the NO evacs are still there, plus people from Galveston, Brazoria county area then all the folks from Houston---what's the population of the greater Houston area now? Probab;y 4 MILLION? Lot's more than the 500,000 approx in New Orleans......

Yup, about 4.5 mil..

 

[NewMom2003]

Is there someone on here who is actually looking/needing a hotel room? If so I will try and help you find one. Just checked Austin, there are NO rooms there. Let me know and I'll tell you what I find.

That is so sweet of you. I'm told by a co-worker that there are no rooms in the Dallas/Fort Worth area either.

I just got back from my local Wal-Mart and Kroger and they are both a mad house. Wal-Mart was totally out of water and Kroger is rationing out what little they have. I was able to get pretty much everything on my list except for bread and peanut butter. Both stores were totally out. Surprisingly, I found canned milk. I really thought I would have a hard time getting that.

Prayers for all my fellow Texans. I don't know about y'all, but I'm really getting scared.

 

[scandi]

Last night I heard them mention evacuating to Huntsville.

I'm way over here in Oregon, but have everyone in my thoughts and prayers, and hope that people heed the call to leave and that they will all check with their neighbors to make sure they also have a way to leave.

Again Buzz, thanks for your constant attention to detail with all of this pertinant storm information. I sent the moving map of Katrina to everyone in my family!


Scandi

 

[poco]

Yup, about 4.5 mil..

K-Toe - I can't believe you are still there - GET OUT OF TOWN!!!!

 

[Shadow205]

Last night I heard them mention evacuating to Huntsville.

I'm way over here in Oregon, but have everyone in my thoughts and prayers, and hope that people heed the call to leave and that they will all check with their neighbors to make sure they also have a way to leave.

Again Buzz, thanks for your constant attention to detail with all of this pertinant storm information. I sent the moving map of Katrina to everyone in my family!


Scandi

No rooms in Huntsville,TX Scandi. Any other ideas?

 

[Buzz Mills]

Latest update has it at 923mbs which is where Katrina was when it made landfall. Not a good sign at all.

Shadow, where did you see 923mbs?? The last I saw was 944mbs from the National Hurricane Center report.

 

[kato]

That is so sweet of you. I'm told by a co-worker that there are no rooms in the Dallas/Fort Worth area either.

I just got back from my local Wal-Mart and Kroger and they are both a mad house. Wal-Mart was totally out of water and Kroger is rationing out what little they have. I was able to get pretty much everything on my list except for bread and peanut butter. Both stores were totally out. Surprisingly, I found canned milk. I really thought I would have a hard time getting that.

Prayers for all my fellow Texans. I don't know about y'all, but I'm really getting scared.

It's ok NewMom. Just pray. I don't know why I'm not scared. Are you off work? I keep p-nut butter in my desk all the time and at home. Thank goodness my BF is obssesed with bad weather. He's been preparing since Feb.. LOL Brought alot of stuff home from where he goes hunting.

 

[Dark Knight]

RECON FINDS 175 MPH FLIGHT LEVEL WIND
RITA NEARING CAT 5 HURRICANE!

​

The NOAA airplane investigating Rita found a peak wind of 175 mph. The pressure has fallen to 923 mb, which is just shy of the 920 mb Cat 5 pressure. Rita continues to strengthen and will become a Cat 5 hurricane.

 

[kato]

K-Toe - I can't believe you are still there - GET OUT OF TOWN!!!!

poco. I'll be ok.. Besides there's no room at the inn. LOL
K-Toe reminds of the good ole days.

 

[Shadow205]

Shadow, where did you see 923mbs?? The last I saw was 944mbs from the National Hurricane Center report.

Buzz, I saw that on the Weather CHannel at the 2:00pm update.

 

[Dark Knight]

Comparison of two forecasted eye paths:

http://wwwa.accuweather.com/promotion.asp?dir=aw&page=eyepath

 

[tybee204]

Anyone who is calling and reserving Hotel rooms , Make sure if you find a room available you insist on paying for it then with your credit card immediatly rather then just reserving it. Many will find their unpaid for reserved rooms gone after a long drive as more and more people arrive to check into hotels. Loosing your reservation is pretty common in evacuations.

 

[Buzz Mills]

Buzz, I saw that on the Weather CHannel at the 2:00pm update.

You are right---I missed the latest update:

HURRICANE RITA TROPICAL CYCLONE UPDATE
NWS TPC/NATIONAL HURRICANE CENTER MIAMI FL
215 PM EDT WED SEP 21 2005

DATA FROM RECONNAISSANCE AIRCRAFT INDICATE THAT RITA HAS INTENSIFIED
A LITTLE MORE AND WINDS HAVE REACHED 150 MPH WINDS WITH A MINIMUM
PRESSURE OF 920 MB. THIS MAKES RITA A STRONG CATEGORY FOUR
HURRICANE.

 

[NewMom2003]

It's ok NewMom. Just pray. I don't know why I'm not scared. Are you off work? I keep p-nut butter in my desk all the time and at home. Thank goodness my BF is obssesed with bad weather. He's been preparing since Feb.. LOL Brought alot of stuff home from where he goes hunting.

Thanks Kato. I'm still at work. I'm leaving early and won't be here tomorrow. I had Friday already scheduled off for the Fort Bend County Fair and Parade. No fair and parade this year.

 

[Shadow205]

Anyone who is calling and reserving Hotel rooms , Make sure if you find a room available you insist on paying for it then with your credit card immediatly rather then just reserving it. Many will find their unpaid for reserved rooms gone after a long drive as more and more people arrive to check into hotels. Loosing your reservation is pretty common in evacuations.

Good advice Tybee. I have been searching for rooms for anyone who might need one. Finally found some rooms in Fredricksburg,TX but I think I also found some price gouching. Take a look at this!!!

BEST WESTERN GARDEN INN from $255.00

Fredericksburg
There ain't no room at a BEST WESTERN that is worth $250.00!!!!!

 

[kato]

Thanks Kato. I'm still at work. I'm leaving early and won't be here tomorrow. I had Friday already scheduled off for the Fort Bend County Fair and Parade. No fair and parade this year.

They haven't made mention of us getting off tomorrow. I hope they do because it floods over here and they're putting plywood on our building.

 

[kato]

Good advice Tybee. I have been searching for rooms for anyone who might need one. Finally found some rooms in Fredricksburg,TX but I think I also found some price gouching. Take a look at this!!!

BEST WESTERN GARDEN INN from $255.00

Fredericksburg
There ain't no room at a BEST WESTERN that is worth $250.00!!!!!

Fredricksburg's not too bad. But you're right. That's definitely price gouging. Whoever heard of a Best Western that cost that much. They need to be reported.

 

[kato]

If you have a cordless phone remember it won't work if the power goes out. We keep a regular one just for storm purposes. That is if the phone lines don't go down. Cell phone towers may go down too.

 

[Shadow205]

Kato,

I'm worried about you. Do you plan to stay in Houston? Do you have somewhere to go further inland if you decide to? This isn't a storm to mess with. I'm sorry my geography isn't to good. How far inland are you?

 

[Buzz Mills]

Good advice Tybee. I have been searching for rooms for anyone who might need one. Finally found some rooms in Fredricksburg,TX but I think I also found some price gouching. Take a look at this!!!

SNIP

They definitely need to be reported--that's a crime--hope they get nailed. I hate to see people getting taken advantage of, and especially so, in a time of crisis.