Hurricane Rita thread

[LovelyPigeon]

Hey, GR! Where are you riding out Hurricane Rita?

 

[Buzz Mills]

Gotta be frustrating to move 15 miles in 5-6 hours with your gas getting low and none to buy anywhere and sitting in 100 degree heat with kids, dogs, cats, luggage, no bathrooms...........

Glad I stayed put.....tequila helps :woohoo:

I like to cook so I got out some venison to cook tonight and I'm making a big pot of chicken and dumplings for tomorrow---guess I can see if any neighbors are hungry!

Darn TM, you're making me hungry--that sounds really good.

 

[deanws]

Well, good luck to them! I can't imagine I could walk the miles between exits on an interstate to a bathroom at a gas station, much less the far between state rest stops.

I think concernedperson is more apt to be right that dignity must be put aside and roadsides have to be used for makeshift toliet use.

No matter what the excellence in planning, it never seems to be adequate for the actual situations.

It isn't miles between gas stations in the Houston loop. My husband didn't see anyone doing that. He did see several walking to the stations though.

 

[LovelyPigeon]

It isn't miles between gas stations in the Houston loop.

I wasn't referring to the loop, though. I was referring to the 100 miles of standstill traffic on I-10 and I-45.

http://www.dfw.com/mld/dfw/news/special_packages/spcl/12713101.htm

 

[Sassygerl]

I don't know. I would go and ride one out if I could.

You'd get to where you're going a lot faster on horseback than riding in a car!!!!

I hope they'll get them out

 

[concernedperson]

I wasn't referring to the loop, though. I was referring to the standstill traffic on I-10.

Do we really feel baffled at the evacuation routes? Why wasn't contra put into action early this morning? Texas isn't any more prepared than anything we have seen with Katrina. So, good we have thousands of people on the interstates with no gas! I am sorry this is piss poor. What is wrong with the poeple who are supposed to be responsible? Isn't this President Bush's State? I would think he could pull a few strings.

 

[JBean]

I heard they had gas trucks that were going up and down the freeways bringing gas to people that were low or out.Just seems to me the real trouble is people waiting too long to go.

 

[Shadow205]

This is what emergency planners always fear will happen. Everyone waits and then when they decide to go, the highways turn into a parking lot. Lets just pray they get moving before the storm hits! Another thought is that Texas had about 200,000 extra people (from New Orleans) to evacuate.

 

[Details]

Everyone wants to wait until they see others leaving, and wait for the last possible minute - then it's 'bad planning' when they have to pay the penalty. Leave early. If you absolutely cannot, at the very least go get your gas several days early. Better to lose a day of work than be stuck in that traffic.

 

[Gabby]

I have to go under I45 to get to work... this morning there were cars all lined up in neat rows at the Wendy's (also gas station) and the Shell station just off the interstate... they were not trying to get gas, they were apparently there to use the facilities and to get some rest before heading back northward on the interstate...

 

[concernedperson]

This is what emergency planners always fear will happen. Everyone waits and then when they decide to go, the highways turn into a parking lot. Lets just pray they get moving before the storm hits! Another thought is that Texas had about 200,000 extra people (from New Orleans) to evacuate.

It still doesn't explain why contra flow wasn't but into action.

 

[Shadow205]

It still doesn't explain why contra flow wasn't but into action.

No, it doesn't.

 

[Details]

It still doesn't explain why contra flow wasn't but into action.

Maybe because some people still had to get into the city - gas trucks for one; moving vans, horse trailers, emergency equipment, etc. It's a long stretch to go all contra flow on - and somehow we still want the gas trucks to get there.

 

[JBean]

Maybe because some people still had to get into the city - gas trucks for one; moving vans, horse trailers, emergency equipment, etc. It's a long stretch to go all contra flow on - and somehow we still want the gas trucks to get there.

I think you are right on here.They had to leave it open for emergency vehicles and the buses to come back into the city as well as what you mention. It was still to slow to come into play, but they did have to leave it open for some legit reasons.

 

[concernedperson]

Maybe because some people still had to get into the city - gas trucks for one; moving vans, horse trailers, emergency equipment, etc. It's a long stretch to go all contra flow on - and somehow we still want the gas trucks to get there.

So, are you happy with people trapped on freeways? I don't know everthing but I still see a problem.

 

[Buzz Mills]

HURRICANE RITA INTERMEDIATE ADVISORY NUMBER 21A
NWS TPC/NATIONAL HURRICANE CENTER MIAMI FL
7 PM CDT THU SEP 22 2005

...RITA CONTINUES WEST-NORTHWESTWARD...
...OUTER RAINBANDS SPREADING OVER SOUTHERN LOUISIANA...

A HURRICANE WARNING IS IN EFFECT FROM PORT O'CONNOR TEXAS TO MORGAN
CITY LOUISIANA. 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 IS IN EFFECT FOR THE SOUTHEASTERN COAST OF
LOUISIANA EAST OF MORGAN CITY TO THE MOUTH OF THE MOUTH OF THE
PEARL RIVER INCLUDING METROPOLITAN NEW ORLEANS AND LAKE
PONTCHARTRAIN....AND FROM SOUTH OF PORT O'CONNOR TO PORT MANSFIELD
TEXAS. A TROPICAL STORM WARNING MEANS THAT TROPICAL STORM
CONDITIONS ARE EXPECTED WITHIN THE WARNING AREA WITHIN THE NEXT 24
HOURS.

A TROPICAL STORM WATCH IS IN EFFECT FROM SOUTH OF PORT MANSFIELD TO
BROWNSVILLE TEXAS...AND FOR THE NORTHEASTERN COAST OF MEXICO FROM
RIO SAN FERNANDO NORTHWARD TO THE RIO GRANDE. A TROPICAL STORM
WATCH MEANS THAT TROPICAL STORM CONDITIONS ARE POSSIBLE WITHIN THE
WATCH AREA...GENERALLY WITHIN 36 HOURS.

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

AT 7 PM CDT...0000Z...THE CENTER OF HURRICANE RITA WAS LOCATED NEAR
LATITUDE 26.0 NORTH...LONGITUDE 89.9 WEST OR ABOUT 350 MILES...
565 KM...EAST-SOUTHEAST OF GALVESTON TEXAS AND ABOUT 290 MILES...
465 KM...SOUTHEAST OF CAMERON LOUISIANA.

RITA IS MOVING TOWARD THE WEST-NORTHWEST NEAR 10 MPH...17 KM/HR. A
GRADUAL TURN TOWARD THE NORTHWEST IS EXPECTED DURING THE NEXT 24
HOURS. ON THIS TRACK...THE CORE OF RITA WILL BE APPROACHING THE
SOUTHWEST LOUISIANA AND THE UPPER TEXAS COAST LATE FRIDAY.

MAXIMUM SUSTAINED WINDS ARE NEAR 145 MPH...230 KM/HR...WITH HIGHER
GUSTS. RITA IS A EXTREMELY DANGEROUS CATEGORY FOUR HURRICANE ON THE
SAFFIR-SIMPSON SCALE. SOME FLUCTUATIONS IN INTENSITY ARE LIKELY
DURING THE NEXT 24 HOURS.

HURRICANE FORCE WINDS EXTEND OUTWARD UP TO 60 MILES... 95 KM...
FROM THE CENTER...AND TROPICAL STORM FORCE WINDS EXTEND OUTWARD UP
TO 205 MILES...335 KM. ANY TROPICAL STORM FORCE WINDS IN THE NEW
ORLEANS AREA ARE EXPECTED TO BE CONFINED TO A FEW SQUALLS
ASSOCIATED WITH QUICKLY MOVING RAINBANDS. SHORTLY BEFORE 6 PM
CDT...NOAA BUOY 42001 JUST SOUTH OF THE CENTER OF RITA REPORTED A
10-MINUTE AVERAGE WIND OF 83 MPH...134 KM/HR WITH A GUST TO 112
MPH...180 KM/HR.

THE LATEST MINIMUM CENTRAL PRESSURE REPORTED BY AN AIR FORCE
HURRICANE HUNTER AIRCRAFT WAS 913 MB...26.96 INCHES.

COASTAL STORM SURGE FLOODING OF 15 TO 20 FEET ABOVE NORMAL TIDE
LEVELS...ALONG WITH LARGE AND DANGEROUS BATTERING WAVES...CAN BE
EXPECTED NEAR AND TO THE EAST OF WHERE THE CENTER MAKES LANDFALL.
TIDES ARE CURRENTLY RUNNING ABOUT 2 FEET ABOVE NORMAL ALONG THE
LOUISIANA...MISSISSIPPI AND ALABAMA COASTS IN THE AREAS AFFECTED BY
KATRINA. TIDES IN THOSE AREAS WILL INCREASE TO 3 TO 5 FEET AND BE
ACCOMPANIED BY LARGE WAVES...AND RESIDENTS THERE COULD EXPERIENCE
COASTAL FLOODING.

RAINFALL ACCUMULATIONS OF 8 TO 12 INCHES WITH ISOLATED MAXIMUM 15
INCH TOTALS ARE POSSIBLE ALONG THE PATH OF RITA OVER SOUTHEAST TEXAS
AND SOUTHWESTERN LOUISIANA AS IT MOVES INLAND. BASED ON THE
FORECAST TRACK...TOTALS ACCUMULATIONS IN EXCESS OF 25 INCHES ARE
POSSIBLE OVER THE NEXT SEVERAL DAYS AS THE SYSTEM SLOWS DOWN. IN
ADDITION...RAINFALL AMOUNTS OF 3 TO 5 INCHES ARE POSSIBLE OVER
SOUTHEASTERN LOUISIANA INCLUDING NEW ORLEANS.

REPEATING THE 7 PM CDT POSITION...26.0 N... 89.9 W. MOVEMENT
TOWARD...WEST-NORTHWEST NEAR 10 MPH. MAXIMUM SUSTAINED WINDS...145
MPH. MINIMUM CENTRAL PRESSURE... 913 MB.

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

FORECASTER KNABB

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

Hurricane Rita Strike Probabilities (Scroll Down)
http://tinyurl.com/dsfp5

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

Hurricane Rita Tropical Winds Forecast (in % of highest wind speed)
http://tinyurl.com/b9vap

Rita Hurricane Winds Probability
http://tinyurl.com/blayb

Rita Tropical Winds Probability
http://tinyurl.com/b2k6f

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



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 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.

Size Comparison

KATRINA
Wind Speed at Landfall, 140MPH-----Maiximum Wind Speed, 175MPH
HURRICANE FORCE WINDS EXTEND 105 MILES FROM THE CENTER...
TROPICAL STORM FORCE WINDS EXTEND OUTWARD UP TO 230 MILES.
MINIMUM CENTRAL PRESSURE...923 MB. (at landfall) 902 MB (at its lowest)

RITA
Wind Speed at Landfall, ????-----Maiximum Wind Speed, 175MPH
HURRICANE FORCE WINDS EXTEND 60 MILES FROM THE CENTER
TROPICAL STORM FORCE WINDS EXTEND OUTWARD UP TO 205 MILES.
MINIMUM CENTRAL PRESSURE...913 MB. (presently) 897 MB (at its lowest)
This is the 3rd lowest pressure on record-- Gilbert 888 MB, 1935 LABOR DAY 892 MB

The record low central pressure ever, for a hurricane IN the U.S., is 892 MB (the 1935 Labor Day Hurricane).

 

[Details]

So, are you happy with people trapped on freeways? I don't know everthing but I still see a problem.

I don't know everything either - and I can't imagine why you think I'd be happy with people trapped on freeways - but solving a problem requires understanding all of it, looking at more than just frustration. All factors must be considered, to avoid making things worse rather than better.

An ideal might be to leave 1-2 lanes going into the city - but how do you get the traffic flow managed? Do we have enough cops to spare from their other vital pre-storm duties (like evacuating people, helping nursing homes and hospitals evacuate, maintaining order, etc.) to mark off the contra flow lanes?

 

[concernedperson]

I don't know everything either - and I can't imagine why you think I'd be happy with people trapped on freeways - but solving a problem requires understanding all of it, looking at more than just frustration. All factors must be considered, to avoid making things worse rather than better.

An ideal might be to leave 1-2 lanes going into the city - but how do you get the traffic flow managed? Do we have enough cops to spare from their other vital pre-storm duties (like evacuating people, helping nursing homes and hospitals evacuate, maintaining order, etc.) to mark off the contra flow lanes?

YThings are not happening. This is an urban city nightmare.

 

[Details]

But is it the worst nightmare? Or would the alternative have been worse?

 

[Details]

Other nightmares can include having not enough gas to get out of the city, but clear freeways due to contra flow; all kinds of bad things happening (unable to evacuate hospital and nursing home patients) because emergency personel could not enter the city; too few police because they are trying to manage the contra flow rather than evacuating people and maintaining order; etc.

I don't know what is best, but I do know that they've usually done some thinking about these kinds of issues in disaster planning. And every choice has it's faults. I just don't feel comfortable saying they're complete idiots not to have put contra flow into action earlier without understanding the whole system. I can easily see several problems with doing contra flow, and I'm sure there are many more that disaster planners are familiar with.

They're up against human nature (hoping the hurricane will miss, delaying to get another day's work in, another day less of hotel stay, denial, etc.), and nature itself, and it's not an easy task.