Hurricane RITA - South Texas Residents... GO!

From the National Weather Service:

RITA IS MOVING TOWARD THE WEST-NORTHWEST NEAR 9 MPH...15 KM/HR...AND THIS
GENERAL MOTION IS EXPECTED TO CONTINUE FOR THE NEXT 24 HOURS.

REPORTS FROM AN AIR FORCE RESERVE HURRICANE HUNTER AIRCRAFT INDICATE THAT
MAXIMUM SUSTAINED WINDS REMAIN NEAR 175 MPH...280 KM/HR...WITH HIGHER GUSTS.
THIS MAKES RITA A POTENTIALLY CATASTROPHIC CATEGORY
FIVE HURRICANE ON THE SAFFIR-SIMPSON SCALE. SOME FLUCTUATIONS IN INTENSITY
ARE LIKELY DURING THE NEXT 24 HOURS.

Go, go, go! Rita is going to be another Katrina. Don't think you are going
to be safe. Get out before they tell you to.

HURRICANE FORCE WINDS EXTEND OUTWARD UP TO 70 MILES...110 KM...FROM THE
CENTER...AND TROPICAL STORM FORCE WINDS EXTEND OUTWARD UP TO 185
MILES...295 KM.

THE LATEST MINIMUM CENTRAL PRESSURE ESTIMATED FROM REPORTS BY THE HURRICANE
HUNTER IS 897 MB...26.49 INCHES. THIS MEANS RITA IS THE THIRD MOST INTENSE
HURRICANE IN TERMS OF PRESSURE IN THE ATLANTIC
BASIN.

TIDES ARE CURRENTLY RUNNING NEAR NORMAL ALONG THE MISSISSIPPI AND LOUISIANA
COASTS IN THE AREAS AFFECTED BY KATRINA. TIDES IN THOSE AREAS WILL INCREASE
UP TO 3 TO 4 FEET AND BE ACCOMPANIED BY LARGE WAVES OVER THE NEXT 24
HOURS... AND RESIDENTS THERE COULD EXPERIENCE SOME COASTAL FLOODING.

HEAVY RAINS ASSOCIATED WITH RITA ARE FORECAST TO BEGIN TO AFFECT THE WESTERN
AND CENTRAL GULF OF MEXICO COASTAL AREAS THURSDAY NIGHT INTO FRIDAY. RITA IS
EXPECTED TO PRODUCE TOTAL RAINFALL ACCUMULATIONS OF 8 TO 12 INCHES WITH
ISOLATED MAXIMUM AMOUNTS OF
15 INCHES FROM THE CENTRAL TEXAS COAST TO SOUTHWESTERN LOUISIANA.

RAINFALL AMOUNTS OF 2 TO 4 INCHES WILL BE POSSIBLE ELSEWHERE ACROSS SOUTHERN
LOUISIANA...INCLUDING THE NEW ORLEANS METROPOLITAN AREA. AFTER RITA MOVES
INLAND...TOTAL RAIN ACCUMULATIONS OF 5 TO 10
INCHES WILL BE POSSIBLE OVER EASTERN TEXAS... AND CENTRAL AND EASTERN
OKLAHOMA DURING SATURDAY AND SUNDAY.

REPEATING THE 4 AM CDT POSITION...24.9 N... 88.0 W. MOVEMENT
TOWARD...WEST-NORTHWEST NEAR 9 MPH. MAXIMUM SUSTAINED WINDS...175 MPH.
MINIMUM CENTRAL PRESSURE... 897 MB.

AN INTERMEDIATE ADVISORY WILL BE ISSUED BY THE NATIONAL HURRICANE CENTER AT
7 AM CDT FOLLOWED BY THE NEXT COMPLETE ADVISORY AT 10 AM CDT.

"jmcquown" wrote in message
...


Go, go, go! Rita is going to be another Katrina. Don't think you are
going
to be safe. Get out before they tell you to.


Rita is potentially far worse than Katrina. Katrina was not a Cat 5
hurricane and fell swiftly to a Cat 2 on landfall. The damage in Katrina was
mostly due to the storm surge and the flooding due to levees breaking in New
Orleans, rather than the wind. Rita is currently a much *nastier* storm than
Katrina was. The storm surge, winds and potential for flooding due to
intense rainfall are all far, far worse with Rita...

helen s

wafflycat wrote:

"jmcquown" wrote in message
...


Go, go, go! Rita is going to be another Katrina. Don't think you are
going
to be safe. Get out before they tell you to.


Rita is potentially far worse than Katrina. Katrina was not a Cat 5
hurricane and fell swiftly to a Cat 2 on landfall. The damage in Katrina
was mostly due to the storm surge and the flooding due to levees
breaking in New Orleans, rather than the wind. Rita is currently a much
*nastier* storm than Katrina was. The storm surge, winds and potential
for flooding due to intense rainfall are all far, far worse with Rita...

helen s

Helen,
Katrina *was* a category 5 storm, with winds of at least 175 mph and a
central pressure of 902 millibars. Until Rita, it was the second
strongest hurricane in the Atlantic basin. Rita's winds are 175 mph, and
her pressure is 897 mb - so she has probably taken second place. When
Katrina hit, she was only down to a Category 4 storm.
The devastation in many of the areas was due to storm surge, but
Katrina (and Rita) was a 30 mile wide F3 tornado! The areas where those
winds hit were wiped out. Because of the New Orleans flooding, much of
the devastation in Mississippi was not adequately reported by the media.
Katrina was *bad*.
Rita will be *bad* as well, possibly worse. Today's storm track center
has her very close to Houston. If you are in the area, PLEASE get out.
Go to higher ground - and that isn't 30 feet above sea level. I know of
someone in Mississippi whose house was 34 feet above sea level and he
still had 6 to 8 feet of flooding from Katrina.
Be safe. Take yourself and your family (including pets) and GO. Those
of us in the rest of the country will do our best to help you recover.
But please be here for us to help! Don't take chances. Get as far away
as you can.
*****HUGS***** to everyone evacuating, and everyone who is taking in
friends and relatives.

Kalynnda, who will rev up the kitty purr motors for everyone to be safe.

"Kalynnda Berens" wrote in message
...

Helen,
Katrina *was* a category 5 storm, with winds of at least 175 mph and a
central pressure of 902 millibars.


Over here on this side of the pond it was reported as a Cat 4, that quickly
lowered to a Cat 2 on landfall.

I'm on other side of the pond, so no evacuation for me... thankfully!

Cheers, helen s

On Thu, 22 Sep 2005 05:16:26 -0500, "jmcquown"
wrote:

Go, go, go! Rita is going to be another Katrina. Don't think you are going
to be safe. Get out before they tell you to.

Too late for some I got an e-mail this morning from my niece who
lives in The Woodlands of Houston with her husband, 2 dogs, and cat.
She says they are going to ride it out. It took her four hours to
make the 20-minute drive from work yesterday and the highway near her
house is bumper to bumper. She has only 1/2 tank of gas left, there
is no more gas to be had, and all hotels/motels are full even into
Oklahoma. The house is sturdy and she feels reasonably safe, but
there *is* that nagging worry if Rita is still a category 5 when it
reaches landfall.

Purrs appreciated for them, Lori, and all others in the vicinity,
especially the evacuees from Katrina who have to go through all that
again.

Jeanne

JBHajos wrote:
On Thu, 22 Sep 2005 05:16:26 -0500, "jmcquown"
wrote:

Go, go, go! Rita is going to be another Katrina. Don't think you
are going to be safe. Get out before they tell you to.

Too late for some I got an e-mail this morning from my niece who
lives in The Woodlands of Houston with her husband, 2 dogs, and cat.
She says they are going to ride it out. It took her four hours to
make the 20-minute drive from work yesterday and the highway near her
house is bumper to bumper. She has only 1/2 tank of gas left, there
is no more gas to be had, and all hotels/motels are full even into
Oklahoma. The house is sturdy and she feels reasonably safe, but
there *is* that nagging worry if Rita is still a category 5 when it
reaches landfall.

Purrs appreciated for them, Lori, and all others in the vicinity,
especially the evacuees from Katrina who have to go through all that
again.

Jeanne

Jeannie, purrs for your niece and her family. We did an art show around the
Woodlands a couple of years ago. Someone sure ****ed off Mother Nature this
year. This storm surge is really nasty. Everyone, GET OUT. Head inland,
now! With your family, your pets, whatever papers you can carry. I can't
put anyone up here in my apartment but I'll find you a place to stay in
Memphis. Go, go, go!

Jill

"JBHajos" wrote in message
...
On Thu, 22 Sep 2005 05:16:26 -0500, "jmcquown"
Too late for some I got an e-mail this morning from my niece who
lives in The Woodlands of Houston with her husband, 2 dogs, and cat.
She says they are going to ride it out. It took her four hours to
make the 20-minute drive from work yesterday and the highway near her
house is bumper to bumper. She has only 1/2 tank of gas left, there
is no more gas to be had, and all hotels/motels are full even into
Oklahoma. The house is sturdy and she feels reasonably safe, but
there *is* that nagging worry if Rita is still a category 5 when it
reaches landfall.

Purrs appreciated for them, Lori, and all others in the vicinity,
especially the evacuees from Katrina who have to go through all that
again.


Purrs for everyone to be safe!

--
lewe
lewemi at yahoo dot se | cats' pics: photos.yahoo.com/lewemi

"JBHajos" wrote in message
...
.... Purrs appreciated for them, Lori, and all others in the vicinity,
especially the evacuees from Katrina who have to go through all that
again.
Jeanne

I exchanged a brief email with Lori. She and her family are packing to
leave. She didn't say where they were heading, but is concerned about
getting out because of the traffic. We are sure that there are no hotel
rooms available anywhere. They will need all the purrs, prayers, positive
vibrations, whatever you can send.

We are a good distance south of Houston. Yesterday, officials declared a
mandatory evacuation of the entire county. We already had a room booked
further inland starting Friday (tomorrow), but now it is also in the
evacuation zone. However, the hotel said it will stay open for those who
have reservations, but they are full and not taking anyone else. According
to people we have talked to, San Antonio, Dallas, Austin, and Houston are
full. A neighbor got what appeared to be the last room in Brownsville,
which is close to the Mexico border.

However, with Rita's focus farther to the north, we will probably be the
lucky ones. Those in greater danger are in our thoughts and prayers.

Annie

Any one heard from Victor? I am not sure if he is in the evac area or
not. Annie, Lori and everyone else affected. You are in our thoughts.
Purrs for all of you.
Skritches,
A very worried KittyLady

For anyone interested here is a satellite image taken about an hour
ago..

http://tinyurl.com/nh2z

I saw yesterday a more defined eye on this storm from the same
satellite, so the storm has weakened, and it's become less organized
over the past 18-20 hours. But still heading for Texas.. if it takes a
sudden turn to the north, which these storms frequently do, it heading
right for New Orleans again right now.

The smart money says it's heading for the Houston/Galveston area.