NationStates Jolt Archive

Hurricaine Rita is now projected to hit just South of Corpus Christi, Texas, as a Category 5 storm, then downgrade to Category 4 shortly after landfall. A hurricaine expert stated that this was "The second worst storm" he has ever seen, Katrina having been the worst.

Not good. :(

EDIT: On an historic note, the 1930 hurricaine season was the worst on record, with some 21 storms hitting the US. No one is yet certain how close this season will come to that record.

Corpus Christi = Body of Christ

Wonder if someone is sending the US some signals?

Hurricaine Rita is now projected to hit just South of Corpus Christi, Texas, as a Category 5 storm, then downgrade to Category 4 shortly after landfall. A hurricaine expert stated that this was "The second worst storm" he has ever seen, Katrina having been the worst.
Well, Katrina wasn't that bad. It just hit a very vulnerable spot. But you know those wacky experts, anything to be quoted.

EDIT: On an historic note, the 1930 hurricaine season was the worst on record, with some 21 storms hitting the US. No one is yet certain how close this season will come to that record.
So far it's going to be very close. We are already on letter R and more than one month to go.

Corpus Christi = Body of Christ

Wonder if someone is sending the US some signals?
New Orleans = New Orléans

Yeah. Louis XVII maybe.

Well, Katrina wasn't that bad. It just hit a very vulnerable spot. But you know those wacky experts, anything to be quoted.




Beg your pardon? Just because the main media focus has been on New Orleans and the levee failures, the smaller communities to the East of NOLA got creamed to the point of total devastation in some instances, and Biloxi got slapped pretty hard too.

Katrina didn't "hit a vulnerable spot", it threaded the needle between New Orleans and Biloxi in a manner that frankly was an amazing bit of luck to the good fortune of many who live in that region. If the eyewall had hit the coast twenty miles off in either direction there would have been a far worse outcome than what we saw.

I live in a city where once a Cat 4 (probably Cat 5) went through the middle of the city. Cyclone Tracy - Darwin (in Australia) was trashed in 1974.

I'm not too worried about it. Port Aransas has been through worse, as has Corpus Christi.

Beg your pardon? Just because the main media focus has been on New Orleans and the levee failures, the smaller communities to the East of NOLA got creamed to the point of total devastation in some instances, and Biloxi got slapped pretty hard too.

And yet it wasn't nearly the strongest hurricane ever, not even the strongest to ever hit the area. It was both the manner in which it hit and the vulneability of a region depleted of its natural barriers and with overpopulated coastal areas that made it so bad in terms of human and material costs.

But the strength of the hurricane wasn't that bad.

Last I heard, she wasn't expected to make a Cat 5, but was expected to be a Cat 4 or a strong 3 with the storm surge of a 4 once it makes landfall--mainly because the Gulf isn't as deep where it's looking like it's coming ashore.

I'm following this over at Weather Underground (http://www.wunderground.com/blog/SteveGregory/show.html). Amazing photos and updates.

I live in a city where once a Cat 4 (probably Cat 5) went through the middle of the city. Cyclone Tracy - Darwin (in Australia) was trashed in 1974.

I've heard the horror stories about that one. :(

And yet it wasn't nearly the strongest hurricane ever, not even the strongest to ever hit the area. It was both the manner in which it hit and the vulneability of a region depleted of its natural barriers and with overpopulated coastal areas that made it so bad in terms of human and material costs.

But the strength of the hurricane wasn't that bad.

Bullshit.

Katrina hit the coast with a minimum pressure of 918 mb (http://www.usda.gov/nass/PUBS/TODAYRPT/weth3705.pdf), which ranks it as #3 in US history.

Following Katrina's brief, August 25 strike on southern Florida, the hurricane explosively strengthened over the Gulf of Mexico and turned toward Louisiana. On the morning of August 29, Katrina became one of the strongest hurricanes on record to make landfall in the United States. Katrina made landfall as a category 4 hurricane around 6:10 a.m. CDT near Buras, LA, with maximum sustained winds near 140 m.p.h. Based on Katrina's minimum barometric pressure at landfall (approximately 918 millibars, or 27.11 inches), only the Labor Day hurricane of 1935 (Florida Keys; 892 mb, or 26.35 inches) and 1969's Hurricane Camille (southern Mississippi; 909 mb, or 26.84 inches) were more intense. In 1992, Hurricane Andrew's pressure at landfall in southern Florida was 922 mb, or 27.23 inches.


The list up to this year, if you are interested...
(http://www.nhc.noaa.gov/pastint.shtml)

I've heard the horror stories about that one. :(

We did learn our lesson though - Darwin houses are built to a specific standard now. Darwin got bombed by the Japanese during WWII and trashed by Cyclone Tracy in 1974. Great place to live otherwise ...

I do believe it's been made official - God f-ing hates us.

I do believe it's been made official - God f-ing hates us.

Don't say that. The fundies will use it as an excuse to proclaim some kind of moral decline wherever it will hit.

I do believe it's been made official - God f-ing hates us.


lol. Yep.


Rita is actually Gods response to GW's National Day of Prayer called as a testament to Katrina.

The message this time is: "Hey butthead! GW! Why the fuck are you praying to me for solace for something that I did in the first fucking place? If I didn't want it to have happened the first time around - it wouldn't have happened! What? you need another one before you get the hint? Damn, you really ARE that stupid aren't you!"

:D

Don't say that. The fundies will use it as an excuse to proclaim some kind of moral decline wherever it will hit.

Well.... it WAS New Orleans.

But I just think God's pissed in general. Muslims killing christians, christians killing muslims, Bush was re-elected, the Pope bears an uncanny resemblance to Emperor Palpatine... I can comprehend his wrath.

Bullshit.

Katrina hit the coast with a minimum pressure of 918 mb (http://www.usda.gov/nass/PUBS/TODAYRPT/weth3705.pdf), which ranks it as #3 in US history.

Yes. But the total energy dissipation of the hurricane depends mostly on wind force. Pressure contributes to the surge (pushed both by pressure and wind), though, but the destructiveness of this surge will depend a lot on the geography of the place where it hits.

It could be that Katrina's surge was higher than average, but it's undeniable that the alterations to the coast line due to human activity contributed to the overall destructiveness.

Well.... it WAS New Orleans.

But I just think God's pissed in general. Muslims killing christians, christians killing muslims, Bush was re-elected, the Pope bears an uncanny resemblance to Emperor Palpatine... I can comprehend his wrath.

LOL! :D :D

That hurricane nearly sunk me prize freight ship!

LOL! :D :D

Check it out -
http://www.dotmarketer.com/pope-benedict-xvi.jpg

http://wso.williams.edu/~rfoxwell/starwars/pics/Palpatine.jpg

Check it out -
http://www.dotmarketer.com/pope-benedict-xvi.jpg

http://wso.williams.edu/~rfoxwell/starwars/pics/Palpatine.jpg


AGGGH!!! :eek: :eek:

Be afraid.... be VERY afraid.

Let me guess,

God hates Bush?

:p

Does anyone realize how silly saying "god hates you because he did that!" is?

I guess god is racist too, look at Africa, what did they do to deserve anything?

Yes. But the total energy dissipation of the hurricane depends mostly on wind force. Pressure contributes to the surge (pushed both by pressure and wind), though, but the destructiveness of this surge will depend a lot on the geography of the place where it hits.

It could be that Katrina's surge was higher than average, but it's undeniable that the alterations to the coast line due to human activity contributed to the overall destructiveness.


Nice job covering your ass..... lol.

you go from saying "it wasn't that strong" to an unsourced pseudo-technical explanation on why your theory is correct in direct contravention to what the noaa has to say about it. KAtrina dropped to just below a cat 5 in the last few hours before landfall,so windforce was still packing a huge punch, and still hit as a strong Cat4 with the third lowest minimum pressure on record, and you've been trying to whitewash it as not being anything near the worst the US has seen.


Anyway - Excuse me if I take the National Hurricane Center's word on this matter regarding Katrina's strength over an anonymous voice on the internet who offers an unsourced alternative opinion.

Nice job covering your ass..... lol.

Thanks :)

you go from saying "it wasn't that strong" to an unsourced pseudo-technical explanation on why your theory is correct in direct contravention to what the noaa has to say about it. KAtrina dropped to just below a cat 5 in the last few hours before landfall,so windforce was still packing a huge punch, and still hit as a strong Cat4 with the third lowest minimum pressure on record, and you've been trying to whitewash it as not being anything near the worst the US has seen.
When I said "it wasn't that bad" it was in response to it being the worst in terms of strength that that particular expert had seen. It wasn't. Of course it still was a very strong storm, my commentary wasn't meant to imply that this was a weakling, simply that it was not the strongest the US has seen. The most destructive, yes, definitely, but more for causes besides it sheer strength.

Anyway - Excuse me if I take the National Hurricane Center's word on this matter regarding Katrina's strength over an anonymous voice on the internet who offers an unsourced alternative opinion.
I don't give a source because for many many years I've been reading and studying hurricanes, storms, disasters, etc. from many sources and studies. I'm in no way an expert, but through many years of learning I understand the theories about how hurricanes are formed, why, what affects them, their interactions with the coast, and their inner workings. I think I can offer an educated opinion.

I could go and look for sources where all this is explained, but that takes a lot of time. Fortunately you can learn this stuff yourself too, and offer alternative theories.

Check it out -
http://www.dotmarketer.com/pope-benedict-xvi.jpg

http://wso.williams.edu/~rfoxwell/starwars/pics/Palpatine.jpg

I wonder if my catholic relatives discovered this!

That is very scarey indeed.

And yet it wasn't nearly the strongest hurricane ever, not even the strongest to ever hit the area. It was both the manner in which it hit and the vulneability of a region depleted of its natural barriers and with overpopulated coastal areas that made it so bad in terms of human and material costs.

But the strength of the hurricane wasn't that bad.


Right, it was the surge that was bad.

Check it out -
http://www.dotmarketer.com/pope-benedict-xvi.jpg

http://wso.williams.edu/~rfoxwell/starwars/pics/Palpatine.jpg

They look nothign like each other....

Aha! More proof that the Illuminati are using weather-control devices to attack the US with artificial hurricanes as an excuse to declare martial law and increase power to FEMA!

No. In fact the NHC (NOAA) is not projecting it will be a category 5. In fact it will weaken to a category 3 in 72 hours. It should slowly start to weaken in as little as 12 hours.

http://www.nhc.noaa.gov/storm_graphics/AT18/refresh/AL1805I_sm2+gif/145605P_sm.gif

And also as I said before.. this storm is maintaining its relatively fast speed of 13mp/h. If it slows, things would get a whole lot worse. If anything, you want it to be very fast.

Hurricane Rita is packing winds of 150mph. Some are saying that this could be a category 5.

Next update is at 5:00

http://www.weather.com/maps/news/atlstorm18/stormtrack_large.html

RITA IS A CATEGORY 5

According to what I just heard on the Weather Channel, Hurricane Rita has sustained winds of 165 mph. This has just been updated and that is all I have heard as of right now.

Hurricaine Rita is now projected to hit just South of Corpus Christi, Texas, as a Category 5 storm, then downgrade to Category 4 shortly after landfall. A hurricaine expert stated that this was "The second worst storm" he has ever seen, Katrina having been the worst.

Not good. :(

EDIT: On an historic note, the 1930 hurricaine season was the worst on record, with some 21 storms hitting the US. No one is yet certain how close this season will come to that record.

Do the religious among us need any more proof that the weather is God's punishment for having elected Bush?

Do the religious among us need any more proof that the weather is God's punishment for having elected Bush?

Leave the politics out of it. I know you weren't sarcastic about this statement.

And the answer to your question is an emphatic no because God doesn't meddle in the affairs of men.

It is official.

Hurricane Rita is a Category 5 Hurricane with top winds of 165mph

Let me guess,

God hates Bush?

:p

Does anyone realize how silly saying "god hates you because he did that!" is?

I guess god is racist too, look at Africa, what did they do to deserve anything?

The only reason it's brought up at all is that every time something bad happens the Fundies say that God did it to punish us for being liberal. Like how a few months after we gave the White House, the Legislature, and the Supreme court to the conservatives (that is, when they finally held all 3 simultaneously), God "withdrew his cone of protection" according to Jerry Falwell as punishment for being too liberal.

We are to believe that God is punishing us directly as the Fundies seem to think we ought, then when one looks at the effect that follows from the supposed causes then God would seem to be punishing us for conservative things, not liberal ones. For example, Robertson prayed for vacancies on the Supreme court, but he asked for God to "move against" two liberal justices. Instead, one conservative justice resigned and another died.

If we are getting more and more conservative, so if the Fundies are right and God is punishing us for our increasing sins with increasinly bad disasters then it follows that God wants us to be more liberal. Most liberals however think that these are explainable in rational human terms. i.e. Terrorists blew up the world trade center because they were enraged at our foreign policies and our effects on their homelands. The hurricane was so bad because the wetlands, over which hurricanes usually lose their strength as they move inland, have degraded, essentially placing New Orleans closer to the Gulf so that it bore the full force of a hurricaine rather than a buffered version. Also the increasing temperature of the water of the Gulf of Mexico increased the strength of the hurricane.

If you choose to look at it in rational terms, it is an entierly mechanical phenomenon that can be mitigated in the future with prudent land managment. If you choose to look at it in religious terms, then God is punishing us for being poor stewards of the Earth as he commanded us to do in Genisis. Anne Coulter claims that "dominion over the Earth," means "take it, rape it, it's yours," but from God's perspective rulership means to take care of and to guide properly. That's what we're supposed to do with the land and its children. When we don't, then bad things happen, like soil depletion, deforestation, and category 5 hurricaines.

Whether you see it as the natural consequences of bad choices or God's punishment for evil choices doesn't really matter, unless you start listening to people like Pat Robertson who convince you to keep making evil choices and follow dumb idas in spite of the consequences because he's telling you that the effects are actually related to completly disconnected causes, like abortion, and tolerance for homosexuality.

The latest from Steve Gregory at Weather Underground (http://www.wunderground.com/blog/SteveGregory/show.html):
Though the storm may or may not have actually attained CAT intensity --based on the current imagery derived data - and that fact RITA will be spending the next 12-18 hours crossing the Loop Current -- there is no longer much doubt the storm will become a CAT 5 Hurricane. From that point on -- Rita will likely fluctuate in intensity as eye wall replacement cycles commence -- but also -- by Thursday, the storm will be moving over slightly cooler waters -- and the SST analysis shows a serious of 'warm' and 'cool' water pools of water scattered about the Gulf. Passage over a slightly cooler area of water would no doubt cause some weakening, while the converse would be true if is moves across a warmer pool of water. However, with the storm moving at a solid 10-12Kts -- and no significant slowdown expected -- the change in intensity may not be as pronounced as typical -- since the storm is 'on the move' and will continually be moving over still relatively warm surface waters.

The major area of shallow warm water is within 100NM of the Texas coast. This combined with some slight increase in shear expected during the final 12 hours before landfall -- should drop the WIND INTENSITY down by 1 full Category. HOWEVER, as we learned from Katrina -- Wind Intensity, used for Categorizing a Hurricane, doesn't always tell the whole story. Assuming RITA does attain CAT 5 intensity, and stays at that strength, or close to it -- it will develop a huge CATEGORY 5 storm surge that will strike the Texas coast - regardless of any wind speed decrease during the final 12 hours before landfall. Officially, Katrina hit the MS Coast as a strong CAT 3 - but produced a catastrophic Category 5 storm surge damage for a 120 mile stretch of coast line to the east. Rita may strike with the same CAT 5 storm surge -- but I believe it will cover a somewhat smaller extent of coastline -- about 50NM - compared to Katrina's 120 mile wide path of utter devastation. But keep in mind even if the storm does come ashore near Freeport -- the storm surge in Galveston Bay will be severe.

Either way - those people ought to get the hell out of Rita's warpath! A hurricane is a woman in PMS mode! :D (And before anyone says it - I'm a woman and I don't give a damn!)

Galveston is worried and has issued mandatory 100% evacuation.

Their Hurricane in 1900 taught them lessons NO should consider - they raised the elevation of the city prior to rebuilding - which took many years - and built a sea wall 7 miles long by 17 feet high.

Evacuation is the only effective method of reducing hurricane mortality.

She's a right bitch, she is.

http://www.wunderground.com/education/steveg_blog/hiresvisr7.jpg

914 MB moving W at 13mph with 165mph winds. Yikes.

Galveston, leave immediately. You don't want to be near this storm.

Hey, check this out:

http://www.wunderground.com/tropical/tracking/at200518_climo.html

Most of the big storms following the path of Rita turn northward.

Bad news wherever she hits, but it's not impossible for her to turn unless there is a high pressure system pushing it south. NO may not be clear of danger just yet.

A hurricane Watch has just been posted for all of the Texas coast to Camden LA.

I have to say this once again...

I'll take earthquakes every 80 years or so...

Times like this I'm glad for mandatory evacuation...

*wonders how hard his area is going to be hit...*

Looks as if this has become worse then I thought. However, I still see the storm taking a southward turn towards the border area (Brownsville, Texas) and into parts of northern Mexico.

Also I would say in 48 hours, expect a steady decline in strength.. that is when it will be right off the coast of Texas. I expect it to hit as a category 3.

Just because historical most storms northward... does not mean this one will. Remember there is a relatively strong high pressure ridge in effect for Texas (Houston area).

904 mb!

Fifth strongest hurricane on record right now.

It is now 6:00 PM, EST. Rita has been officially recognized as a Category 5. :(

It is now 6:00 PM, EST. Rita has been officially recognized as a Category 5. :(

Its been like that for over an hour or so now?

Its been like that for over an hour or so now?
Well, oh-kayyy, dude! I just happened to turn on the news at the top of the hour, OK??? :p

Well, oh-kayyy, dude! I just happened to turn on the news at the top of the hour, OK??? :p

lol and I've been watching the weather channel all day ok??? :p

Just because historical most storms northward... does not mean this one will. Remember there is a relatively strong high pressure ridge in effect for Texas (Houston area).

Not quite. They've been saying here for about 3 days that the high pressure is going to move off to the east, allowing Rita to curve up and hit the Texas coast.

Not quite. They've been saying here for about 3 days that the high pressure is going to move off to the east, allowing Rita to curve up and hit the Texas coast.

Yep, and thus NO will be protected because of that High Pressure. Texas will not be so lucky.

I am hoping that this thing weakens!

On an history note:

This is the thired time that TWO cat 5 hurricanes have formed in the same year in the Atlantic Basin.

Not quite. They've been saying here for about 3 days that the high pressure is going to move off to the east, allowing Rita to curve up and hit the Texas coast.

No.

Not from what I hear. I also still think it will hit the southern portion of Texas, and parts of Mexico.

Also another thing is this storm will weaken very quickly (48 hours time):

http://www.nhc.noaa.gov/storm_graphics/AT18/refresh/AL1805I_sm2+gif/205648P_sm.gif

No.

Not from what I hear. I also still think it will hit the southern portion of Texas, and parts of Mexico.

Also another thing is this storm will weaken very quickly (48 hours time):

http://www.nhc.noaa.gov/storm_graphics/AT18/refresh/AL1805I_sm2+gif/205648P_sm.gif

http://www.weatherunderground.com/tropical/tracking/at200518_model.html

Apparently just Texas will be under the gun and more than likely hit as a category 4 hurricane.

By tomorrow we will know more.

http://www.nhc.noaa.gov/refresh/graphics_at3+shtml/205648.shtml?prob

http://www.nhc.noaa.gov/refresh/graphics_at3+shtml/205648.shtml?3day?large

Edit: For some reason, it won't let me do images :(

For some reason I think this will hit the soutern portion of Texas and Mexico... That map seems to show the green shading is in that general direction.

http://www.nhc.noaa.gov/refresh/graphics_at3+shtml/205648.shtml?prob

However, we shall see.

The models have it hitting between Galveston and Corpus and then heading North between Austin and Houston.

Austin is roughly 30.25N Lat. / -97.74W Lon. which is where the models say Rita will be mid-Saturday.

I can handle the flash flooding, it's the tornadoes that make me want my mommy. As of right now, I'm preparing to leave (due West) on Friday. This isn't going to be just a really bad thunderstorm. There's nothing slowing this thing down. The water temp in the Gulf is around 90 degrees. It's a Cat5 now and may drop down to a Cat4? whoopee

The area it is going through isn't any more than 400 ft. above sea level for about 250 miles from wherever it hits.

The models have it hitting between Galveston and Corpus and then heading North between Austin and Houston.

Austin is roughly 30.25N Lat. / -97.74W Lon. which is where the models say Rita will be mid-Saturday.

I can handle the flash flooding, it's the tornadoes that make me want my mommy. As of right now, I'm preparing to leave (due West) on Friday. This isn't going to be just a really bad thunderstorm. There's nothing slowing this thing down. The water temp in the Gulf is around 90 degrees. It's a Cat5 now and may drop down to a Cat4? whoopee

The area it is going through isn't any more than 400 ft. above sea level for about 250 miles from wherever it hits.

Just make sure that you odn't get the front right quadrant of the storm. That is the most dangerous place to be.

Just make sure that you odn't get the front right quadrant of the storm. That is the most dangerous place to be.
Austin is sufficiently inland that he could probably ride it out there, so if he goes due west, he'll be plenty fine.

Austin is sufficiently inland that he could probably ride it out there, so if he goes due west, he'll be plenty fine.

Well besides, it is projected once it hits land it will decline dramatically.. as any hurricane would... so if he is inland enough, heavy rain will probably happen with moderate winds...

I'd say it is punisment, but Democrats live in the southern tip of Texas.

Hurricane Update (http://www.nhc.noaa.gov/text/refresh/MIATCUAT3+shtml/212146.shtml)


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

...RITA BECOMES THE FIFTH MOST INTENSE HURRICANE ON RECORD...

DROPSONDE DATA FROM AN AIR FORCE RESERVE UNIT RECONNAISSANCE
AIRCRAFT AT 416 PM CDT...2116Z...INDICATED THE CENTRAL PRESSURE HAS
FALLEN TO 904 MB...OR 26.69 INCHES. THIS MAKES RITA THE FIFTH MOST
INTENSE HURRICANE IN TERMS OF PRESSURE IN THE ATLANTIC BASIN.

RITA CURRENTLY RANKS BEHIND HURRICANE GILBERT IN 1988 WITH 888
MB...THE 1935 LABOR DAY HURRICANE WITH 892 MB...HURRICANE ALLEN IN
1980 WITH 899 MB...AND HURRICANE KATRINA LAST MONTH WITH 902 MB.

If you live on the Texas coast, now would be a very good time to evacuate...

Now, since this question wasn't asked until after Katrina, I'll ask it in advance:

What provisions are being made to evacuate people without cars???

What provisions are being made to evacuate people without cars???[/b]

Buses and unlike NO, they are being used to evacuate Galveston.

Buses and unlike NO, they are being used to evacuate Galveston.

Glad to see competence in city offficials.. unlike that of Ray Nagin.

Austin is sufficiently inland that he could probably ride it out there, so if he goes due west, he'll be plenty fine.

Yep. Austin doesn't get directly damaged by hurricanes. There'll be heavy rainfall, some minor flooding of low-lying areas, and possibly a couple of tornados. It's the people in Houston, Galveston and Corpus Christi that should be very worried/out of town right now.

Corpus Christi = Body of Christ

Wonder if someone is sending the US some signals?
yes meee :D woop woop WOOOAAARK

Glad to see competence in city offficials.. unlike that of Ray Nagin.

It'll be interesting to see FEMA's response to this one, considering that Bush replaced one political crony with another and that most of its resources are now tied up in NOLA... :rolleyes:

Nagin thought that the Superdome would be structurally safe from the hurricane. He advised people who couldn't leave the city to bring two to three days of supplies.

Using the Superdome as a shelter had been a staple of NOLA contingency planning for years, since before Nagin took office. Morever, aside from having the foam ripped off the top, the Superdome held out well; the largest two problems were lack of backup sanitary facilities and the despair of thousands rising to anger as they felt they had been abandoned.

I seem to recall FEMA blocking private aid efforts (not letting people delivering aid into the city) in the first three days after landfall while it tried to get its act together...

898 MB now! Third Strongest Hurricane on record.

It'll be interesting to see FEMA's response to this one, considering that Bush replaced one political crony with another and that most of its resources are now tied up in NOLA... :rolleyes:

Yes but the state of Texas will be more sufficiently prepared for this.

Nagin thought that the Superdome would be structurally safe from the hurricane. He advised people who couldn't leave the city to bring two to three days of supplies.

Ray Nagin was incompetent because he did not order a mandatory evacuation on time, being a day late. He also did not use the buses.


Using the Superdome as a shelter had been a staple of NOLA contingency planning for years, since before Nagin took office. Morever, aside from having the foam ripped off the top, the Superdome held out well; the largest two problems were lack of backup sanitary facilities and the despair of thousands rising to anger as they felt they had been abandoned.

Not the full picture. People, don't listen to this disinformation. The planning called for mandatory evacuation 48 hours before, and Ray Nagin called for it 24 hours before Katrina struck.

I seem to recall FEMA blocking private aid efforts (not letting people delivering aid into the city) in the first three days after landfall while it tried to get its act together...

I don't.

898 MB now! Third Strongest Hurricane on record.

t3h clicky (http://www.nhc.noaa.gov/text/refresh/MIATCUAT3+shtml/212351.shtml?)

Yes but the state of Texas will be more sufficiently prepared for this.

Well i'd hope so. I mean if the 2 million people of Habana can be evacuated in 24hrs on a hurricane warning (16 has hit them so far this year) without a hitch (repeatedly)... you'd think Corpus Christi et al would be able to too!

Well i'd hope so. I mean if the 2 million people of Habana can be evacuated in 24hrs on a hurricane warning (16 has hit them so far this year) without a hitch (repeatedly)... you'd think Corpus Christi et al would be able to too!

Well this won't be a 1900 situation where people ignored warnings from the US weather bureau (at th time it was called that).

t3h clicky (http://www.nhc.noaa.gov/text/refresh/MIATCUAT3+shtml/212351.shtml?)

Either way, it is still the third most powerful hurricane on record. Why? Hurricane Allen also had 899 mb pressure :D

Well this won't be a 1900 situation where people ignored warnings from the US weather bureau (at th time it was called that).
I hope not.
Well, i suppose if Katrina taught people anything.... :(

I hope not.
Well, i suppose if Katrina taught people anything.... :(

8,000 people died in 1900 because they ignored warnings..

From that update:

"BECAUSE RITA WILL BE CROSSING AN AREA OF HIGH HEAT
CONTENT DURING THE NEXT 12 TO 24 HOURS...IT IS EXPECTED THAT THE
HURRICANE WILL MAINTAIN ITS STRENGTH. THEREAFTER...THE OCEAN HEAT CONTENT IS NOT AS HIGH AND THE INTENSITY CHANGES WILL BE CONTROLLED MAINLY BY EYEWALL REPLACEMENT CYCLES AND DECREASING HEAT CONTENT. SOME WEAKENING IS ANTICIPATED BUT RITA IS FORECAST TO MAKE LANDFALL AS A MAJOR HURRICANE...AT LEAST CATEGORY THREE. "

Making landfall of a category three is possible. Much of the infrastructure in the area can handle category three hurricanes. Lets hope it hits and moves swiftly. You don't want it slowing down.

Yes but the state of Texas will be more sufficiently prepared for this.

I hope you're right.

Ray Nagin was incompetent because he did not order a mandatory evacuation on time, being a day late. He also did not use the buses.

Not the full picture. People, don't listen to this disinformation. The planning called for mandatory evacuation 48 hours before, and Ray Nagin called for it 24 hours before Katrina struck.

Well, according to this (http://www.miami.com/mld/miamiherald/news/12680149.htm), Katrina waited until one day before landfall to strengthen into a Cat 4. Nagin had urged voluntary evacuations the day before.

If the AP wire isn't credible enough for you, I don't know what is. :rolleyes:

Now, a legitimate point can be argued that Nagin should have called for MANDO evacuations when it was a Cat 3 on the 27th. In this he is not blameless. However, apparently Bush assumed that his emergency declaration was a magic wand that would ensure FEMA did its job...never mind the idea that a president is supposed to MAKE DAMN SURE his subordinates do their jobs?

If Clinton had let it go at that, the Republicans would be calling for his head, all else (including local mistakes) being identical. No, my friend, it is Karl Rove who came up with the idea to spin a few local mistakes into "t3h blame game," allowing the federal government to escape any accountability for its own shortcomings.

Why the hell did it take FEMA so long to get basic supplies into NOLA?

I don't.

Source (http://www.post-gazette.com/pg/05246/565143.stm)

Katrina waited until one day before landfall to strengthen into a Cat 4. Nagin had urged voluntary evacuations the day before.

Oh that's credible. Thanks by the way for proving my point. Voluntary evacuations? What a stooge. The guy was clearly incompetent. He should of called for mandatory evacuations even if it was category 3. The city pumps may or may not have been able to handle a category 3, but taking a risk like that with your voters shows gross incompetence.

However, apparently Bush assumed that his emergency declaration was a magic wand that would ensure FEMA did its job...never mind the idea that a president is supposed to MAKE DAMN SURE his subordinates do their jobs?

First and foremost, the state and city officials are the first response. You can't go around and bullshit like that.


If Clinton had let it go at that, the Republicans would be calling for his head, all else (including local mistakes) being identical. No, my friend, it is Karl Rove who came up with the idea to spin a few local mistakes into "t3h blame game," allowing the federal government to escape any accountability for its own shortcomings.

Political garbage. Now is not the time for it. Grow up, please. And Rove? Who said anything about Rove?

Do us all a favor and get your this political nonsense out of this thread. Some of us don't want to hear it.

Oh that's credible. Thanks by the way for proving my point. Voluntary evacuations? What a stooge. The guy was clearly incompetent. He should of called for mandatory evacuations even if it was category 3. The city pumps may or may not have been able to handle a category 3, but taking a risk like that with your voters shows gross incompetence.

If you would have read my post completely, you would have realized that my defense of Nagin only will go so far. "In this he is not blameless."

First and foremost, the state and city officials are the first response. You can't go around and bullshit like that.

You still haven't answered my question re FEMA...

Did you ever think that maybe, just maybe, local response capacity was overwhelmed? Isn't this where FEMA is supposed to intervene? It didn't...

Moreever, why does FEMA exist if not for situations like this?

Political garbage. Now is not the time for it. Grow up, please. And Rove? Who said anything about Rove?

Do us all a favor and get your this political nonsense out of this thread. Some of us don't want to hear it.

Oooh, nice ad hominem. :rolleyes:

Yep. Austin doesn't get directly damaged by hurricanes. There'll be heavy rainfall, some minor flooding of low-lying areas, and possibly a couple of tornados. It's the people in Houston, Galveston and Corpus Christi that should be very worried/out of town right now.

Rita ([URL=http://pantheon.yale.edu/~bkw5/images/Rita_092105_5pm_IR.jpg)
The radius from the eye to the outer red area is roughly the distance from Austin to Houston-160 miles.

When I look at that, I don't think there are going to be a couple of tornadoes and some minor flooding. The fact that it is still going to be a hurricane at mid-day Saturday, according to the tracking map (http://www.nhc.noaa.gov/archive/2005/graphics/AT18/17.AL1805W.GIF) leads me to believe it is going to be a long day. The tracking map coordinates put it roughly over Austin at that time.

Right now, things don't look too good. From what I've heard, Rita is almost at the top wind speed a Cat5 can generate. There's no way it can sustain those speeds. It will definitely drop but it will still be at least the upper end of Cat4.

--snip--

The funny thing is, I just know that if Nagin had stayed a Republican instead of shifting his party to Democrat (in a cynical move made simply to get elected...he's a Democrat in name only,) right before his mayoral run, you'd be defending him and laying 100% of the blame on the governor.

You have a well-established track record of such political hackery.

Can we please leave the "whose fucking fault was it that New Orleans got shit on" argument for one of the hundreds of other threads on that tiresome subject? God damn.

Can we please leave the "whose fucking fault was it that New Orleans got shit on" argument for one of the hundreds of other threads on that tiresome subject? God damn.

I'll agree to that. :)

Rita ([URL=http://pantheon.yale.edu/~bkw5/images/Rita_092105_5pm_IR.jpg)
The radius from the eye to the outer red area is roughly the distance from Austin to Houston-160 miles.

When I look at that, I don't think there are going to be a couple of tornadoes and some minor flooding. The fact that it is still going to be a hurricane at mid-day Saturday, according to the tracking map (http://www.nhc.noaa.gov/archive/2005/graphics/AT18/17.AL1805W.GIF) leads me to believe it is going to be a long day. The tracking map coordinates put it roughly over Austin at that time.

Right now, things don't look too good. From what I've heard, Rita is almost at the top wind speed a Cat5 can generate. There's no way it can sustain those speeds. It will definitely drop but it will still be at least the upper end of Cat4.

You may be right. I was going from past experience, but my sister just IMed me and told me that they're expecting 90 mph winds in Austin. :eek:

The funny thing is, I just know that if Nagin had stayed a Republican instead of shifting his party to Democrat (in a cynical move made simply to get elected...he's a Democrat in name only,) right before his mayoral run, you'd be defending him and laying 100% of the blame on the governor.

You have a well-established track record of such political hackery.

No.

You are the one with the well established track record of such political hackery. I'm not a republican nor a democrat. You are a democrat. And even if Nagin was a republican, I'd still blame him.

And lets leave this out of this thread. Rita is not looking good. Winds have picked up to 175MPH and gusts are at 215MPH. This is very bad... very, very bad.

The funny thing is, I just know that if Nagin had stayed a Republican instead of shifting his party to Democrat (in a cynical move made simply to get elected...he's a Democrat in name only,) right before his mayoral run, you'd be defending him and laying 100% of the blame on the governor.

You have a well-established track record of such political hackery.

If he stayed a republican, I'd still blame him. The Nazz is right though. Lay off the blame game for a different thread.

Going by [url=http://www.nhc.noaa.gov/text/refresh/MIASPFAT3+shtml/220228.shtml]the NHC's
strike probabilities, this bitch is aiming dead square at my old hometown, Lake Jackson, Tx., (less than 10 miles from Freeport).

CHANCES OF CENTER OF THE HURRICANE PASSING WITHIN 65 NAUTICAL MILES
OF LISTED LOCATIONS THROUGH 7PM CDT SAT SEP 24 2005

LOCATION A B C D E LOCATION A B C D E

25.5N 90.5W 43 X X X 43 FREEPORT TX X 3 13 3 19
26.3N 92.4W 20 9 1 X 30 PORT O CONNOR TX X 3 12 4 19
27.5N 94.2W 1 17 5 1 24 CORPUSCHRISTI TX X 1 11 4 16
MMSO 238N 982W X X 1 3 4 BROWNSVILLE TX X 2 8 3 13
PENSACOLA FL X X X 3 3 GULF 29N 87W X 1 X 3 4
MOBILE AL X X 1 4 5 GULF 28N 89W 7 5 1 1 14
GULFPORT MS X X 2 5 7 GULF 28N 91W 7 12 1 1 21
BURAS LA X 3 5 3 11 GULF 28N 93W 2 17 3 1 23
NEW ORLEANS LA X 2 4 5 11 GULF 28N 95W X 11 9 2 22
NEW IBERIA LA X 2 8 5 15 GULF 27N 96W X 9 9 2 20
PORT ARTHUR TX X 2 10 5 17 GULF 25N 96W X 7 5 2 14
GALVESTON TX X 3 12 4 19

COLUMN DEFINITION PROBABILITIES IN PERCENT
A IS PROBABILITY FROM NOW TO 7PM THU
FOLLOWING ARE ADDITIONAL PROBABILITIES
B FROM 7PM THU TO 7AM FRI
C FROM 7AM FRI TO 7PM FRI
D FROM 7PM FRI TO 7PM SAT
E IS TOTAL PROBABILITY FROM NOW TO 7PM SAT
X MEANS LESS THAN ONE PERCENT

FORECASTER STEWART

Rita is not looking good. Winds have picked up to 175MPH and gusts are at 215MPH. This is very bad... very, very bad.

Not Good. Not good at all!

*dives for cover*

Those of you along the Texas Coast, I'm urging you to leave. Please do so so you can stay safe.

Rita is not looking good. Winds have picked up to 175MPH and gusts are at 215MPH. This is very bad... very, very bad.

With minimum pressure of 897 millibars. (http://www.intellicast.com/Local/USNationalWide.asp?loc=usa&seg=StormCenter&prodgrp=TrackingCharts&product=HurTrack2&prodnav=none&pid=none) Officially it has tied Katrina for max sustained winds (175) but its minimum pressure is even lower.

I only wish I could move it to the middle of the Atlantic and make it go north to nowhere (well, eventually Northern Europe would get a post-tropical gale, but nothing like this).

If he stayed a republican, I'd still blame him. The Nazz is right though. Lay off the blame game for a different thread.
We agree for once! :)

I don't even mind if they keep it up--as long as they do it in another thread. let this one be for this hurricane.

It is still possible it could make a turn down to the border... according to one computer model I've seen.. but those change often. Not a good idea to go by them.

We agree for once! :)

I don't even mind if they keep it up--as long as they do it in another thread. let this one be for this hurricane.

I agree as well. When this hit, we can start the blame game all over again but until then, truce? :D

It is still possible it could make a turn down to the border... according to one computer model I've seen.. but those change often. Not a good idea to go by them.

I normally wouldn't say this but you know what? This thing is going to plow right into Texas. I don't see anyway that Texas can avoid its fate :(

No.

You are the one with the well established track record of such political hackery. I'm not a republican nor a democrat. You are a democrat. And even if Nagin was a republican, I'd still blame him.

And lets leave this out of this thread. Rita is not looking good. Winds have picked up to 175MPH and gusts are at 215MPH. This is very bad... very, very bad.

Name one example. :D I'm also not a Democrat. Strike 2. As for politicizing this, I'm not the one who started out by pointing fingers. I did respond, for which I apologize.

I agree as well. When this hit, we can start the blame game all over again but until then, truce? :D
I don't expect there to be much of a blame game after this one, actually--not that I think Bush is any more competent, or that he'd protect the state he once governed any more effectively, mind you--I just think that the pressure to perform will be so high that the government will overreact in order to keep from having to deal with any more crap from the media and the public, and if that saves a few lives and helps people out, then so much the better.

Name one example. :D I'm also not a Democrat. Strike 2. As for politicizing this, I'm not the one who started out by pointing fingers. I did respond, for which I apologize.

You are the one politicizing this. So strike 6,000. Now leave this thread and keep your BS out.

Corneliu: Oh no, I know it is going to Texas. But I'm hoping it steers towards the lesser populated areas.

If he stayed a republican, I'd still blame him. The Nazz is right though. Lay off the blame game for a different thread.

I'd be happy to, if certain people didn't make the same refuted point over and over and over again without once acknowledging their blind spot.

I reside on the far north side of Houston, and I'm damn nervous. I've lived in Houston most of my life and have never seen people so worked up.

By the way, here's the latest track (http://www.nhc.noaa.gov/storm_graphics/AT18/refresh/AL1805W+gif/084857W_sm.gif) .

And here's the latest land strike data:
Hurricane Hits Here (http://www.weatherunderground.com/tropical/at200518.strike.html)

I'd be happy to, if certain people didn't make the same refuted point over and over and over again without once acknowledging their blind spot.

Gosh what a tool.

Get out of this thread and stop lying.

I don't expect there to be much of a blame game after this one, actually--not that I think Bush is any more competent, or that he'd protect the state he once governed any more effectively, mind you--I just think that the pressure to perform will be so high that the government will overreact in order to keep from having to deal with any more crap from the media and the public, and if that saves a few lives and helps people out, then so much the better.
Being a native Houstonian, I must disagree.

Houston has a record of being prepared for these things. Alison a few years ago was a disaster, but Houston handled it. No one else. Mayor White, a Democrat whom I did not vote for, is doing a very good job. They have had their plans in place for a while, well rehearsed, and we don't have near the corruption issues that NOLA did.

You are the one politicizing this. So strike 6,000. Now leave this thread and keep your BS out.

Corneliu: Oh no, I know it is going to Texas. But I'm hoping it steers towards the lesser populated areas.

Yes, I'm the one singling out a single person to blame. I'm the one ignoring all evidence and points to the contrary. I apologize, Mesa, for projecting all my problems on to you, as you are obviously and completely non-partisan, unbiased, and open-minded. I also apologize for not completely blaming Nagin. How could I be so wrong.

What was it you called him, a stooge?

STOP!!! the whole political lean on a natural disaster and the blame game are childish. it happened. and i bet every mayor , governor ,local official, state official and federal government person will know how to respond next time. everyone is learning lessons here. while you are at your politico bickering, why dont you try and blame the tsnami, the indian cyclone, the flu pandemic and the bubonic plague on elected offices as well?
there are some other "little things" going on that maybe you should think about.....
people are homeless
people are dead.
people had their homes destroyed.
people lost their livelihoods.
children are separated from their parents and caregivers.
some children dont have parents or caregivers anymore.
people are traumatized.

can we deal with this?

Gosh what a tool.

Get out of this thread and stop lying.

So name one lie.

Yes, I'm the one singling out a single person to blame. I'm the one ignoring all evidence and points to the contrary. I apologize, Mesa, for projecting all my problems on to you, as you are obviously and completely non-partisan, unbiased, and open-minded. I also apologize for not completely blaming Nagin. How could I be so wrong.

What was it you called him, a stooge?

ENOUGH! KEEP YOUR CRAP OUT OF THIS BECAUSE THIS THREAD WAS FOR A NEW HURRICANE. Not someone who has consistently been proven wrong. I'm not completely blaming Nagin, all I'm saying is he is one of the key figures that deserves his fair share of blame.

Mesa and Gymoor, knock it off before I report you both to the mods for flamebaiting eachother.

Gosh what a tool.

Get out of this thread and stop lying.
You know, you and I, from what I've seen of your posts in other threads, probably share many of the same politics.

However, I know when I don't know something.

Every weather site I've seen has shown the hurricane going anywhere from slightly north of due west to due north. You have not shown us this model of yours that shows it going south.

This thread is supposed to be about the hurricane, an event I am very sensitive to right now, since my house that I just became the proud owner of just a year ago could be severely damaged. Can we please stop with the sniping?

Thanks in advance.

Alright since that thread hijacker was kicked out of this thread.. back to the topic..

http://wwwa.accuweather.com/maps-satellite.asp?partner=accuweather&myadc=0&traveler=1&zipcode=&site=SE&type=ei&fday=1&anim=loop&large=1

Y
Every weather site I've seen has shown the hurricane going anywhere from slightly north of due west to due north. You have not shown us this model of yours that shows it going south.

http://pantheon.yale.edu/~bkw5/images/Rita_092105_11pm_track.png

Mesa and Gymoor, knock it off before I report you both to the mods for flamebaiting eachother.

I do apologize. My emotions are getting the best of me, in this case, because my patience with a certain individual is completely spent. My best wishes for the safety of everyone in the path of Rita.

I do apologize. My emotions are getting the best of me, in this case, because my patience with a certain individual is completely spent. My best wishes for the safety of everyone in the path of Rita.
Just put him on ignore--doing so has increased the quality of my Nationstates experience immeasurably.

I think he should put himself on ignore, so we can all have a good posting experience where we can debate the topic at hand (rita).

http://pantheon.yale.edu/~bkw5/images/Rita_092105_11pm_track.png
Fair enough.

Though I must say I give more weight to the forecasts that are all in the general area of the Texas central and northern coast, rather than one single one hitting Brownsville.

Fair enough.

Though I must say I give more weight to the forecasts that are all in the general area of the Texas central and northern coast, rather than one single one hitting Brownsville.

I'm just being hopeful. Perhaps too hopeful and I do have to side with you on this one.

A fun little hurricane ditty that I composed earlier this evening with the help of John, Paul, George, and (especially) Ringo - "enjoy?"

Lovely Rita - Hurricane,
nothing can come between us
When it gets dark you blow my house away

Standing by a parking meter
In my living room - "Thank You Rita"
I'd call 9-1-1 but the phone it don't work-
Rita's whitecaps, they looked much closer-
And the stormsurge, up to my shoulder
I'd be safer in Iraq as a military man

Lovely Rita Hurricane
may I inquire discreetly
When are you going to go back out to sea

Took her on and tried to win her
had a laugh and a wet dinner
Told her I would never like to see her again
Got the bill and Rita made it
She took my home - completely ate it
Sitting on a sofa with a shingle or two

Lovely Rita Hurricane
where would I be without you
give us a wink and make me think of you

Lovely Hurricane
Rita Hurricane
oh, Lovely Rita Hurri, Hurricane

Corpus Christi = Body of Christ

Wonder if someone is sending the US some signals?

God hates latin?

Latest on Rita: Winds at 175mph, pressure at 897 mb. That's the third lowest pressure ever recorded in the Atlantic basin. Only Gilbert in'88 and the Labor Day Hurricane of 1935 were lower. The Weather Channel calls it for Houston/Galveston as a strong force 4 by landfall.

A fun little hurricane ditty that I composed earlier this evening with the help of John, Paul, George, and (especially) Ringo - "enjoy?"

Lovely Rita - Hurricane,
nothing can come between us
When it gets dark you blow my house away

Standing by a parking meter
In my living room - "Thank You Rita"
I'd call 9-1-1 but the phone it don't work-
Rita's whitecaps, they looked much closer-
And the stormsurge, up to my shoulder
I'd be safer in Iraq as a military man

Lovely Rita Hurricane
may I inquire discreetly
When are you going to go back out to sea

Took her on and tried to win her
had a laugh and a wet dinner
Told her I would never like to see her again
Got the bill and Rita made it
She took my home - completely ate it
Sitting on a sofa with a shingle or two

Lovely Rita Hurricane
where would I be without you
give us a wink and make me think of you

Lovely Hurricane
Rita Hurricane
oh, Lovely Rita Hurri, Hurricane

ROTFLMFAO :D

I said it yesterday, and I'll say it again, that southern track leading it to Brownsville would be just about the second best possible outcome. The best would be dissipation.

But the most likely predictions are for between Corpus and Galveston, with Freeport dead center. It'll be another kick in the teeth for oil prices, not to mention the huge chemical industry all along that area of the coast.

I said it yesterday, and I'll say it again, that southern track leading it to Brownsville would be just about the second best possible outcome. The best would be dissipation.

Dissipation is totally out of the question.

But the most likely predictions are for between Corpus and Galveston, with Freeport dead center. It'll be another kick in the teeth for oil prices, not to mention the huge chemical industry all along that area of the coast.

I think the oil refineries in the area will be better prepared then the ones in Louisiana because some of them were in low lying areas. These are higher up in elevation.

I said it yesterday, and I'll say it again, that southern track leading it to Brownsville would be just about the second best possible outcome. The best would be dissipation.

But the most likely predictions are for between Corpus and Galveston, with Freeport dead center. It'll be another kick in the teeth for oil prices, not to mention the huge chemical industry all along that area of the coast.


2nd best? Good thing I don't live near Brownsville anymore! :eek:

I said it yesterday, and I'll say it again, that southern track leading it to Brownsville would be just about the second best possible outcome. The best would be dissipation.

But the most likely predictions are for between Corpus and Galveston, with Freeport dead center. It'll be another kick in the teeth for oil prices, not to mention the huge chemical industry all along that area of the coast.
You ain't kidding about that chemical industry. When driving to Galveston you pass through Pasadena and many of those chemical plants just off the highway. It almost always stinks. Residents of that area seem to be evacuated 2 to 3 times a year because of some industrial accident or explosion there. One joke I heard is that in Pasadena, you can save on electricity, because you don't need light bulbs. You just glow in the dark. ;)

2nd best? Good thing I don't live near Brownsville anymore! :eek:
Just for the fact that that area is much less populated.

Though it would certainly hurt the Texas citrus industry in the Rio Grande Valley there.

You ain't kidding about that chemical industry. When driving to Galveston you pass through Pasadena and many of those chemical plants just off the highway. It almost always stinks. Residents of that area seem to be evacuated 2 to 3 times a year because of some industrial accident or explosion there. One joke I heard is that in Pasadena, you can save on electricity, because you don't need light bulbs. You just glow in the dark. ;)
When I was very young and we lived in Lake Jackson, my dad always called it "Pasadena where the air is greena." :)

When I was very young and we lived in Lake Jackson, my dad always called it "Pasadena where the air is greena." :)
"greena"! Literally! ROFL! :D

Forget what we did to make God mad, I'm trying to figure out what the US did to piss off all these women.

BTW, AP has some good info on what the storm is doing, where it might go, and the responce (good sum article for all the resources scattered around the thread). http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/n/a/2005/09/21/national/a193552D55.DTL (via San Francisco Chronical)

Just for the fact that that area is much less populated.

Though it would certainly hurt the Texas citrus industry in the Rio Grande Valley there.


Actually, the "Valley" (as the natives call it) has about 1 million people. And as for the citrus, I'd imagine the snow last Christmas took most of it out. The place never really recovered from the freeze of '83.

They look nothign like each other....

Yeah, he needs a picture of Palpatine before he gets deformed, that's dead on.

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/thumb/8/84/Palpatine1.jpg/300px-Palpatine1.jpg

http://www.dotmarketer.com/pope-benedict-xvi.jpg

Actually, the "Valley" (as the natives call it) has about 1 million people. And as for the citrus, I'd imagine the snow last Christmas took most of it out. The place never really recovered from the freeze of '83.

And how many people does Houston have?

http://news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&u=/ap/20050921/ap_on_re_la_am_ca/rita_mexico_hk1_2

"MONTERREY, Mexico - Authorities in the Mexican states along the Gulf of Mexico set up shelters, reviewed evacuation plans and stocked food distribution centers Wednesday as a precaution in case Hurricane Rita should veer off its expected path to landfall in Texas."

We aren't the only ones preparing. They still fear that it could shift towards Mexico. And believe me, it is very possible.

Believe me, I know. I've been through hurricanes, and know how unpredictable they can be. Gilbert back in '88 hit S. Texas while i still lived there. It was supposed to be a direct hit. Thank God it wasn't.

Believe me, I know. I've been through hurricanes, and know how unpredictable they can be. Gilbert back in '88 hit S. Texas while i still lived there. It was supposed to be a direct hit. Thank God it wasn't.

Gilbert was more intense then this storm, correct? 888MB from what I heard.... it was category 5 correct and what was the wind speed at its peak?

about 175, but that was when it Cozumel, Mexico. It crossed the Yucutan, lost some strength, and never completely regained it. It hit 50 miles south of Brownsville at 120 or so. Rita, on the other hand, won't hit land until she reaches Texas.

No, I think God hates New Orleans residents. Particularly in light of the fact that a good many of them are housed in the Houston Astrodome right now. The possibility is good at this time for those poor unfortunates there who barely got out with their lives in New Orleans get to experience ANOTHER hurricane less than a month later.

No, I think God hates New Orleans residents. Particularly in light of the fact that a good many of them are housed in the Houston Astrodome right now. The possibility is good at this time for those poor unfortunates there who barely got out with their lives in New Orleans get to experience ANOTHER hurricane less than a month later.


I swear, I think those poor people could get hit by a hurricane if they relocated to Kansas City. I just hope they don't come to Bangor. We'd probably get a three-day blizzard.

Believe me, I know. I've been through hurricanes, and know how unpredictable they can be. Gilbert back in '88 hit S. Texas while i still lived there. It was supposed to be a direct hit. Thank God it wasn't.

A friend of mine went down from Houston to help out his family in Brownsville after that. It definitely picked a very friendly path for Texas - less so for Mexico.

My friends in Houston are freaking out at the moment (more so because one's husband is flying into IAH and she can't work out how to get there to pick him up before leaving town). It's looking like standstill traffic on the highways, even at this hour two days before it hits.

Probably for the best - there's not a great deal you can do in the middle of a hurricane. Somewhere is going to get hit hard, that's for sure.

Some minor updates.. Rita is starting to weaken, by minor amounts but I expect this to be greater in hours to come. MB pressure is also at 907MB, above 900MB again.

http://www.weatherunderground.com/tropical/tracking/at200518.html

Some minor updates.. Rita is starting to weaken, by minor amounts but I expect this to be greater in hours to come. MB pressure is also at 907MB, above 900MB again.

http://www.weatherunderground.com/tropical/tracking/at200518.html

Yeah, I recall an up-close water vapor shot of the eye I saw about an hour ago...it looks like the eyewall replacement is starting.

However because it's 7 am and I still have not slept, I'm too lazy to host the satellite pic on photobucket and link to it here. Hell, I don't even remember what site I saw it on...

Damn, I need to go to bed...

My friggin' place of employment sent me this yesterday:

TO: All Houston Employees

(Anonymous) Management, like all Houston residents, is closely watching the progress
of Hurricane Rita. We recognize the potential threat that this poses to
our homes, community, and UCS facilities.

At this time, however, we consider it "too soon to tell" what the impact
will be. The storm track is projected (by various sources) to have a
potential landfall from Brownsville to Lake Charles (at least).

Therefore, pending a more clear prediction, we expect to be able to issue
a statement by mid-day tomorrow, Thursday, September 22, as to what
emergency preparedness Anonymous will take for its Houston facilities.

Employees are expected to report to work tomorrow. If any employee has extenuating circumstances preventing them from coming to the office, this should be discussed between the employee and their Supervisor TODAY.

Please remain calm, make whatever preparations you need to at home tonight,
and be ready to follow our announced guidelines tomorrow.

So, I have to go to work today, only to more than likely be told that we need to go home. So it will take me half the normal time to get to work, about 30 minutes, then take me 4 hours to drive home with the evacuation traffic.
Argh! :mad:

Corpus Christi = Body of Christ

Wonder if someone is sending the US some signals?

I just read a newspaper up here in Canada (Immune to wars AND weather. W00T! :P) and it said that oil prices had jumped with the threat of this thing hitting Texas. So let's see... Bush starts a big war to get his greedy hands on oil, now a pile of hurricanes are hitting America. And one of them happens to be heading to Housten, which (last I checked) is all about oil. Good old divine justice.

I just read a newspaper up here in Canada (Immune to wars AND weather. W00T! :P) and it said that oil prices had jumped with the threat of this thing hitting Texas. So let's see... Bush starts a big war to get his greedy hands on oil, now a pile of hurricanes are hitting America. And one of them happens to be heading to Housten, which (last I checked) is all about oil. Good old divine justice.

Now is not the time for this. Good old divine justice? This falls to a lot of people... the people of the US, me included.

I just read a newspaper up here in Canada (Immune to wars AND weather. W00T! :P) and it said that oil prices had jumped with the threat of this thing hitting Texas. So let's see... Bush starts a big war to get his greedy hands on oil, now a pile of hurricanes are hitting America. And one of them happens to be heading to Housten, which (last I checked) is all about oil. Good old divine justice.

1: Iraq wasn't about oil
2: Leave the politics out of it please
3: The US is prone to Hurricanes
4: 26% of our refining capacity is in Texas

Since 26% of our refining capacity is shutting down as well as oil platforms shutting down, it isn't a surprise to see gas prices go back up again. Oh and thanks for saying that thing about Houston! You answered why gas prices are going up.

The US is very prone to hurricanes.... and it has been for many years. We just have intense years (1933-1935 were some most noted). 2005 is just like those years.

Believe me, I know. I've been through hurricanes, and know how unpredictable they can be. Gilbert back in '88 hit S. Texas while i still lived there. It was supposed to be a direct hit. Thank God it wasn't.
I remember that one. I was living in Monterrey, where it WAS a direct hit. The entire city flooded.

Now is not the time for this. Good old divine justice? This falls to a lot of people... the people of the US, me included.


Well hell, it's not like GW doesn't RESPOND to act of God by calling for national days of prayer.... maybe God just missheard and thought that he was asking for more!


:D


(humour aside, if you're in harms way - get the hell out of there!)

The evacuations are supposedly going on schedule, though the pictures I see are of complete gridlock.

What about the poorer people of Housten?

Its just proof that GWB hates Mexicans.




*****************************
Please take this as the satire of the left it is intended to be. Especially those of us on the left. God bless everyone in the strike zones, my prayers are with you.

Be well

Well hell, it's not like GW doesn't RESPOND to act of God by calling for national days of prayer.... maybe God just missheard and thought that he was asking for more!


:D


(humour aside, if you're in harms way - get the hell out of there!)

If Bush can stop a hurricane, I got a new religion.

Some relief. Forecasters say it will strike as a category 3.

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20050922/ap_on_re_us/rita

"The Category 5 storm weakened slightly Thursday morning, and forecasters said it could be down to a Category 3 — meaning winds as high as 130 mph — by the time it comes ashore late Friday or early Saturday. But it could still be a dangerous storm — one aimed straight at a section of coastline with the nation's biggest concentration of oil refineries."

Many of those refineries, and many of the buildings can sustain category 3 winds. I'm hoping these forecasters are correct. But nonetheless, it is still a hurricane. Don't underestimate it.

I frankly hope that Rita hits NO head on.

You can only destroy a city once. I would rather lose the French Quarter and re-flood NO than lose another whole city or two...

I frankly hope that Rita hits NO head on.

You can only destroy a city once. I would rather lose the French Quarter and re-flood NO than lose another whole city or two...

Even if it doesn't, and weakens as expected to category 3 by landfall, Galveston may make it. And Houston will be alright. Maybe. I'm always hopeful.. maybe too optimistic.

I hear that O'Reilly was pretty bluntly expressing his desire that a hurricane would strike the UN headquarters. But I'm sure he isn't bringing politics into it as such; just expressing his compassion.

I hear that O'Reilly was pretty bluntly expressing his desire that a hurricane would strike the UN headquarters. But I'm sure he isn't bringing politics into it as such; just expressing his compassion.

I would like to know where you heard that since if it hit the UN headquarters, what happened to NO would be nothing compared to what would happen to NYC!

I would like to know where you heard that since if it hit the UN headquarters, what happened to NO would be nothing compared to what would happen to NYC!
Cool. I would rather think it would look a bit like the "manifestation of Akiria" - one of the more beautiful depections of utter destruction I have ever seen.

NASA got this right - "Houston, we have a problem"

Latest on Rita (1pm EDT) winds at 165 mph, pressure at 913 mb. Hurricane warnings up from Port O'Connor, TX to Morgan City, LA. Tropical Storm Warnings from Port O'Connor to Port Mansfield, TX and from Morgan City to the mouth of the Mississippi. Tropical storm Watches from Port Mansfield to Rio San Fernando, Mexico and from Mississippi R. to Pearl River, MS. Landfall expected late Friday or early Saturday somewhere between Freeport, TX and Intracoastal City, LA. as a cat 4 or a strong cat 3.

More weakeniing....

http://www.weatherunderground.com/tropical/tracking/at200518.html

150MPH at 915MB... this is.. well... some news... it is no longer a category 5. Lets hope it sheds at least 30-40 by landfall... wishful thinking perhaps.

More weakeniing....

http://www.weatherunderground.com/tropical/tracking/at200518.html

150MPH at 915MB... this is.. well... some news... it is no longer a category 5. Lets hope it sheds at least 30-40 by landfall... wishful thinking perhaps.

In Australia, we had a Cyclone which started on the East coast of Australia and ended up on the west coast - it turned Cat 5 twice. Can't predict God's little monsters.

When I was very young and we lived in Lake Jackson, my dad always called it "Pasadena where the air is greena." :)

Good ole' LJ.

And yes, Selgin, my suggestion of the Brownsville track as second best was partly due to population. Industry is also a big factor - what's more important for the US (and ultimately the world) economy - Houston and the surrounding area or Brownsville and the surrounding area? Or, in more exact terms, oil versus fruit?

And another hard hit on NO would make it that much worse.

Anyways, the latest strike predictions (http://www.nhc.noaa.gov/text/refresh/MIASPFAT3+shtml/221455.shtml) favor Galveston ever so slightly...

Latest info indicates that hurricane is weaker because:
1. It's in an eyewall replacement cycle (whatever that means).
2. It just hit a "cooler eddy" of water.

The low pressure (912 millibars) indicates it should be at a Cat 5, and is predicted to strengthen to Cat 4 or Cat 5 in the next 18 hours or so as it then hits a "warm eddy" of water.

I'm staying put where I am. Kingwood, a suburb about 30 miles due north of downtown Houston. No chance of flooding or storm surge here, just wind, maybe trees.

We're cleaning house, battening down the hatches, stocked up, and ready to go. Wish me luck!

Latest info indicates that hurricane is weaker because:
1. It's in an eyewall replacement cycle (whatever that means).

The eyewall is replacing itself. A hurricane of this magnitude can't sustain its eyewall and thus it'll reorganize itself. This will cause a slight weakening until its done and then strengthen again till it goes through another replacement cycle.

2. It just hit a "cooler eddy" of water.

Unfortunately not that cool though it is over slightly cooler though it is still warm waters it is over. :(

The low pressure (912 millibars) indicates it should be at a Cat 5, and is predicted to strengthen to Cat 4 or Cat 5 in the next 18 hours or so as it then hits a "warm eddy" of water.

Its still a Category 4. Hopefully this doesn't restrengthen into a 5. I don't think it will but it'll still be a very powerful storm upon landfal.

I'm staying put where I am. Kingwood, a suburb about 30 miles due north of downtown Houston. No chance of flooding or storm surge here, just wind, maybe trees.

Have fun with at least Category 1 hurricane winds. Hope you stay safe.

We're cleaning house, battening down the hatches, stocked up, and ready to go. Wish me luck!

Good luck.

Actually I heard by landfall it'll be a strong category 3 of perhaps 130-135MPH.

I am hearing it has shifted away from Houston and more towards Louisiana. In fact there is a growing chance it may hit poor Louisiana again.. sheesh.

http://maps.wunderground.com/data/images/at200518_strike.gif