Hurricane Rita ( Bad News For Gulf ), page 34

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24/09/2005 - 16:09:17

Hurricane Rita ploughed into the Gulf of Mexico coast early today, lashing Texas and Louisiana with driving rain, flooding low-lying regions, knocking power out to nearly a million customers and sparking fires across the region.

Rita made landfall at 3.30am local time (0830 BST) as a Category 3 storm just east of Sabine Pass, on the Texas-Louisiana border, bringing a 20-foot storm surge and warnings of up to 25 inches of rain, the US National Hurricane Centre said. Within four hours it had weakened to a Category 2 storm, with top winds of 100 mph, as it moved further inland between Beaumont and Jasper.

There were no immediate reports of fatalities, though rescuers in many areas had to wait for winds to subside before launching searches. About 3 million people had fled a 500-mile stretch of the Texas-Louisiana coast ahead of the storm, motivated in part by the devastating toll that Hurricane Katrina inflicted on the Gulf Coast barely three weeks ago.

The storm spun off tornadoes as it churned north-west at 12 mph, causing transformers to explode in the pre-dawn darkness.

In Jasper County, north of Beaumont, a house with seven people inside floated in floodwaters after it came off its foundation, said sheriff’s communications supervisor Alice Duckworth.

Duckworth said the 30 emergency workers were stuck in the emergency operations centre because of flooding. “We can’t get any fire trucks out,” she said.
























[edit on 24-9-2005 by Harry55]

Another STORY

Rita, which hit the coast as a Category 3 storm, was downgraded to a Category 2 storm just before 7 a.m. today when it was located midway between Jasper and Beaumont, forecasters with the National Hurricane Center said.

The hurricane crashed into Sabine Pass with a 20-foot storm surge and up to 25 inches of rain.

Along the Gulf of Mexico, widespread flooding was reported in sections of Cameron, Vermilion and Terrebonne parishes.

"Almost every levee in the parish was breached," Terrebonne Parish emergency director Michael Deroche said. "We have seven, eight foot of water on all the low-lying roads of the parish."

Boats were being used to rescue people from their rooftops in tiny Pecan Island, in the marshes not far from the Gulf of Mexico, National Guard Brig Gen. Douglas Pritt said. He said the number of people stranded was not large and only four boats had been sent.

This is hard for me to understand how some could do this as Rita is landing.

"So far, Houston is weathering the storm," Mayor Bill White (search) said Saturday. His police department received 28 burglary calls overnight and made 16 arrests — less than a typical Friday night, White said.

Fox News Story

Originally posted by Harry55
This is hard for me to understand how some could do this as Rita is landing.

"So far, Houston is weathering the storm," Mayor Bill White (search) said Saturday. His police department received 28 burglary calls overnight and made 16 arrests — less than a typical Friday night, White said.

Fox News Story

Sometimes you just REALLY need a new stereo!


On a more serious note, they are saying that the refineries in Houston look ok, no word yet on Port Arthur refineries but they are expecting flooding as the storm surge was 22 ft there.

People are LEAVING Austin to head back, but there is no gas in most of those stations b/t Austin & TX. The traffic is bad and movign 15-20 mph. Much of Houston has no electricity.

New York Times

James Gunter, the fire chief in Jasper, Tex., a small town about 70 miles north of the coast, said in a interview with KHOU-TV early in the morning: "We've had fires in the county that we have not been able to respond to - won't be able to respond to, period. The entire county is without power."

Chief Gunter added, "We can go out on the south side of our building and we can look to the south and we can see nothing less than utter devastation."


Once the weather calms down enough to get choppers flying I am sure we will be shocked at the damage found

Models are developing more towards a "Rita returns to the Gulf" scenario.



Joe Bastardi/AccuWx hints that Rita may return to Gulf also.



[edit on 24-9-2005 by Regenmacher]

Originally posted by Regenmacher
Models are developing more towards a "Rita returns to the Gulf" scenario.



Joe Bastardi/AccuWx hints that Rita may return to Gulf also.



[edit on 24-9-2005 by Regenmacher]

Probably right after they patch the levies in New Orleans!

Gasoline price shockwave effect may be coming as indicated in a couple of Forbes articles.

Rita Will Pack Punch At The Pump
In Georgia, prices spiked above $5 a gallon on Friday, and some analysts said $6 or $7 levels would not be out of the question in some areas.

$7 A Gallon Gas?
Extensive flooding in Port Arthur, Tex., or Lake Charles, La., both at the heart of the storm, would cause prices to spike, possibly as high as $6 or $7 a gallon, doubling the widespread assumptions of $3-a-gallon gas that are expected in the aftermath.

On a good note, Houston was spared from direct impact and their oil infrastructure damage may be minimal.



[edit on 24-9-2005 by Regenmacher]

Port Arthur Rescues Underway GrandForks Hearald

Hey Fellow ATS Would You Try This


Benny Salas rides his bike down the 61st Street Pier in Galveston, Texas as Hurricane Rita churns in the Gulf of Mexico. (AP Photo/David J. Phillip)

The Ottawa Cittizen

Rita downgraded to a tropical storm, no reported deaths so far.

Storm total precipitation map:



Some morning rain totals as of 7am CDT
LAFAYETTE, LA 4.71"
BATON ROUGE, LA 7.29"
BEAUMONT, TX 8.64"

National Weather Service Forecast Office
Lake Charles, Louisiana
www.srh.noaa.gov...

Advanced Hydrologic Prediction Service: Lake Charles, LA
ahps.srh.noaa.gov...


Power lines lean over in a street in Port Arthur, 90 miles (144km) east of Houston September 24, 2005.


Kandy Huffman(L) and her niece recover belongings water as they make their way through flooded streets to Huffman's home following Hurricane Rita, in Port Arthur, Texas.

An unidentified woman sits on her porch as floodwater continues to rise Saturday, Sept. 24, 2005, in Jean Lafitte, La. This community is experiencing the effects from Hurricane Rita and many homes have been flooded.

[edit on 24-9-2005 by Regenmacher]

Got word back from a meteorologist friend of mine and he's saying there's virtually zero chance of Rita recurving into the Gulf. Meanwhile, residents are urge not to come back at this time.

CNN reports Rita´s impact city by city. At least, what they know till now

CNN

Regenmacher, those pics you posted really show the grief these poor folks are going through. I am sure they will be more once rescuers can get to some of the worst hit locations.

5 PM Disscusion NOAA
RITA HAS CONTINUED TO WEAKEN AS IT MOVES INLAND. INITIAL INTENSITY
IS ESTIMATED AT 45 KNOTS BASED ON DOPPLER RADAR BUT WIND GUSTS ARE
PROBABLY HIGHER. FURTHER WEAKENING IS ANTICIPATED AND RITA IS
EXPECTED TO BE A TROPICAL DEPRESSION WITHIN THE NEXT 12 HOURS OR SO.

RITA IS MOVING TOWARD THE NORTH OR 360 DEGREES AT 10 KNOTS. STEERING
CURRENTS ARE FORECAST TO BECOME VERY LIGHT SO ONLY A SMALL EASTWARD
DRIFT IS ANTICIPATED BEYOND 24 HOURS. RITA SHOULD PRODUCE
TORRENTIAL RAIN ALONG ITS PATH.



[edit on 24-9-2005 by Harry55]

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