The Hurricane Rita Thread

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TRUMPHENT

Golden Member
Jan 20, 2001
1,414
0
0
Originally posted by: makesense
just random thought.. how do hurricanes get stronger exactly?
Click to expand...


Heat in the seawater provides the energy. The Gulf is as warm as it gets during the year right now.

As long as the atmosphere cooperates and the storm is continuously moving over new warm water it will grow to a theoretical maximum.

The things that degrade a hurricane are dry air, cool land and upper level wind currents that shear the thunderstorm convection cells.

Right now, Rita has nothing in its path to weaken it.
 
C

conjur

No Lifer
Jun 7, 2001
58,686
3
0
Originally posted by: Oscar1613
Originally posted by: conjur
Originally posted by: MetalMat
I keep wondering what I should do

<--- Lafayette, Louisiana
Click to expand...
Board up your windows? I guess we'll know more about it's path by tomorrow morning. That should still give you time to get to, say, Baton Rouge, or even further up like Little Rock.
Click to expand...
Baton Rouge may not be safe either:(
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Flee to Topeka?


And, Nik? STFU!
 
N

NikPreviousAcct

No Lifer
Aug 15, 2000
52,763
1
0
Originally posted by: TRUMPHENT
Originally posted by: makesense
just random thought.. how do hurricanes get stronger exactly?
Click to expand...


Heat in the seawater provides the energy. The Gulf is as warm as it gets during the year right now.

As long as the atmosphere cooperates and the storm is continuously moving over new warm water it will grow to a theoretical maximum.

The things that degrade a hurricane are dry air, cool land and upper level wind currents that shear the thunderstorm convection cells.

Right now, Rita has nothing in its path to weaken it.
Click to expand...

What is the theoretical maximum? Are we talking, like, Jupiter's giant tornado potential?
 
HumblePie

HumblePie

Lifer
Oct 30, 2000
14,665
440
126
Originally posted by: TRUMPHENT
Originally posted by: makesense
just random thought.. how do hurricanes get stronger exactly?
Click to expand...


Heat in the seawater provides the energy. The Gulf is as warm as it gets during the year right now.

As long as the atmosphere cooperates and the storm is continuously moving over new warm water it will grow to a theoretical maximum.

The things that degrade a hurricane are dry air, cool land and upper level wind currents that shear the thunderstorm convection cells.

Right now, Rita has nothing in its path to weaken it.
Click to expand...



Except landfall.
 
C

conjur

No Lifer
Jun 7, 2001
58,686
3
0
11AM Eastern update

AT 10 AM CDT...1500Z...THE EYE OF HURRICANE RITA WAS LOCATED NEAR
LATITUDE 25.4 NORTH...LONGITUDE 88.7 WEST OR ABOUT 460 MILES...740
KM...SOUTHEAST OF GALVESTON TEXAS AND ABOUT 445 MILES...715 KM...
SOUTHEAST OF PORT ARTHUR TEXAS.

RITA IS MOVING TOWARD THE WEST-NORTHWEST NEAR 9 MPH...15 KM/HR. A
GRADUAL TURN TO THE NORTHWEST IS EXPECTED DURING THE NEXT 24 TO 36
HOURS.

MAXIMUM SUSTAINED WINDS HAVE DECREASED TO NEAR 165 MPH...270
KM/HR... WITH HIGHER GUSTS. RITA IS A CATEGORY FIVE HURRICANE ON
THE SAFFIR-SIMPSON SCALE. SOME SLIGHT WEAKENING IS FORECAST DURING
THE NEXT 24 HOURS BUT RITA IS EXPECTED TO REMAIN AN EXTREMELY
DANGEROUS HURRICANE.

HURRICANE FORCE WINDS EXTEND OUTWARD UP TO 85 MILES...140 KM...
FROM THE CENTER...AND TROPICAL STORM FORCE WINDS EXTEND OUTWARD UP
TO 185 MILES...295 KM.

ESTIMATED MINIMUM CENTRAL PRESSURE IS 907 MB...26.78 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 RIGHT OF WHERE THE CENTER MAKES LANDFALL.
TIDES ARE CURRENTLY RUNNING ABOUT 1 FOOT ABOVE 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...AND RESIDENTS THERE COULD EXPERIENCE
SOME COASTAL FLOODING.

RAINFALL ACCUMULATIONS OF 8 TO 12 INCHES WITH ISOLATED MAXIMUM 15
INCH TOTAL ARE POSSIBLE ALONG THE PATH OF RITA PARTICULARLY OVER
SOUTHEAST TEXAS AND WESTERN LOUISIANA. IN ADDITION...RAINFALL
AMOUNTS OF 3 TO 5 INCHES ARE POSSIBLE OVER SOUTHEASTERN LOUISIANA
INCLUDING NEW ORLEANS. BASED ON THE FORECAST TRACK...RAINFALL
TOTALS IN EXCESS OF 25 INCHES ARE POSSIBLE AFTER RITA MOVES INLAND.


A bit more weakening of the winds but the pressure is holding.


Updated 3-day projection cone
http://www.nhc.noaa.gov/refresh/graphics_at3+shtml/145647.shtml?3day?large

SW LA in more danger now.
 
L

luckysnafu

Senior member
Jul 11, 2003
546
0
71
Here is a map of how Rita is going to impact oil refineries along the coast. This image is about 24 hours old, but it should still give a good idea of the impact.

Map
 
J

jread

Senior member
Jan 20, 2005
544
0
0
Originally posted by: serialkiller
i wonder if its gonna hit austin....

<--austin
Click to expand...

I doubt we'll get more than some rain and high winds here in Austin. We are just too far inland for it to really cause a lot of harm.

My parents live in Orange, TX so they're the ones in trouble right now. There is a mandatory evacuation for their area. I've tried calling them but only get "all circuits busy".
 
H

Hammer

Lifer
Oct 19, 2001
13,217
1
81
Originally posted by: jread
Originally posted by: serialkiller
i wonder if its gonna hit austin....

<--austin
Click to expand...

I doubt we'll get more than some rain and high winds here in Austin. We are just too far inland for it to really cause a lot of harm.

My parents live in Orange, TX so they're the ones in trouble right now. There is a mandatory evacuation for their area. I've tried calling them but only get "all circuits busy".
Click to expand...

even in the original track when they said it was gonna hit austin, it would have only hit us as a category 1 at best. the new track doesn't have it coming close. maybe some rain for us, but that's about it.
 
S

serialkiller

Golden Member
Dec 9, 2003
1,080
0
0
Originally posted by: Hammer
Originally posted by: jread
Originally posted by: serialkiller
i wonder if its gonna hit austin....

<--austin
Click to expand...

I doubt we'll get more than some rain and high winds here in Austin. We are just too far inland for it to really cause a lot of harm.

My parents live in Orange, TX so they're the ones in trouble right now. There is a mandatory evacuation for their area. I've tried calling them but only get "all circuits busy".
Click to expand...

even in the original track when they said it was gonna hit austin, it would have only hit us as a category 1 at best. the new track doesn't have it coming close. maybe some rain for us, but that's about it.
Click to expand...


HURRRAY!!!!!!! NOW I CAN BUILD MY HTPC IN PEACE AND WATCH IT ON MY NEW PROJECTOR WITHOUT CRAP FLYING THROUGH THE WINDOW... HURRAYY BEER...


 
J

jread

Senior member
Jan 20, 2005
544
0
0
Originally posted by: woowoo
Originally posted by: jndietz
if you ask me, it looks like its going to go into new orleans.

view this:
oh snap
Click to expand...

She is a cutie :)
Click to expand...

Oh great. The town my parents live in is basically ON the state line of TX/Louisiana (Orange, TX). I hope their house is still there after the weekend :(
 
J

Jamie571

Senior member
Nov 7, 2002
267
0
0

Originally posted by: jndietz
if you ask me, it looks like its going to go into new orleans.

view this:
oh snap
Click to expand...

Ya know thats the best place for it to hit, I mean the city is already evacuated and most structures are destoryed. It just seems like it would be the less costly in loss of life and propery damage.

I can handle $3.00 gallon gas, but at $5.00 I'm going to have to cut back on a few things.
 
ViRGE

ViRGE

Elite Member, Moderator Emeritus
Oct 9, 1999
31,516
167
106
Originally posted by: Nik
What is the theoretical maximum? Are we talking, like, Jupiter's giant tornado potential?
Click to expand...
For an Atlantic hurricane, the practical maximum is going to be around 890mb and 180mph winds sustained, and this is only for a short period of time. The Atlantic can't support anything bigger.
 
ViRGE

ViRGE

Elite Member, Moderator Emeritus
Oct 9, 1999
31,516
167
106
1pm Update:

Winds: 150mph
Pressure: 914mb
Rita's weakened some more, but she's probably not going to significantly weaken much more.
 
I

Ikonomi

Diamond Member
Dec 19, 2003
6,056
1
0
At least I don't have to sit through the stronger side of the storm, according to the latest projections.

Of course, that means we have to secure the windows on the other side of the house. :p
 
I

Ikonomi

Diamond Member
Dec 19, 2003
6,056
1
0
Anyone else going to ride out the storm at home?

For anyone still waiting to bug out... It's gotten to the point where evacuation is almost impossible with every freeway out of town over capacity. People are running out of gas on the highway, and the stations are out of gas. There's just nowhere for anyone to go. Now they're warning against being on the freeway when the hurricane hits, and that's not for another day.

And they're saying that trying to get back into the city will be even worse.
 
V

Viper0329

Platinum Member
Oct 12, 2000
2,769
1
0
Hey guys.

I've had enough of this hurricane season. It's crazy that I'm directly affected by both Katrina and Rita. I go to school in Covington, Louisiana, and we where hit really hard by Katrina and have just gotten life quasi back to normal. Just when I think it's over, Rita is going to hit my home town (Lake Charles, LA) really hard. My family is attempting to evacuate here to Covington, but traffic isn't moving. The school has opened up an empty dorm for my family and other people. Keep us in your thoughts and prayers as the next few days go on. I'd really just like to have a normal life right now, and I pray I still have a house this weekend.

Jeff
 
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