Hurricane Rita

[A Happy Medium 0]

People even here in Dallas are draining the gas stations. I understand that prices will go up...but seriously quit panicing. The track of the storm has shifted to the point where we won't be FUBAR'd by rain.

 

There is good news. Yesterday the storm was at 900 milibars (sp?) of pressure. Right now, it is at 916. Now while that is still low and very dangerous, the fact that it is weakening slowly is good. Maybe it can drop to a CAT 3 before landfall.

 

Also, it looks like Houston is about to dodge a big bullet.

[sfaJack 0]

"GET OUT!  GET OUT OF THERE!  GET OUT!"

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I really would, but it's not worth the effort. There's nowhere to go except the parking lots that are the freeways, and literally no gas to get there anyway. My brother (who lives about 30 miles east of me) and his wife left their place this morning about 8:30--when I talked to him about 5:30, they'd barely traveled 20 miles and are seriously worried they'll have no gas to get anywhere else.

 

Even the mayor has said he hopes people can get where they're going quickly because their cars will become "death traps" once the storm hits. They're now apparently discouraging people from even trying to leave this late in the game. So I'll take my chances inside my own home. My windows are taped (not a piece of plywood anywhere to be found) and we've got plenty of water and food and other necessities. All of my important papers have been gathered and locked away safely and the yard is totally free of anything that could become a missile in the high winds. My only real concerns now are my back fence getting torn to hell and/or losing some shingles on my roof, but if that's the worst thing that happens during all of this, I'll consider myself lucky.

 

But...I think...as of this moment, we'll be ok. The projected path is still showing landfall to be about 60 miles up the coast (east) of Houston/Galveston, so we'll at least be on the "clean" side of it if that holds. That's still A LOT of wind and rain, but I think we'll make it through ok.

[Open the Muggy Gate 0]

These weatherguys on CNN have got their shit down. They're saying on the projected path, the hurricane may enter some warm water vortex or something like that (I think it was called the Eddy Vortex) and it could strengthen up again before making landfall. Oy...

 

Oh yeah... and sFaJack... it's still a hurricane man...

 

 

Simon says... GET THE FUCK OUT!

 

If I had to steal a bicycle or a moped or something and drive out of there off road like Grand Theft Auto, I would.

[SuperJerk 0]

[Open the Muggy Gate 0]

http://hurrrita.ytmnd.com/

 

I'll just throw that one out there for the hell of it...

[Red Baron 0]

Nice...Scorpions

[Guest Vitamin X]

I want to see more destruction.

 

Is there a chance it'll slow down, stop and then head a bit northeast and completely finish the job in New Orleans?

[MarvinisaLunatic 0]

Here we got hit by a Cat 3 Hurricane Isabel in 2003 and it did some damage but it was mostly on the outter portion of the eastern shore along the coast, especially on the Bay. My Aunt right across the bay in Calvert County had 3 trees fall on her house and 2 fall on her brand new (at the time) Ford Mustang she bought during her midlife crisis "I wanna be 20 again not 40" moment.

 

I think that we're lucky here because the water cools off a bit this far north and a lot of the storms that come this way hit NC first and lose their punch, sorta like Opheilia did.

[Art Sandusky 0]

Everyone needs to stop saying "Cat" this and "Cat" that. You're not all meterologists now and unless you've been down in this region for a while, please stop. Global Warming people need to shut up too. We've had periods like this before. Those of us who cared to know about these things before they levelled a city of a million and used to watch The Weather Channel for information because the networks didn't care are being forced to dispel a lot of beliefs people have thanks to the oversimplification that all this mainstream coverage is presenting. This shit is all way more complicated than five levels, 5mph increments, and wave heights.

 

And I can't stand Rita Cosby. At ALL.

[Art Sandusky 0]

And I can't stand Rita Cosby. At ALL.

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[Red Baron 0]

There was no need to repeat yourself, was there Kotz?

[Slayer 0]

It was for effect

 

for effect

clearly

[The Czech Republic 0]

There was no need to repeat yourself, was there Kotz?

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redbaron obviously hasn't had to hear Rita Cosby talk

[Open the Muggy Gate 0]

There goes the New Orleans levees. It all begins... again.

[keith6601 0]

 

If that's not proof that the south is screwed then I don't know what is.

[CheesalaIsGood 0]

Its been downgraded to a catagory 3 storm now. Which is good news, but it COULD amp up before hitting the land.

[MDH257 0]

I'm in College Station right now. Arrived at 6:30 a.m. after an 8 hour trip. The scenes on the drive over were like something out of War of the Worlds. Cars and people stranded on the side of the road almost the entire way.

[Carnival 0]

People are freaked the fuck out! Damn. I don't blame them though. but I bet this one will do less damage than Katrina. What category was Kat at landfall?

[sfaJack 0]

Katrina was a Cat 4 at landfall, I believe.

 

The wind is finally starting to really pick up here. We've had a few drops of rain, but nothing major yet. The storm is definitely on its way, though it appears Houston/Galveston will be spared a direct hit.

 

I'm going out to take pictures here in a bit. Should be some interesting shots...

[Carnival 0]

I would love some hurricane play-by-play from you houston-ites, should be interesting.

[Edwin MacPhisto 0]

Hurricanes ain't shit.

[Guest Vitamin X]

but ho's and tricks.

[Guest /-lester-/]

Thought I'd add an update here...

 

Several folks in my neighborhood (in NE Houston) are sticking it out, including me.  The family across the street tried leaving for the mother's parents' house in Louisiana this morning, but made it exactly six miles down the road in an hour and a half before coming home.  They said there's no way they'd have enough gas to get anywhere, so might as well stay home.  We're tenatively planning a huge block party for Sunday afternoon/night, provided the storm is over by that point.  Those same neighbors even went to Kroger a mile away and came back LOADED up with beer.  Yay.

 

The good news that has been mentioned now is that the storm has apparently taken a sharp, unexpected turn north, putting its landfall point somewhere between Port Arthur and Lake Charles, sparing Houston and Galveston of the feared direct hit and putting us on the "better" west side of the storm.  We'll still probably get lots of wind and rain, but maybe the destruction of some areas that was feared won't happen.  Obviously, with nearly 36 hours to go before landfall that can change, but we're all hopeful at this point. 

 

The freeways are a wreck though.  I was thinking of going to my aunt's house in Austin very early this morning, but it was taking up to 20 hours to make it that far at the time and that just didn't seem to be a good idea, especially with no gas to be had anywhere.  I'm glad I stayed here because there are people stranded with either empty gas tanks or overheated engines everywhere.

 

About 33 hours to go...

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Hopefully you're prepared for Ritaaa

[sfaJack 0]

Here's the view from my back porch five minutes ago...

 

[Vampiro69 0]

Watch out for Hurrican Rita Cosby!

[SuperJerk 0]

Here's the view from my back porch five minutes ago...

 

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The Truth Is Out There.

[Slayer 0]

Here's the view from my back porch five minutes ago...

 

Five minutes later

[Guest El Satanico]

Five minutes later

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...god prepares for anal insertion?

[2GOLD 0]

Time to find out if God really DID Bless Texas.

[Open the Muggy Gate 0]

I don't know whether to think these reporters that stand out in the storms are really brave or just fucking crazy nutcases.

 

And the eye meets the land... it should die down soon... but I just don't even know... it should've been dying down the past few hours... but it's kept the same 120 mph wind for about 6 or 7 hours now. That's pretty crazy.