HURRICANE RITA Public Advisory

[Boo's Mom]

000

Wtnt33 Knhc 220249

Tcpat3

Bulletin

Hurricane Rita Advisory Number 18...corrected

Nws Tpc/national Hurricane Center Miami Fl

10 Pm Cdt Wed Sep 21 2005

 

Corrected Rainfall Statement For Southern Louisiana

 

...category Five Rita Continuing To Strengthen Over The Central

Gulf Of Mexico...

 

A Hurricane Watch Remains In Effect For The Gulf Of Mexico Coast

From Port Mansfield Texas To Cameron Louisiana. A Hurricane Warning

May Be Required For Portions Of The Hurricane Watch Area Thursday

Morning.

 

A Tropical Storm Watch Remains In Effect On Either Side Of The

Hurricane Watch Area... From East Of Cameron To Grand Isle

Louisiana... And From South Of Port Mansfield To Brownsville Texas.

 

A Tropical Storm Watch Remains In Effect For The Northeastern Coast

Of Mexico From Rio San Fernando Northward To The Rio Grande.

 

A Hurricane Watch Means That Hurricane Conditions Are Possible

Within The Watch Area...generally Within 36 Hours. A Tropical Storm

Watch Means That Tropical Storm Conditions Are Possible Within The

Watch Area...generally Within 36 Hours.

 

Interests In The Northwestern Gulf Of Mexico Should Monitor The

Progress Of Potentially Catastrophic Hurricane Rita.

 

For Storm Information Specific To Your Area...including Possible

Inland Watches And Warnings...please Monitor Products Issued

By Your Local Weather Office.

 

At 10 Pm Cdt...0300z...the Center Of Hurricane Rita Was Located Near

Latitude 24.6 North... Longitude 87.2 West Or About 570 Miles...

915 Km... East-southeast Of Galveston Texas And About 670 Miles...

1080 Km...east-southeast Of Corpus Christi Texas.

 

Rita Is Moving Toward The West Near 9 Mph ...15 Km/hr...and This

General Motion At A Slightly Faster Forward Speed Is Expected

During The Next 24 Hours.

 

Maximum Sustained Winds Are Near 175 Mph...280 Km/hr...with Higher

Gusts. Rita Is A Potentially Catastrophic Category Five Hurricane On

The Saffir-simpson Scale. Some Fluctuations In Intensity Are Likely

During The Next 24 Hours.

 

Hurricane Force Winds Extend Outward Up To 70 Miles...110 Km...

From The Center...and Tropical Storm Force Winds Extend Outward Up

To 185 Miles...295 Km.

 

The Estimated Minimum Central Pressure Is 897 Mb...26.49 Inches.

This Means Rita Is The Third Most Intense Hurricane In Terms Of

Pressure In The Atlantic Basin.

 

Tides Are Currently Running Near Normal Along The Mississippi And

Louisiana Coasts In The Areas Affected By Katrina. Tides In Those

Areas Will Increase Up To 3 To 4 Feet And Be Accompanied By Large

Waves Over The Next 24 Hours... And Residents There Could

Experience Some Coastal Flooding.

 

Heavy Rains Associated With Rita Are Forecast To Begin To Affect The

Western And Central Gulf Of Mexico Coastal Areas Thursday Night

Into Friday. Rita Is Expected To Produce Total Rainfall

Accumulations Of 8 To 12 Inches With Isolated Maximum Amounts Of

15 Inches Over The Central To Upper Texas Coast. Rainfall Amounts

Of 2 To 4 Inches Will Be Possible Across Southern Louisiana...

Including The New Orleans Metropolitan Area. After Rita Moves

Inland...total Rain Accumulations Of 5 To 10 Inches Will Be

Possible Over Eastern Texas... And Central And Eastern Oklahoma

During Saturday And Sunday.

 

Repeating The 10 Pm Cdt Position...24.6 N... 87.2 W. Movement

Toward...west Near 9 Mph. Maximum Sustained

Winds...175 Mph. Minimum Central Pressure... 897 Mb.

 

An Intermediate Advisory Will Be Issued By The National

Hurricane Center At 1 Am Cdt Followed By The Next

Complete Advisory At 4 Am Cdt.

 

Forecaster Stewart

 

******************************************************

[wrp96]

Good luck Boo's Mom. We'll be praying for you.

[cruiseman_tx]

Well, looks like it's gonna be quite a weekend throughout a good portion of Texas. All of y'all down south take all the precautions you can to stay safe.

Watching, waiting and praying.

[Boo's Mom]

They are predicting Rita to make landfall in Galveston...as of early Thursday morning.

[futaba951]

A major hurricane is very pertinent to cruising and affects thousands of cruisers and many ships and ports. I think it is on topic. There are a thousand other threads here for you to read if you don't like this one. You see, it's like TV, if you don't like the show you're watching, change the channel.

[rubrrick]

This post is off-topic. I ask the moderators to please remove it.

 

This person starts posting today, and has nothing but complaints:eek: :eek:

Hmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm...........??? When one protests too much...

Where's CaptainStable when we need him.:D

[joycemh]

I think it's as on topic as you can get. It sure is going to effect our Rhapsody cruise out of Galveston. Right now it's scheduled to leave on Monday instead of Sunday. Galveston may not have a port after Rita. If they can't get into Galveston there is talk of Tampa instead. We just have to wait it out and see what happens.

 

Joyce

[comfortcove]

Rita looks like a monster. The only silver lining I can see is citizens and residents, as well as emergency personnel, Know what to do. We live in a hurricane area as well, and were whacked pretty well by Isabelle 2 years ago this week. I wish you all safety, and the best possible outcome. I think hurricanes are very pertinent to the topic of cruising in general and do belong on these boards. Nancy

[PTarbay]

This post is off-topic. I ask the moderators to please remove it.

If it looks like a troll,acts like a troll.....

Look at all 5 posts this person has.Obviously has no other form of entertainment than trying to upset people.I have a feeling this isn't their only CC name ;)

[cruiseman_tx]

If it looks like a troll,acts like a troll.....

Look at all 5 posts this person has.Obviously has no other form of entertainment than trying to upset people.I have a feeling this isn't their only CC name ;)

 

My thoughts exactly! Probably has a history of whining and flaming under another screen name that we'd know all too well.

[raerae]

If it looks like a troll,acts like a troll.....

Look at all 5 posts this person has.Obviously has no other form of entertainment than trying to upset people.I have a feeling this isn't their only CC name ;)

 

I just finished reading all of the 5 posts and couldn't agree more!!! Definite Troll!

 

Cindy ;)

[nfused2cruze]

. . . for this thread. I'm not even going on a cruise leaving out of Galveston but if I was I would be very concerned now. I think the OP definitely had their fellow cruiser in mind. What a thoughtful topic! ;)

[Boo's Mom]

Hi All..... Just wanted to post an update to the advisory.

 

***************************************************

 

000

WTNT33 KNHC 221138

TCPAT3

BULLETIN

HURRICANE RITA INTERMEDIATE ADVISORY NUMBER 19A

NWS TPC/NATIONAL HURRICANE CENTER MIAMI FL

7 AM CDT THU SEP 22 2005

 

...POTENTIALLY CATASTROPHIC CATEGORY FIVE RITA OVER THE CENTRAL GULF

OF MEXICO...SLIGHT WEAKENING IS ANTICIPATED TODAY.

 

A HURRICANE WATCH REMAINS IN EFFECT FOR THE GULF OF MEXICO COAST

FROM PORT MANSFIELD TEXAS TO INTRACOASTAL CITY LOUISIANA. A

HURRICANE WARNING WILL LIKELY BE REQUIRED FOR PORTIONS OF THE

HURRICANE WATCH AREA LATER TODAY.

 

A TROPICAL STORM WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT FOR THE SOUTHEASTERN

COAST OF LOUISIANA EAST OF MORGAN CITY TO THE MOUTH OF THE

MISSISSIPPI RIVER. A TROPICAL STORM WARNING MEANS THAT TROPICAL

STORM CONDITIONS ARE EXPECTED IN THE WARNING AREA DURING THE NEXT

24 HOURS.

 

A TROPICAL STORM WATCH REMAINS IN EFFECT ON EITHER SIDE OF THE

HURRICANE WATCH AREA...FROM EAST OF INTRACOASTAL CITY TO MORGAN CITY

LOUISIANA...AND FROM SOUTH OF PORT MANSFIELD TO BROWNSVILLE TEXAS.

 

A TROPICAL STORM WATCH REMAINS IN EFFECT FOR THE NORTHEASTERN COAST

OF MEXICO FROM RIO SAN FERNANDO NORTHWARD TO THE RIO GRANDE.

 

A HURRICANE WATCH MEANS THAT HURRICANE CONDITIONS ARE POSSIBLE

WITHIN THE WATCH AREA...GENERALLY WITHIN 36 HOURS. A TROPICAL STORM

WATCH MEANS THAT TROPICAL STORM CONDITIONS ARE POSSIBLE WITHIN THE

WATCH AREA...GENERALLY WITHIN 36 HOURS.

 

INTERESTS IN THE NORTHWESTERN GULF OF MEXICO SHOULD MONITOR THE

PROGRESS OF POTENTIALLY CATASTROPHIC HURRICANE RITA.

 

FOR STORM INFORMATION SPECIFIC TO YOUR AREA...INCLUDING POSSIBLE

INLAND WATCHES AND WARNINGS...PLEASE MONITOR PRODUCTS ISSUED

BY YOUR LOCAL WEATHER OFFICE.

 

AT 7 AM CDT...1200Z...THE EYE OF HURRICANE RITA WAS LOCATED NEAR

LATITUDE 25.2 NORTH...LONGITUDE 88.3 WEST OR ABOUT 490 MILES

SOUTHEAST OF GALVESTON TEXAS AND ABOUT 595 MILES EAST-SOUTHEAST OF

CORPUS CHRISTI TEXAS.

 

RITA IS MOVING TOWARD THE WEST-NORTHWEST NEAR 9 MPH AND THIS GENERAL

MOTION IS EXPECTED TO CONTINUE FOR THE NEXT 24 HOURS.

 

MAXIMUM SUSTAINED WINDS ARE ESTIMATED NEAR 170 MPH WITH HIGHER

GUSTS. THIS MAKES RITA A POTENTIALLY CATASTROPHIC CATEGORY

FIVE HURRICANE ON THE SAFFIR-SIMPSON SCALE. A SLOW WEAKENING TREND

IS FORECAST BUT RITA IS EXPECTED TO REACH THE COAST LATE FRIDAY OR

EARLY SATURDAY AS A MAJOR HURRICANE...AT LEAST CATEGORY THREE.

 

HURRICANE FORCE WINDS EXTEND OUTWARD UP TO 70 MILES FROM THE

CENTER...AND TROPICAL STORM FORCE WINDS EXTEND OUTWARD UP

TO 185 MILES.

 

THE LATEST MINIMUM CENTRAL PRESSURE RECENTLY MEASURED BY A HURRICANE

HUNTER AIRCRAFT WAS 907 MB...26.78 INCHES.

 

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.

 

HEAVY RAINS ASSOCIATED WITH RITA ARE FORECAST TO BEGIN TO AFFECT THE

WESTERN AND CENTRAL GULF OF MEXICO COASTAL AREAS TONIGHT INTO

FRIDAY. RITA IS EXPECTED TO PRODUCE TOTAL RAINFALL ACCUMULATIONS OF

8 TO 12 INCHES WITH ISOLATED MAXIMUM AMOUNTS OF 15 INCHES FROM THE

CENTRAL TEXAS COAST TO SOUTHWESTERN LOUISIANA. RAINFALL AMOUNTS OF

2 TO 4 INCHES WILL BE POSSIBLE ELSEWHERE ACROSS SOUTHERN LOUISIANA

...INCLUDING THE NEW ORLEANS METROPOLITAN AREA. AFTER RITA MOVES

INLAND...TOTAL RAIN ACCUMULATIONS OF 5 TO 10 INCHES WILL BE

POSSIBLE OVER EASTERN TEXAS... AND CENTRAL AND EASTERN OKLAHOMA

DURING SATURDAY AND SUNDAY.

 

REPEATING THE 7 AM CDT POSITION...25.2 N... 88.3 W. MOVEMENT

TOWARD...WEST-NORTHWEST NEAR 9 MPH. MAXIMUM SUSTAINED WINDS...170

MPH. MINIMUM CENTRAL PRESSURE... 907 MB.

 

THE NEXT ADVISORY WILL BE ISSUED BY THE NATIONAL HURRICANE CENTER AT

10 AM CDT.

 

FORECASTER AVILA

 

*************************************************

[mikefast]

I was booked on the Rhapsody, and I live in Houston. First I was upset because we were missing the cruise on Sunday. Now I just hope we make it through this thing alive. There is no way to get out of town, the freeways are bumper to bumper, stop and go, mostly stop. People have been on the road for 8 hours and only traveled about 5 miles. They are running out of gas, and not many stations have gas left. It doesn't look good. Anyway, I was able to cancel the cruise, and should get a letter of credit for sometime after the hurricane season. Wish us luck.

[benjidog]

If it looks like a troll,acts like a troll.....

Look at all 5 posts this person has.Obviously has no other form of entertainment than trying to upset people.I have a feeling this isn't their only CC name ;)

 

I answered this person on another thread this morning. Same type of post. I guess now I'm learning what a troll is. So I guess from now on I'll just ignore him or her.:p

[Boo's Mom]

I was booked on the Rhapsody, and I live in Houston. First I was upset because we were missing the cruise on Sunday. Now I just hope we make it through this thing alive. There is no way to get out of town, the freeways are bumper to bumper, stop and go, mostly stop. People have been on the road for 8 hours and only traveled about 5 miles. They are running out of gas, and not many stations have gas left. It doesn't look good. Anyway, I was able to cancel the cruise, and should get a letter of credit for sometime after the hurricane season. Wish us luck.

 

mikefast.... I will pray for you.

 

Hang in there.

[benjidog]

mikefast.... I will pray for you.

 

Hang in there.

 

Ditto

[Boo's Mom]

As quoted below:

 

Preparations to protect life and property should be rushed to completion !

 

*********************************************

WTNT33 KNHC 221454

TCPAT3

BULLETIN

HURRICANE RITA ADVISORY NUMBER 20

NWS TPC/NATIONAL HURRICANE CENTER MIAMI FL

10 AM CDT THU SEP 22 2005

 

...RITA EXPECTED TO WEAKEN SLIGHTLY BUT FORECAST TO MAKE LANDFALL AS

A DANGEROUS HURRICANE...

 

...A HURRICANE WARNING HAS BEEN ISSUED...

 

AT 10 AM CDT...1500Z...A HURRICANE WARNING HAS BEEN ISSUED FROM PORT

O'CONNOR TEXAS TO MORGAN CITY LOUISIANA. A HURRICANE WARNING MEANS

THAT HURRICANE CONDITIONS ARE EXPECTED WITHIN THE WARNING AREA

WITHIN THE NEXT 24 HOURS. PREPARATIONS TO PROTECT LIFE AND

PROPERTY SHOULD BE RUSHED TO COMPLETION.

 

AT 10 AM CDT...1500Z...A TROPICAL STORM WARNING HAS BEEN ISSUED FROM

SOUTH OF PORT O'CONNOR TO PORT MANSFIELD TEXAS. A TROPICAL STORM

WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT FOR THE SOUTHEASTERN COAST OF LOUISIANA

EAST OF MORGAN CITY TO THE MOUTH OF THE MISSISSIPPI RIVER. A

TROPICAL STORM WARNING MEANS THAT TROPICAL STORM CONDITIONS ARE

EXPECTED WITHIN THE WARNING AREA WITHIN THE NEXT 24 HOURS.

 

AT 10 AM CDT...1500Z...A TROPICAL STORM WATCH HAS BEEN ISSUED FROM

NORTH OF THE MOUTH OF THE MISSISSIPPI RIVER TO THE MOUTH OF THE

PEARL RIVER INCLUDING METROPOLITAN NEW ORLEANS AND LAKE

PONTCHARTRAIN. A TROPICAL STORM WATCH REMAINS IN EFFECT FROM SOUTH

OF PORT MANSFIELD TO BROWNSVILLE TEXAS...AND FOR THE NORTHEASTERN

COAST OF MEXICO FROM RIO SAN FERNANDO NORTHWARD TO THE RIO GRANDE.

 

A TROPICAL STORM WATCH MEANS THAT TROPICAL STORM CONDITIONS ARE

POSSIBLE WITHIN THE WATCH AREA...GENERALLY WITHIN 36 HOURS.

 

FOR STORM INFORMATION SPECIFIC TO YOUR AREA...INCLUDING POSSIBLE

INLAND WATCHES AND WARNINGS...PLEASE MONITOR PRODUCTS ISSUED

BY YOUR LOCAL WEATHER OFFICE.

 

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.

 

REPEATING THE 10 AM CDT POSITION...25.4 N... 88.7 W. MOVEMENT

TOWARD...WEST-NORTHWEST NEAR 9 MPH. MAXIMUM SUSTAINED WINDS...165

MPH. MINIMUM CENTRAL PRESSURE... 907 MB.

 

AN INTERMEDIATE ADVISORY WILL BE ISSUED BY THE NATIONAL HURRICANE

CENTER AT 1 PM CDT FOLLOWED BY THE NEXT COMPLETE ADVISORY AT 4 PM

CDT.

 

FORECASTER AVILA

 

***********************************************

[LG123]

I am in between Houston and Galveston and it is amazing how beautiful it is outside today. Doesn't look like a storm is coming. I have been watching the news and all I see is traffic! I am in the process of packing my bag and heading to the hospital for a weekend shift. Houston is a strong city and we will survive this. Just hope there is a port left after the storm to cruise out of. Will keep you all posted from the ER this weekend. Take care everyone in Houston and stay safe.

[benjidog]

I am in between Houston and Galveston and it is amazing how beautiful it is outside today. Doesn't look like a storm is coming. I have been watching the news and all I see is traffic! I am in the process of packing my bag and heading to the hospital for a weekend shift. Houston is a strong city and we will survive this. Just hope there is a port left after the storm to cruise out of. Will keep you all posted from the ER this weekend. Take care everyone in Houston and stay safe.

 

Latest advisory shows landfall to your north and east. If that happens, you'll be on the "good" side of the hurricane. Last year we went through Frances and Jeanne on the "good" side, and we survived just fine. I know they didn't have the strength of Rita, but they caused more damage on their east and north sides.

 

I'm sure you'll be safe in the hospital. And thanks for caring for the sick during this trying time.

[groovy gran]

just wanted to send a prayer for all of you that are in the path of hurricane rita.

i hope you all manage to stay safe.my thoughts are with you all.Get out now if you can.

[GlenandVal]

I am hoping no lives are lost in Hurricane Rita and no and I mean NO children are separated from their moms and dads, I am in Vancouver area BC canada, but have watched the hurricanes a lot, and with Katrina the number of children NOT with their family is dreadful.

 

I m pleased they seem to better organized with this Hurricanne.

 

yes this does affect cruisers, I have survived cancer this year and have a cruise booked jan 2 out fo galveston, I have been telling DH that we will not be cruising out fo Galveston if it's not there any more, but most important hope no lives are lost

 

stay safe and hope all get out in time

 

I heard on cnn that the hospitals Texas in that area have their generators on a higher floor and they could ride out the storm hopefully ok.

 

 

be safe get out of the area if you 've been told too your home will or will not be there but your life is more precious then anything else

[flagger]

This was posted by a friend of mine who lives in Katy on another board:

Woke this morning at 4:30, turned on the news. It was all about the highways and the incredible amounts of traffic. People calling into the tv stations saying they had been on the road from the day before and still aren't out of Houston. I remember one woman saying that she had only moved 33 miles in 17 hours. My house is about 35 miles from the airport. Fired up the laptop and checked the real time traffic site, the worst conditions are usually red meaning less than 20mph, I have never seen gray before, but I think it means parking lot. I got pretty anxious and showered. Went out back and picked up all the loose knick knacks back there. Then though wow I only have 3/4 tank of gas.

 

Trip number 1 to the gas stations at 5:20 am. First station, no attendant but the pumps are on. No gas, see the attendant. About 6 cars hanging around until 6 when the attendant is suppose to arrive. Station two, about a dozen cars hanging around, run in and ask the attendant when he was expecting a gas shipment, "My wife is 8 months pregnant, I expect the baby before we actually get a shipment. Scheduled for 9am". Station 3, cars lined up for 3 blocks, but from the light I can see no one pumping any gas and no truck, I did not ask. There is no gas in the neighborhood.

 

Have breakfast, finish final touches unplugging tvs and pcs. Eat breakfast, pack toiletries and out the door by 6 am. First 17 miles is against the flow of traffic, turn north on the beltway, expecting the worst. Still cruise along at 60 for about 5 miles. Then I hit my patch of the worst traffic jam I have ever seen. I had noticed all the cars on the outbound lanes of my first 20 some odd miles. Very strange, some had their lights out even though it was dark out, people standing out on the highway, things like that. Well for 5 miles I got to experience a moving parking lot.

 

After the first 10 minutes I put the car in park when we stopped moving. After the first hour I started turning the motor off when people would get out of their cars and start having picnics. People were walking the highway to some high vantage point so they could see the next mile of the parking lot. They would rush over to some hardy bushes off to the side of the road. They would take their dogs and even cats for a walk. people would do a Chinese fire drill to rearrange drivers. People yelling between cars, yelling in cars, watching videos. Never seen anything remotely like this. I only spent 2 hours in this 5 mile mess, and then I got to the EXIT. 99.8% of the cars were headed for a one lane exit onto 290 a major evacuation artery. Once I got past that back to 60 mph all the way to the airport.

 

Parking at the airport looked tough but I thought up my strategy before arriving. I looked for about 5 minutes and me and the other 50 cars on that level did a dance looking for an open spot. I then made my way to the elevator and waited. Within a minute an nice young man got off the elevator and I asked him if I could have his spot. At first he was a bit brusque as I am sure he had a lot on his mind. But I offered him a ride and when he declined I inched behind him like a faithful puppy. It took him about 10 minutes to find his car (wife left it there for him with directions, nuff said). When he found it he did a little jump and made sure I was properly behind him when he pulled out. Good score on the parking place.

 

I thought the roads looked crazy. When the escalator stopped at check-in security, I could not believe what I saw. People everywhere. Chairs for sitting had been pushed to the doors or stacked. Everyone seemed to be in a line for something. The cop at the top of the escalator asked if I wanted security, I said no an E-Ticket machine. He said "go back downstairs" Well that meant either trying to walk down the up escalator or braving the crowd to fight my way around to the other side to get down. I thought since I was going to fight the crowd I might as well fight it for the E-Ticket machine at the check-in counter. Bad move, took 20 minutes to get there the line was very long and crossed two lines of people waiting for security. After 5 minutes I decided downstairs would be easier.

 

Got my ticket and turned into an airport official helping a few people who have never done e-tickets or were basically screwed because they were much too late at this point. When I finally got back to the escalator a line had formed. The cop at the top would periodically call down that there was now 5 to 6 spaces for people on the top floor. I ascended into security hell. To be fair it only took about an hour and a half. But you could see the faces of people who were missing there flights. At 1020 you could see the security people were worn out and getting crabby.

 

I am now in the concourse, found a wireless hotspot, and after checking the weather and talking to my brother I am much relieved to see Rita (or more precisely the computer models) have shown a rather large shift to the east. I think my house will be spared any major damage outside a rogue tornado. Just when the city officials are making all the major highways one direction both sides I imagine there are quite a few people that at thinking about turning around.

[flagger]

This is what will happen if a Cat. V hits Houston directly:

 

http://www.chron.com/cs/CDA/ssistory.mpl/metropolitan/3046592

 

Also, you can view live webcasts of local stations:

 

www.click2houston.com

www.khou.com

www.ktrk.com

[brn2crz]

We are looking a lot better...Moving much farther East at this point..And forecast to hit as only a Cat 3 (yes,ONLY a three )...

 

 

Flagger your friend is good example of a worst case scenerio....(my sister is one as well)

 

On Monday when we knew the storm was entering the Eastern Gulf..

I filled up both 40 gallon tank vehicles....bought 10 gallons of water and refilled basic Hurricane kit....Topped off tanks Tuesday PM and headed out Wednesday at noon..

Of course I know,due to work restrictions etc people can't all leave as early as we did....But I sure wish people would err on the side off caution,and plan on worst case scenerios instead of waiting till the last minute for provisions...

 

Hope all my Texas buddies are safe..