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-Short Attention Span Theater-
Tropical Storm Rita to enter Gulf
2005-09-19
The U.S. National Hurricane Center and all major weather models project that Tropical Storm Rita, which is currently battering the central Bahamas, will enter the Gulf of Mexico and threaten the U.S. oil and natural gas facilities later this week.
Just when prices were beginning to drop
At 8 a.m. EDT, the center of Rita, which was moving westward at nearly 9 miles per hour, was about 235 miles southeast of Nassau and about 460 miles east-southeast of Key West, Florida. The storm, which could become a hurricane during the next 24 hours, was currently packing maximum sustained winds near 60 mph.
Florida is taking no chances: Officials ordered residents evacuated from the lower Florida Keys on Monday as Tropical Storm Rita headed toward the island chain, threatening to grow into a hurricane with a potential 8-foot storm surge. The evacuation covered 40,000 people living from below Marathon to Key West. Visitors were ordered to clear out of the entire length of the low-lying Keys, which are connected by just one highway.
Seven major weather models, including the NHC's, show the storm, which is taking aim at the Florida Keys, will enter the Gulf of Mexico and make landfall between central Texas and the Florida Panhandle late this week.
Computer models here. Forecast track here. Our local forcasters predict she'll come through Texas as Cat 2 - 3. Swell, we need the rain, just not measured in feet.
Posted by:Steve

#7  Looks like Dick Cheney(tm), The Yakuza(tm), and The Jews(tm) have the Halliburton Weather Machine(tm) cranked up again!

Another hurricane against the poor. Is there no low to which this administration won't sink?
Posted by: Secret Master   2005-09-19 16:17  

#6  Tropical Storm Rita to enter Gulf

The Road to Havana?

But where are Bob and Bing?
Posted by: mojo   2005-09-19 15:30  

#5  AT 2 PM EDT...1800Z...THE CENTER OF TROPICAL STORM RITA WAS LOCATED NEAR LATITUDE 23.1 NORTH... LONGITUDE 75.9 WEST OR ABOUT 30 MILES
SOUTH-SOUTHWEST OF GEORGETOWN ON GREAT EXUMA IN THE CENTRAL BAHAMAS. THIS POSITION IS ABOUT 165 MILES... 265 KM... SOUTHEAST OF NASSAU AND ABOUT 380 MILES EAST-SOUTHEAST OF KEY WEST FLORIDA.

RITA IS MOVING TOWARD THE WEST-NORTHWEST NEAR 14 MPH... 23 KM/HR..AND THIS MOTION IS EXPECTED TO CONTINUE DURING THE NEXT 24 HOURS.
ON THIS TRACK...THE CENTER OF RITA WILL PASS OVER OR NEAR ANDROS ISLAND IN THE BAHAMAS TONIGHT...AND APPROACH THE FLORIDA KEYS TUESDAY MORNING.
DATA FROM THE STEPPED FREQUENCY MICROWAVE RADIOMETER ONBOARD A NOAA HURRICANE HUNTER AIRCRAFT INDICATE THAT MAXIMUM SUSTAINED WINDS ARE NEAR 70 MPH...115 KM/HR...WITH HIGHER GUSTS. SOME STRENGTHENING IS FORECAST DURING THE NEXT 24 HOURS... AND RITA COULD BECOME A HURRICANE LATER TODAY OR TONIGHT.
TROPICAL STORM FORCE WINDS EXTEND OUTWARD UP TO 145 MILES 230 KM FROM THE CENTER. THE ESTIMATED MINIMUM CENTRAL PRESSURE IS 993 MB...29.32 INCHES.
STORM SURGE FLOODING OF 6 TO 9 FEET ABOVE NORMAL TIDE LEVELS...ALONG WITH LARGE AND DANGEROUS BATTERING WAVES...ARE POSSIBLE IN THE FLORIDA KEYS IN AREAS OF ONSHORE FLOW. COASTAL STORM SURGE FLOODING OF 3 TO 5 FEET IS POSSIBLE ALONG THE EXTREME SOUTHEASTERN FLORIDA COAST...AND IN THE NORTHWESTERN BAHAMAS.
Posted by: Steve   2005-09-19 15:03  

#4  From National Hurricane Center:

ATMOSPHERIC CONDITIONS ARE CONTINUING TO BECOME MORE CONDUCIVE FOR
STRENGTHENING...AND ALL FORECAST GUIDANCE SUGGESTS RITA SHOULD
INTENSIFY SOME MORE...BEFORE AND AFTER IT REACHES THE GULF OF
MEXICO. THE NEW OFFICIAL INTENSITY FORECAST IS ADJUSTED UPWARD AND
IS A BLEND BETWEEN THE SHIPS AND GFDL GUIDANCE THROUGH DAY 3...AND
SHOWS RITA REACHING CATEGORY TWO STATUS BEFORE REACHING THE GULF OF
MEXICO. THERE IS A SLIGHT POSSIBILITY IT COULD STRENGTHEN FASTER
THAN FORECAST. ALL INDICATIONS ARE THAT RITA WILL BECOME A MAJOR
HURRICANE OVER THE GULF OF MEXICO... WHERE A LARGE UPPER LEVEL
ANTICYCLONE IS FORECAST BY THE MODELS TO DOMINATE AND PROVIDE A
WEAK SHEAR ENVIRONMENT.

I asked my resident hurricane expert to read the track... response: Currently a 2, marginally a 3 ...consensus showing it currently headed towards Galveston...but that could change.

Stay safe, Anon and Armyguy. Do your preps now!
Posted by: 2b   2005-09-19 13:22  

#3  One of the models has it headed for us (south Texas)

:(

I'm looking forward to the Hurricane-Porn excitement and hysteria.
Posted by: Anon4021   2005-09-19 13:06  

#2  Key West streets were quiet Monday morning. Kelly Friend and two workers boarded up her store and painted a message: "Hey bartender 1 Rita on the rocks to go! Not that we're afraid of the hurricane, but we want to protect our investment," Friend said. "Plus it gives us an excuse to take a day off and drink."

I wonder if she knows Mayor Nagin?
Posted by: tu3031   2005-09-19 12:30  

#1  ARRRRRRGH MATEYS'
We be in for a BIG BLOW!!!!
Posted by: ARMYGUY   2005-09-19 11:52  

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