Rita and Corpus Christi

[CosmicCowboy]

http://www.stardestroyer.net/Empire/Tactics/Transporter.jpg

It's Bush's fault. If he had only authorized the use of the transporters in time...

[Manu20]

Water Pours Into New Orleans' Ninth Ward
By MICHELLE ROBERTS and BRETT MARTEL, Associated Press Writers
11 minutes ago

NEW ORLEANS - Water poured over a patched levee Friday, cascading into one of the city's lowest-lying neighborhoods and heightening fears that Hurricane Rita would re-flood this devastated city.

"Our worst fears came true. The levee will breach if we keep on the path we are on right now, which will fill the area that was flooded earlier," Barry Guidry with the Georgia National Guard.

Dozens of blocks in the Ninth Ward were under water as a waterfall at least 30 feet wide poured over a dike that had been used to patch breaks in the Industrial Canal. On the street that runs parallel to the canal, the water ran waist-deep and was rising fast.

The impoverished neighborhood was one of the areas of the city hit hardest by Katrina's floodwaters and finally had been pumped dry before Hurricane Rita struck.

Mitch Frazier, a spokesman for the Army Corps of Engineers, said water is rushing over part of the levee that previously was breached.

[Spurminator]

"Spruce Goose", I think.

You're right... I was thinking of the Simpsons version... :lol

http://www.duffzone.co.uk/framegrabs/1f08/03262002192354.jpg

[spurster]

I agree no plan is going to get everyone out in an hour or a day. However, everything they try to help seems to be reactive, little anticipated.

If you have an evacuation, you will need to switch all/most lanes outbound. That was not anticipated.

Gridlock on the major highways is horribly inefficient. You want a steady rate of speed. They needed to control the number of vehicles getting on the highways. That was not anticipated. Well, they probably knew gridlock would happen; they didn't do anything about it.

Basically, we have a lot of blather about homeland security and keeping us safe, but when it comes to actual events, a lot of things suck. Fortunately, in this case, it was just a major pain in the butt because of the warning well in advance, but if a terrorist attack required a orderly, efficient evacuation, we are screwed.

The kind of attitude that says you can't expect or do any better is plain old defeatism. We can and ought to do better if we really take terrorism seriously. If we are not going to take it seriously, I guess that attitude is ok.

[Vashner]

Houston is gridlock.. if you live there you know that. I am not joking that for no amount of money in the world would I ever live or work there...

[SWC Bonfire]

Houston is gridlock.. if you live there you know that. I am not joking that for no amount of money in the world would I ever live or work there...


...Amen.

[Vashner]

9th ward levee breech being reported in NO.

[SpursWoman]

Gridlock on the major highways is horribly inefficient. You want a steady rate of speed. They needed to control the number of vehicles getting on the highways. That was not anticipated. Well, they probably knew gridlock would happen; they didn't do anything about it.


They evacuated in sections...and increased courtesy patrols to supply gas, etc., which is the best you can realistically do.

You can't protect everyone from everything all of the time. It is not even remotely possibly. People choose to live in densely populated areas, in areas prone to natural disasters......what, exactly, can you realistically expect?

As far as evacuating from acts of terrorism, that's a completely different argument...and would probably be better served in the political forum. :)

[Vashner]

Don't worry NBADan has a Rita thread ready to go Political as soon as the body count starts racking up...

This is more of a technical thread without the bickering.

/group hug

[Marcus Bryant]

I agree no plan is going to get everyone out in an hour or a day. However, everything they try to help seems to be reactive, little anticipated.

If you have an evacuation, you will need to switch all/most lanes outbound. That was not anticipated.

Gridlock on the major highways is horribly inefficient. You want a steady rate of speed. They needed to control the number of vehicles getting on the highways. That was not anticipated. Well, they probably knew gridlock would happen; they didn't do anything about it.

Basically, we have a lot of blather about homeland security and keeping us safe, but when it comes to actual events, a lot of things suck. Fortunately, in this case, it was just a major pain in the butt because of the warning well in advance, but if a terrorist attack required a orderly, efficient evacuation, we are screwed.

The kind of attitude that says you can't expect or do any better is plain old defeatism. We can and ought to do better if we really take terrorism seriously. If we are not going to take it seriously, I guess that attitude is ok.


Some of the lanes had to be maintained as inbound up until a certain point for emergency services.

I don't believe its possible to have an orderly evacuation of two million people. It's not defeatism, it's just reality. How do you set up a rapid response unit that can appear on a moment's notice to evacuate millions of people?

[TheTruth]

Some of the lanes had to be maintained as inbound up until a certain point for emergency services.

I don't believe its possible to have an orderly evacuation of two million people. It's not defeatism, it's just reality. How do you set up a rapid response unit that can appear on a moment's notice to evacuate millions of people?
tubes...we should build underground tubes that go everywhere in the country...it'll be awesome.

[Vashner]

Widebody's... but you would need some kind of outdoor terminal so regular police could search people... also no check in luggage..

With some 747's.. 777.. c5's you could airlift out a shitload.. just land at Kelly and tell them to get out. then get more..

They would HAVE to be searched first.. we don't need what happend in NO again.. people getting on the planes with loaded guns. And let's keep that practical not political I know it was done to save lifes.

[Jelly]

I also get sick of people complaining about the evacuation/emergency system. It's called a disaster for a reason folks. I mean yeah, it's absolutely gonna suck to be on I-10 and 45 right now, but it's better than being dead, I guess. It's ridiculous for anyone to say nobody expected traffic jams and gridlock...BUT... I don't understand why I'm watching a jammed six lane Northbound highway next to an empty six lane southbound highway. Why can't at least three lanes be directed to the empty lanes. Is this physically impossible? Anybody know?

[travis2]

GFS has a Port Arthur landfall, curving up to Shreveport, and continuing on into Arkansas...

[Sonia_TX]

There has been death on the highway...

A bus caught on fire on the 45...it was transporting people from a nursing home out of Houston. They couldn't evacuate people in time and about 24 people died but they said that the death count could change.

So sad. :(

I don't know if you all can see the link since it's AOL... but here (http://aolsvc.news.aol.com/news/article.adp?id=20050918114309990001&ncid=NWS00010000000001) it is

[Vashner]

http://i.a.cnn.net/cnn/2005/WEATHER/09/23/rita/top.rita.fri.19.l9w.jpg Argh like I said put some F***ing concrete on it.. noobs..

[Sapphire]

GFS has a Port Arthur landfall, curving up to Shreveport, and continuing on into Arkansas...
Where are you finding that? I keep looking at weather.com and it hasn't seemed to change in 3 days.

[Ishta]

FYI for anyone who cares to know..My Boss's husband spoke with a higher up at Valero about 10 minutes ago, and basically shit is fixing to hit the fan on the gas situation.With refineries being shut down in LA because of the levee breaks, and also Rita hitting Texas, He is predicting there will be no gas next week..Now, I am not one of those people going around freaking out about, or thinking worse case scenario on every little thing, but this is coming from VALERO..Make sure your cars are full, and you have enough supplies to last for at least a week..

Hopefully, this will not come to pass, but if it does..forwarned is forarmed..Can any of you honestly think of what you would do if there was no gas? I hope he is wrong, but I am going to do what I need to do JUST IN CASE..

[SpursWoman]

FYI for anyone who cares to know..My Boss's husband spoke with a higher up at Valero about 10 minutes ago, and basically shit is fixing to hit the fan on the gas situation.With refineries being shut down in LA because of the levee breaks, and also Rita hitting Texas, He is predicting there will be no gas next week..Now, I am not one of those people going around freaking out about, or thinking worse case scenario on every little thing, but this is coming from VALERO..Make sure your cars are full, and you have enough supplies to last for at least a week..

Hopefully, this will not come to pass, but if it does..forwarned is forarmed..Can any of you honestly think of what you would do if there was no gas? I hope he is wrong, but I am going to do what I need to do JUST IN CASE..


Does that mean CPS with no gas, either? Anyone know?

[Shelly]

Paging Scoot....

[Vashner]

Means fill up now.. there is gonna be a shortage soon here in town..

[Ishta]

Does that mean CPS with no gas, either? Anyone know?
I don't know,but if this happens it will suck big time.My husband does structural drying and uses his vehicle to make a living..:depressed

[SpursWoman]

Means fill up now.. there is gonna be a shortage soon here in town..


I got that part, but I was talking about City Public Service...where we get our gas/electricty.

[Vashner]

Coal powered.. don't worry. they keep a huge pile of coal for backup...

EDIT: Natural gas could go out but I doubt it.. would take a while to use what we have.. plus we are not cold so don't need it for heating at the moment.. You should have dry goods to eat.. IE can be eaten right out of the bag.

[grjr]

http://i.a.cnn.net/cnn/2005/WEATHER/09/23/rita/top.rita.fri.19.l9w.jpg Argh like I said put some F***ing concrete on it.. noobs..

They want the water to overflow that way back into the 9th ward since that part of town was destroyed anyways. They're trying to protect the dry part on the west side of the canal. Naturally they can't mention this on TV since the 9th ward is the poor section.

[Vashner]

Yea.. the good thing is people are out of there... it will be rebuilt already anyway..

[travis2]

Where are you finding that? I keep looking at weather.com and it hasn't seemed to change in 3 days.

Sapphire, these are mathematical models of the atmosphere we are looking at. The Hurricane Center uses several models to try to predict what hurricanes are going to do. What you see on weather.com is the current NHC prediction.

Some of us geeks like to dig deeper and look at some of the info the NHC is using. It makes pretty pictures, but it's also subject to a lot of errors. That's why NHC uses many models...they knock them off each other.

[spurster]

Some of the lanes had to be maintained as inbound up until a certain point for emergency services.

I don't believe its possible to have an orderly evacuation of two million people. It's not defeatism, it's just reality. How do you set up a rapid response unit that can appear on a moment's notice to evacuate millions of people?
Didn't you say a few posts ago that the people had lots of time to leave early?

Yes, it's defeatism. We can orderly have 50,000 to 100,000 people leave a stadium in a relatively small area. Surely, we can do a couple million over a big city.

[MannyIsGod]

The next rounds of evacuations will run more smoothly. If you look at the New Orleans evacutation during Ivan, and the evacuation during Katrina, they are 2 different worlds. The Evac during Ivan was very much like this one.

[travis2]

Where da fvck you been, man? :lol

[Ishta]

Updates?

[Vashner]

LOL what's up with the BAMM?? hahah
http://www.sfwmd.gov/org/omd/ops/weather/plots/storm_18.gif

[boutons]

Beaumont/P. Arthur look fucked and flooded, winds + 10 inches rain, NO is stepping back into shit. models drifting east

[travis2]

LOL what's up with the BAMM?? hahah
http://www.sfwmd.gov/org/omd/ops/weather/plots/storm_18.gif
BAMM has been hooking hard and early like that for a while...

[travis2]

Satellite views are really ugly...the eye has visually collapsed...

Latest VORTEX...about 35 minutes ago...

000
URNT12 KNHC 231730Z
VORTEX DATA MESSAGE
A. 23/1700Z
B. 27 DEG 38 MIN N
92 DEG 08 MIN W
C. NA
D. NA
E. NA
F. 180 DEG 124 KT
G. 089 DEG 18 NM
H. 931 MB
I. 16 C/ 2200 M
J. 20 C/ 2653 M
K. 15 C/ NA
L. OPEN SE
M. C30
N. 12345/NA
O. 1/1 NM
P. NOAA2 WX18A RITA OB 05
MAX FL WIND 124 KT E QUAD 1654Z
FIX AT 8,700 FT PRESSURE ALTITUDE

[Ishta]

Satellite views are really ugly...the eye has visually collapsed...

Latest VORTEX...about 35 minutes ago...

000
URNT12 KNHC 231730Z
VORTEX DATA MESSAGE
A. 23/1700Z
B. 27 DEG 38 MIN N
92 DEG 08 MIN W
C. NA
D. NA
E. NA
F. 180 DEG 124 KT
G. 089 DEG 18 NM
H. 931 MB
I. 16 C/ 2200 M
J. 20 C/ 2653 M
K. 15 C/ NA
L. OPEN SE
M. C30
N. 12345/NA
O. 1/1 NM
P. NOAA2 WX18A RITA OB 05
MAX FL WIND 124 KT E QUAD 1654Z
FIX AT 8,700 FT PRESSURE ALTITUDE
What exactly does that mean?

[Vashner]

It's data from a recon flight...

NOAA P3
http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/Library/OzoneWx/Images/P3.jpg

Air Force Reserve C130J (older) and C130 H (newer with glass cockpit and
pull down HUD display like fighters have)
http://www.hurricanehunters.com/ltgacft.gif

[Sapphire]

It's data from a recon flight...
OK we got that part, but what does it mean???

[Vashner]

Just look at Boutons last post he summarized it...

[Aggie Hoopsfan]

Downgraded to cat3. Eye wall has collapsed, upper level surface sheer on the west side of the storm is weakening it.

[Vashner]

But it's just starting to heat up today.. it got get stronger again..

[travis2]

Just look at Boutons last post he summarized it...
who's last post? :pctoss :lol

[Ishta]

OK we got that part, but what does it mean???
That's what I was thinking!!:lol

[CosmicCowboy]

unfuckingbelievable. I have a very close friend who has relatives that live directly between Beaumont and Orange right in the flood plain between the Sabine and Neches river...She and everyone else in her family have been been begging them to leave for days...we are talking extended family...aunts, uncles, nieces, nephews etc.

Their reason for not leaving? They have a lot of deer meat in their freezers and they "have" to stay there to keep the generator running...I knew there were a lot of backwoods hicks in Vidor but this one takes the cake...If this thing stalls it will be one big lake from Beaumont to Orange if the storm surge doesn't get them first..

[travis2]

What exactly does that mean?

000
URNT12 KNHC 231730Z
VORTEX DATA MESSAGE ...... header information
A. 23/1700Z ..................... timestamp for this report (1700Z=12 Noon CDT)
B. 27 DEG 38 MIN N ............ lat/long for storm center
92 DEG 08 MIN W
C. NA
D. NA
E. NA
F. 180 DEG 124 KT ............. Strongest winds were from the south at 124KTS
G. 089 DEG 18 NM .............. Winds in F were measured at this bearing and distance from center
H. 931 MB ........................ Barometric pressure in eye
I. 16 C/ 2200 M ................. Temp (at what altitude) outside eye
J. 20 C/ 2653 M ................. Temp (at what altitude) inside eye. Large differences (like 10 or more degrees) show strong storms.
K. 15 C/ NA ...................... Dewpoint inside eye. Low dewpoint = dry air = strong storm
L. OPEN SE ....................... Eye is open to the SE
M. C30 ............................. Eye is circular, radius 30 NM
N. 12345/NA
O. 1/1 NM
P. NOAA2 WX18A RITA OB 05
MAX FL WIND 124 KT E QUAD 1654Z
FIX AT 8,700 FT PRESSURE ALTITUDE

edit: didn't explain M properly...cranial flatulence...

[Sapphire]

000
URNT12 KNHC 231730Z
VORTEX DATA MESSAGE ...... header information
A. 23/1700Z ..................... timestamp for this report (1700Z=12 Noon CDT)
B. 27 DEG 38 MIN N ............ lat/long for storm center
92 DEG 08 MIN W
C. NA
D. NA
E. NA
F. 180 DEG 124 KT ............. Strongest winds were from the south at 124KTS
G. 089 DEG 18 NM .............. Winds in F were measured at this bearing and distance from center
H. 931 MB ........................ Barometric pressure in eye
I. 16 C/ 2200 M ................. Temp (at what altitude) outside eye
J. 20 C/ 2653 M ................. Temp (at what altitude) inside eye. Large differences (like 10 or more degrees) show strong storms.
K. 15 C/ NA ...................... Dewpoint inside eye. Low dewpoint = dry air = strong storm
L. OPEN SE ....................... Eye is open to the SE
M. C30 ............................. Eye is closed, radius 30 NM
N. 12345/NA
O. 1/1 NM
P. NOAA2 WX18A RITA OB 05
MAX FL WIND 124 KT E QUAD 1654Z
FIX AT 8,700 FT PRESSURE ALTITUDE
What a nice guy! :fro

[CosmicCowboy]

A. 23/1700Z ..................... timestamp for this report (1700Z=12 Noon CDT)

uhhh Travis...CST is Zulu minus 6...

*edit* never mind...you did the daylight savings time correction...duhhh

[Aggie Hoopsfan]

Well, there is something to be said about Darwinism, and staying behind in an area that will be under 15 feet of water to take care of your farking deer meat definitely qualifies.

[Vashner]

lol it's only good with bacon..

[Marcus Bryant]

Didn't you say a few posts ago that the people had lots of time to leave early?

Yes, as in a couple of days.



Yes, it's defeatism. We can orderly have 50,000 to 100,000 people leave a stadium in a relatively small area. Surely, we can do a couple million over a big city.

That's out of a central confined area over a short distance.

[boutons]

"Hicks in Vidor"

Vidor is reputed for its KKK

http://www.rtis.com/reg/bcs/pol/touchstone/summer98/kkk.html

s/e TX is sort of the armpit of TX, in the deep, dark shadow of Houston.
About the only thing it has going for it is oil refineries and rice farming.

I have gradeschool friends + their very large family (Balkan-Italian, the southern Italians having come into that corner of TX via immigrant ships into Galvestion in 19th, 20th centuries) who left Beaumont 2 PM Thu, headed for McKinney (via Lufkin), and had made it only to Tyler by 9:30 AM Fri. Said they saw lots of road rage incidents as stress, low gas, extremely slow traffic, worry took their toll and tempers flared. many stations without gas.

[SWC Bonfire]

Their reason for not leaving? They have a lot of deer meat in their freezers and they "have" to stay there to keep the generator running...I knew there were a lot of backwoods hicks in Vidor but this one takes the cake...If this thing stalls it will be one big lake from Beaumont to Orange if the storm surge doesn't get them first..

Oh, come on, now. You can't just leave the fruit of months worth of poaching and road hunting to spoil in some damn hurricane, now can you?

[travis2]

uhhh Travis...CST is Zulu minus 6...

*edit* never mind...you did the daylight savings time correction...duhhh
Trust me, I know all about Zulu time... :flipoff

:lol (Don't you hate it when I'm right?)

[boutons]

NE wind picking up here in NE SA.
Ripping the shit out of my banana plants.
Is that Rita wind?

[Vashner]

Yea some of the bands will produce some winds.. gusty at timez..

http://www.ssd.noaa.gov/PS/TROP/DATA/RT/GMEX/WV/20.jpg

[travis2]

What a nice guy! :fro
:oops

[MannyIsGod]

Yes it is Rita wind.

I was asleep most of this morning, I was up all last night. :lol

I had to go drop off one of the computers I sold on Ebay, but I'm about to watch the last model runs. The last I saw where the 6z runs which had the ridge much waker to the north which is why the storm was being moved by the shortwave trof (<~ :lol).

I hope thats what happens. Looking good for Houston, but Port Aurthur is giong to be fucked. The winds may be weakening, but it will still come ashore with cat 5 storm surge.

[travis2]

GFS still has it doing some curlique through LA and ending up in the Gulf...

[travis2]

A new VORTEX...

000
URNT12 KNHC 231805Z
VORTEX DATA MESSAGE
A. 23/1746Z
B. 27 DEG 45 MIN N
92 DEG 15 MIN W
C. 700 MB 2489 MA
D. NA
E. NA
F. 146 DEG 129 KT
G. 051 DEG 19 NM
H. 930 MB
I. 12 C/ 3064 M
J. 19 C/ 3041 M
K. 14 C/ NA
L. OPEN SE
M. C20
N. 12345/7
O. 1/1 NM
P. NOAA3 2318A RITA OB 04
MAX FL WIND 129 KT NE QUAD 1741Z
EYE OPEN NE THRU SE

[Vashner]

It just seems SOOOO hot here in San Antonio.. I think a lot of energy is being built up... all hell is gonna break loose ... eventually..

[MannyIsGod]

Yeah, I'm loading the GFs. Just took a look at the NAM/ETA. It still has the ridge building back to stall it. Son of a bitch man. I hope that trof digs in farther south than expected and just sends this bitch to the NE. Did you see the plots that sent her back into the gulf and REDEVLOPED her? Reminds me of Danny years back.

[Aggie Hoopsfan]

Interesting link, shows projected damage, winds, rain, etc....

http://hurricane.methaz.org/cgi-bin/mapserv.exe?mode=browse&zoom=1&layer=county&layer=ucntyname&layer=usrds&layer=allmods&layer=damage&imgxy=299.5+299.5&imgext=-97.978666+27.822672+-93.578666+32.225505&map=..%2Fhurapak%2FAAL182005.map&savequery=true

[travis2]

Yeah, I'm loading the GFs. Just took a look at the NAM/ETA. It still has the ridge building back to stall it. Son of a bitch man. I hope that trof digs in farther south than expected and just sends this bitch to the NE. Did you see the plots that sent her back into the gulf and REDEVLOPED her? Reminds me of Danny years back.
Yeah, the current GFS leaves that open as a possibility. The 500mb doesn't show it very well, but the surface projection shows it blowing back up...

[MannyIsGod]

Just some info on Danny...the storm with 9 lives...



Hurricane Danny made its first landfall, just northwest of the Mississippi River delta near the towns of Empire and Buras, early on 18 July. Danny was a very small hurricane, and significant effects were confined to the area immediately around the eye. Reports from the Hurricane Hunters indicated a radius of maximum winds of eight or nine n mi. Communities from Port Sulphur southeastward to Venice, Louisiana probably experienced hurricane force winds (the Venice ASOS site lost power after reporting wind gusts to 38 knots a couple of hours before the closest approach of the hurricane's center).

After passing over extreme southeastern Louisiana, the center of Danny was back over the Gulf of Mexico, south of the coast of Mississippi, during the day on 18 July. There was a little more strengthening, and Danny reached its peak intensity of 70 knots with a minimum central pressure of 984 mb. The slow-moving hurricane wobbled to the east, then north-northeastward, bringing the eye to the mouth of Mobile Bay, near Fort Morgan, Alabama, just before dawn on the 19th. The eyewall and western edge of the eye passed over Dauphin Island, where sustained hurricane-force winds and torrential rains were experienced. After drifting over extreme southern Mobile Bay, the center plodded eastward, practically stalled, and finally crossed the coast on the southeast shore of the bay near Mullet Point, Alabama around midday on the 19th. Danny continued to move erratically, toward the southeast over extreme southeast Alabama, while weakening to a tropical storm by 0000 UTC on the 20th. The weakening cyclone then turned northward, passing over the extreme northwest Florida panhandle. Danny, weakened to a depression by 1800 UTC on the 20th, moved north to northeastward over Alabama for two days.

Satellite images showed that Danny, although very weak at the surface, still had a well-defined cyclonic cloud signature as it moved eastward over northern Georgia and South Carolina on 22-23 July. The low pressure system moved east-northeastward over North Carolina on the morning of the 24th. Around midday, as the center neared the Atlantic seaboard near the North Carolina/Virginia border, the cyclone began strengthening -- while accelerating in forward speed. The fact that Danny was re-intensifying while still partially over land suggests that it may have been deriving energy from a baroclinic source. A front was situated just to the north of the cyclone around this time. Winds around Danny were already back to tropical storm force as the center moved back over water around 1900 UTC on the 24th.

Just when it looked as if it were racing safely away from the coast, the storm turned north-northeastward, and slowed dramatically, as it appeared to be drawn in toward a middle- to upper-tropospheric cyclone over the northeastern United States. This motion brought Danny to about 25 n mi southeast of Nantucket Island, Massachusetts, around 0000 UTC 26 July. After buffeting southeastern Massachusetts, Danny lost its remaining tropical characteristics, and turned out to sea -- for good. The cyclone was absorbed in a frontal zone over the north Atlantic by 1800 UTC on 27 July.

[SWC Bonfire]

Interesting link, shows projected damage, winds, rain, etc....

http://hurricane.methaz.org/cgi-bin/mapserv.exe?mode=browse&zoom=1&layer=county&layer=ucntyname&layer=usrds&layer=allmods&layer=damage&imgxy=299.5+299.5&imgext=-97.978666+27.822672+-93.578666+32.225505&map=..%2Fhurapak%2FAAL182005.map&savequery=true

"Breaking branches" in Gonzales County? Surely they can't be serious. :lol

[MannyIsGod]

Just watched the GFS, still swings it around the Western Sub Tropical High back around and almost reaches the Gulf, but the shortwave sweeps it up.

I'm not convinced anyof the models have a good grasp on what is going on.

[Aggie Hoopsfan]

http://www.breitbart.com/news/2005/09/23/MTFH10614_2005-09-23_17-09-57_BAU361026.html


Texas expects catastrophic damage from Hurricane Rita, including the flooding of the entire coastal city of Port Arthur, a senior state official said on Friday.

Speaking as the first winds of the massive storm were felt along the Gulf of Mexico coast, Jack Colley, the director of the Texas Division of Emergency Management, told reporters an estimated 5.2 million Texans would be affected, 6,000 homes would be destroyed and 16,000 people made homeless.

The initial damage expectation, not including lost commerce, was $8.3 billion.

He said parts of southeast Texas, where tens of thousands of people have been evacuated, was expected to be hit by hurricane force winds for 16 straight hours.

Colley said he expected the entire city of Port Arthur to go underwater with an 18- to 22-foot (6- to 7- meter) storm surge caused by Rita's "tsunami effect."

"We could expect probably sustained hurricane winds, beginning at midnight tonight, for 16 hours, an incredible storm," Colley said of Texas' three southeasternmost counties.

The region also should expect an "onslaught" of medium-sized tornadoes overnight. Northeastern Texas should expect up to 25 inches of rain, causing flooding around Tyler, Texas.

[boutons]

just got better path convergence

http://www.wunderground.com/tropical/tracking/at200518_model.html

[SpursWoman]

L. OPEN SE
M. C20

How is the eye both open and closed? Are there 2 of them again?

[MannyIsGod]

the C on M means the shape is circular.

[travis2]

How is the eye both open and closed? Are there 2 of them again?

yeah I saw that...I edited my original. Typing too fast.

Hey, nobody's perfect...:flipoff

:lol :lol

[SWC Bonfire]

Rita is going to go in, turn around, and have its remnants go right back over New Orleans and dump a shitload of rain.

[SpursWoman]

the C on M means the shape is circular.


Sorry, that was travis' fault. :oops :lol :makeout

[Sapphire]

Rita is going to go in, turn around, and have its remnants go right back over New Orleans and dump a shitload of rain.
Go in where? Not that you know for sure, but what do you think?

[Vashner]

Hum my cable modem is acting up.. it must sense the storm is coming..

[SWC Bonfire]

Go in where? Not that you know for sure, but what do you think?

It'll go in near the border with LA, continue northward to about Nacadoches, make a clockwise loop while loosing its organization, and return to southern LA as a low pressure system that dumps a lot of rain.

Or at least that's what the magic eight ball told me.

[Kori Ellis]

So, it's Cat 3 now? Do they think it's going to strengthen again before making landfall?

What's the consensus now on where it's going to hit the coast... Port Arthur area?

[Spurminator]

That's quite an advanced Magic 8-Ball...

Mine still says stuff like "Absolutely" and "It is not certain."

[SWC Bonfire]

That's quite an advanced Magic 8-Ball...

Mine still says stuff like "Absolutely" and "It is not certain."

Mine told me "It is decidely so." :lol

[Vashner]

I stil think it's gonna head more west ...

[MannyIsGod]

So, it's Cat 3 now? Do they think it's going to strengthen again before making landfall?

What's the consensus now on where it's going to hit the coast... Port Arthur area?
Strong Cat 3 (still a huge hurricane. The strongest storms that have ever hit the coast in Texas have all been cat 3 storms.

And yeah, I think it is going to hit south of Port Arthur which puts them in the worst of it.

[MannyIsGod]

let me see if this works

http://icons.wunderground.com/graphics/clear.gif

[MannyIsGod]

Ok, didn't work before, let me try again

http://radblast.wunderground.com/cgi-bin/radar/WUNIDS_map?station=LCH&brand=wui&num=40&delay=15&type=N0Z&frame=0&scale=1.000&noclutter=0&t=1127501568&lat=0&lon=0&label=you&showstorms=0&map.x=400&map.y=240&centerx=400&centery=240&transx=0&transy=0&showlabels=1&severe=0
(http://radblast.wunderground.com/cgi-bin/radar/WUNIDS_map?station=LCH&brand=wui&num=40&delay=15&type=N0Z&frame=0&scale=1.000&noclutter=0&t=1127501568&lat=0&lon=0&label=you&showstorms=0&map.x=400&map.y=240&centerx=400&centery=240&transx=0&transy=0&showlabels=1&severe=0)

[Vashner]

Looks like the eye is there to me...

[MannyIsGod]

I can't get it to show, but I guess you can click the link.

[SWC Bonfire]

Strong Cat 3 (still a huge hurricane. The strongest storms that have ever hit the coast in Texas have all been cat 3 storms.


Not to be argumentative, but Carla was a badass.

1961
CARLA (Cat. 4 Hurricane - September 11th landfall)
Carla was a severe hurricane which made landfall near Port Lavaca, bringing flooding from her storm surge 10 miles inland. Originating in the Caribbean Sea, Carla moved slowly across the Gulf, made a small loop east of Corpus Christi, and came ashore near Matagorda Bay with a 22' storm surge. Carla had 150 mph sustained winds, 175 mph gusts, and a central pressure of 27.49". Rainfall totals ranged from 19" at Votan, near Beaumont, to 1.08" at Brownsville. As may happen in large slow moving hurricanes, the surge was higher in the bays than at the coastline, being 22' at the head of Matagorda Bay and only 12.3' on the Gulf shoreline. Eleven tornadoes spun out of the rear portion of the storm in Texas, and deaths totaled 34 in the state, including 22 persons who drowned. Worth noting was the estimated 200,000 people that evacuated the Beaumont-Port Arthur area in a six hour period as Hurricane Carla approached the Texas coast.

Statistics:
Winds (mph): Gusts to 175 mph at Port Lavaca.
Tides (feet): 15.2 at Matagorda, 14.8 at the Houston Ship Channel, 14.5 at Port O'Connor

http://www.srh.noaa.gov/hgx/hurricanes/1960s.htm

[MannyIsGod]

here, this should work

http://www.intellicast.com/WeatherImg/RadarLoop/msy_None_anim.gif

[Shelly]

I was just at Target (where else? :lol) and people were buying up gas cans left and right. My husband wanted me to buy one for our edger and there were none to be found. People were buying them 3 at a time.

I was talking to the lady ahead of me who evacuated. She said it took them 7 hours to get here.

[SWC Bonfire]

Man, Grand Isle, LA is getting it right now I bet.

[MannyIsGod]

SWC, you're right. I was under the impression she was a 3 at landfall. Good call.

[Kori Ellis]

I was just at Target (where else? :lol) and people were buying up gas cans left and right. My husband wanted me to buy one for our edger and there were none to be found. People were buying them 3 at a time.

I was talking to the lady ahead of me who evacuated. She said it took them 7 hours to get here.


Was there still bread and water available?

Why are people in S.A. panicking? Is it justified at all?

[SWC Bonfire]

Was there still bread and water available?

Why are people in S.A. panicking? Is it justified at all?

It's not that San Antonians are panicking, it's just that 2.7 MILLION people from Houston are gobbling up the infastructure of the entire state.

EDIT: I should add "like a cloud of locusts" to the end. :lol

[Spurminator]

I think there's a natural human desire to be part of the story. People want to be afraid.

(Or it could be what SWC said...)

[Kori Ellis]

It's not that San Antonians are panicking, it's just that 2.7 MILLION people from Houston are gobbling up the infastructure of the entire state.


Yes, San Antonians are panicking. Last night in some local H-E-B and Walgreens, there was no water, bread and other essentials on the shelves. That wasn't do to evacuees -- that was due to San Antonio panic.

[SWC Bonfire]

Yes, San Antonians are panicking. Last night in some local H-E-B and Walgreens, there was no water, bread and other essentials on the shelves. That wasn't do to evacuees -- that was due to San Antonio panic.

Well, it's both, Kori. In the small towns that I'm around, the visitors have stripped everything clean and the locals don't stop eating or driving because a hurricane is coming.

[samikeyp]

Yes, San Antonians are panicking. Last night in some local H-E-B and Walgreens, there was no water, bread and other essentials on the shelves. That wasn't do to evacuees -- that was due to San Antonio panic.

I would have to agree. Nice job people. :rolleyes

[Kori Ellis]

Well I'm talking about here in San Antonio - San Antonians were already buying up all the goods off the shelves starting yesterday morning - the majority of visitors weren't even here yet.

I'm sure what you are saying will contribute to the problem. I was just inquiring about the seemingly widespread panic of the locals.

[Spurminator]

It's probably also San Antonians preparing to have large families staying in their homes for a while.

[SWC Bonfire]

It's probably also San Antonians preparing to have large families staying in their homes for a while.

:lol Got to stock up on tortillas.

I imagine it has a lot to do just with the thought of running out of food/gas/water that is creating the panic of the locals.

[travis2]

Yes, San Antonians are panicking. Last night in some local H-E-B and Walgreens, there was no water, bread and other essentials on the shelves. That wasn't do to evacuees -- that was due to San Antonio panic.

Of course panic is not justified. Getting prepared is OK...I mean, I picked up some water and batteries, but not an excessive amount...enough for a few days. Around here the biggest problem we might have is loss of power for an extended period of time...and in the central and southern parts of SA there could be severe flooding.

Hurricane force winds were never forecast for this area, even when Corpus looked to be the target.

But people like to think the worst.

[Vashner]

I'm sure what you are saying will contribute to the problem. I was just inquiring about the seemingly widespread panic of the locals

Y2K Y2K...

in 1999 I was banned from posting on the internal US Courts NNTP news hahaha..

Cause this one courthouse system mgr was turning off his Y2K certified Cisco network and I got mad (cause we spent lot of taxpayer money upgrading and testing stuff)..

Anyway I said that I bet nothing major would happen in Y2K and they guy called me an idiot then called my boss here in Town...

I even heard that one Judge had even the clocks unplugged... he thought clocks would hurt someone or go nuts.. ... hahah.. uh.. no wonder they banned me from the forum :)

[Vashner]

Ok back to the storm just saying how Y2k made people go nuts..

http://newsimg.bbc.co.uk/media/images/40835000/jpg/_40835070_breach1_gett203.jpg

[Sonia_TX]

I didn't stock up on anything. We did our regular grocery shopping Wednesday and that was it.

[MannyIsGod]

The panic and the run on water was totally unjustified. San Antonio was never in any danger of having its water contaminated. Did they think the surge was going to flow 100 miles inland?

We made our bi weekly trip to the store yesterday, and there was no water. That was well before any evacuees got here.

[MannyIsGod]

18z NAM/ETA is now running.

[MannyIsGod]

Also, there is a fix scheduled for 3, so we should get a VORTEX sometime around 3:15-3:30

[sa_butta]

I just filled up both my gas tanks on Wed. and that is it. I paid $2.47 at HEB and today it is $2.63.

[Kori Ellis]

We made our bi weekly trip to the store yesterday, and there was no water. That was well before any evacuees got here.

That's what I'm talking about.

A lot of stores have little or no water left on the shelves. That's crazy.

[Sonia_TX]

But I do need to put gas today... can't start a new job next week and not have gas. lol Are the prices going up already?

[Manu20]

This is a really good website.http://www.crownweather.com/tropical.html

[Kori Ellis]

But I do need to put gas today... can't start a new job next week and not have gas. lol Are the prices going up already?

The prices in our neighborhood have gone up 20 cents in the last 36 hours.

[boutons]

"the central and southern parts of SA there could be severe flooding."

San Antonio is quite immune to flooding causing building damage.
Ever tried to obtain a building permit in the 100-year flood plain?

[Vashner]

I'll drink out of my pond.. 2500 gallons :)

[Shelly]

Of course panic is not justified. Getting prepared is OK...I mean, I picked up some water and batteries, but not an excessive amount...enough for a few days. Around here the biggest problem we might have is loss of power for an extended period of time...and in the central and southern parts of SA there could be severe flooding.

Hurricane force winds were never forecast for this area, even when Corpus looked to be the target.

But people like to think the worst.

Same here...I got batteries, water, and candles. I never have a working flashlight or any candles when our power does goes out so I needed it anyway. I only bought a few days of water. Which I need to drink more of anyway. :lol

I may be wrong, but if Rita hit Corpus, it's very possible that we in SA could lose power for a few days, no? That was my thinking at the time.

Anyway, there were a lot of people from Houston at Target. One lady justified her buying some Little Debbie snack cakes because she had been sitting in a car forever. I agreed with her!

[Sonia_TX]

That's not good Kori...I knew I should have put gas yesterday. I was just being a lazy bum at home.

[sa_butta]

That's what I'm talking about.

A lot of stores have little or no water left on the shelves. That's crazy.I went to HEB to buy baby food and they were out of water, and the canned food aisle was low as well and no bread.

[travis2]

Same here...I got batteries, water, and candles. I never have a working flashlight or any candles when our power does goes out so I needed it anyway. I only bought a few days of water. Which I need to drink more of anyway. :lol

I may be wrong, but if Rita hit Corpus, it's very possible that we in SA could lose power for a few days, no? That was my thinking at the time.

Anyway, there were a lot of people from Houston at Target. One lady justified her buying some Little Debbie snack cakes because she had been sitting in a car forever. I agreed with her!

Well, I already had the candles...but everything else you said was right on...

[Vashner]

Ok right now don't worry about the price. just fill up and drive only what you need.
Because as posted earlier in this thread inside info from Valero is possible local shortages.

[TheWriter]

Why are people in S.A. panicking? Is it justified at all?

Justified? No.

Reason? Same reason people think the car behind them is following them late at night.

[Sonia_TX]

I have to worry about the price Vashner... I don't have income right now. lol

[Kori Ellis]

I have to worry about the price Vashner... I don't have income right now. lol

Sonia - by my house has been relatively cheap this week ($2.39-$2.49) but earlier today when we went out, it was $2.69 at Citgo. I'm not sure how fast it's going up around the city.

I saw that Valero info in this thread. I'm not doubting the poster, but I wish we had more confirmation of that. Where's Scott when you need him?

[Sonia_TX]

It was 2.49 the other day at HEB. Hopefully it still is. Thanks Kori.

[Sapphire]

Regarding Valero--inside info this morning from a reputable source has gas cost up .60 overnight. Valero has not been passing on these costs to the consumer supposedly, so who knows if/when the prices will shoot up.

[travis2]

Daaaaaamn, Manny...either NAM really really knows something we don't...or it's really psychotic about that left turn...

It's current out to 12hrs now...check it out...

[sa_butta]

It was 2.49 the other day at HEB. Hopefully it still is. Thanks Kori.Which HEB?

[MannyIsGod]

I just called my mom at Valero. She doesn't work with production, but she said they haven't said much and that most of their refineries are going.

I saw an image last night of the oil rig placement in the gulf though. Rita was going through a big portion of them, so its hard to tell. I'll find the image.

[Ginofan]

Daaaaaamn, Manny...either NAM really really knows something we don't...or it's really psychotic about that left turn...

It's current out to 12hrs now...check it out...

That's like a jump directly left! I think it would have to go directly west moreso than it did yesterday for that "jog". The NAM has the hots for Galveston for some reason!

[Sonia_TX]

Which HEB?

Jackson Keller and West Avenue

[MannyIsGod]

Travis, I was just noticing that.

One thing that might lend credence to what it is saying is that as Rita weakens, the high pressure to its north can exert more of its will on it.

[MannyIsGod]

Well, it is farther north as well. The NAM isn't verifying from run to run as it was in the past. The GFS has been the better model for the past day or so.

[2Blonde]

Wait a minute....??? Flashlights need batteries????? :pctoss I guess I'm screwed.

[MannyIsGod]

the 18 hours plot goes west again. Dude, the NAM just won't give up the turn.

[MannyIsGod]

Wait a minute....??? Flashlights need batteries????? :pctoss I guess I'm screwed. Don't worry, knowing the ladies in this thread, their flashlights will never see the batteries. :lol

You won't be the only who is screwed.

[sa_butta]

Jackson Keller and West AvenueThat is my HEB, it was $2.63 this morning, and I waited in a line on Wed. to get it at $2.47.

[travis2]

the 18 hours plot goes west again. Dude, the NAM just won't give up the turn.

Yeah, I saw that too...bizarre...

[Shelly]

the 18 hours plot goes west again. Dude, the NAM just won't give up the turn.

Which means landing where?

[travis2]

Don't worry, knowing the ladies in this thread, their flashlights will never see the batteries. :lol

You won't be the only who is screwed.
:lmao

[travis2]

Which means landing where?

Oh this is the best one yet...

Galveston...and then following the coast to make sure it also gets Matagorda Bay...

[Shelly]

Don't worry, knowing the ladies in this thread, their flashlights will never see the batteries. :lol

You won't be the only who is screwed.

On behalf of SW and 2Blonde, our lips our sealed....

[MannyIsGod]

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v20/Hargharg/oildestruction.jpg

The track is wrong on this chart - for Rita anyway - because it was only a forcast when it was made. But as you can see, Rita is traveling through an oil producation area all the way to the coast. That can't be good for costs of gas.

[Shelly]

Oh this is the best one yet...

Galveston...and then following the coast to make sure it also gets Matagorda Bay...


I need SW's map! What page is it on again? :lol

[SpursWoman]

I need SW's map! What page is it on again? :lol


http://www.texasmonthly.com/images/travel/gulf_map.gif


Here's a different one. :lol

[travis2]

Shelly, Matagorda Bay is the next bay down the coast from Galveston Bay...Palacios, Port Lavaca...

[Shelly]

http://www.texasmonthly.com/images/travel/gulf_map.gif


Here's a different one. :lol

:makeout

[travis2]

Damnit, I gotta run...

Manny, WTF does NAM have that ridge doing??? Much more of that and it'll have Rita plowing into Laredo!

[MannyIsGod]

VORTEX DATA MESSAGE
A. 23/1911Z
B. 27 DEG 58 MIN N
92 DEG 28 MIN W
C. 700 MB 2482 MA
D. NA
E. NA
F. 206 DEG 110 KT
G. 118 DEG 20 NM
H. 930 MB
I. 14 C/ 3044 M
J. 19 C/ 3042 M
K. 14 C/ NA
L. OPEN SE
M. C20
N. 12345/7
O. 1/1 NM
P. NOAA3 2318A RITA OB 12
MAX FL WIND 129 KT NE QUAD 1741Z
EYE OPEN E THRU SE

She's still packing 130 mph winds. The pressure is steady, but the eyewall is open.

I'm amazed this storm is holding up this well.

[Ginofan]

Is that a stalling on the 24hr plot? I can't detect a movement in either direction, just a weakening.

Shelly & SW, here's a google map link (http://maps.google.com/maps?ll=29.248063,-94.806519&spn=1.149671,1.925629&hl=en) as well so you can zoom and go all over the place :)

[MannyIsGod]

Travis, the NAM may be picking up on the weakening of Rita. The ridge would be the stronger force and be able to build back if that were the case.

The situation is on the edge of a razor right now. Any one factor changes things, so its really hard to forcast. This is the kind of storm that gives forcasters fits.

[Sonia_TX]

That is my HEB, it was $2.63 this morning, and I waited in a line on Wed. to get it at $2.47.

I guess I am too late then. As usual. lol

[SpursWoman]

That's what I'm talking about.

A lot of stores have little or no water left on the shelves. That's crazy.


The line at the pharmacy last night was insane ... and you should have seen Caitlin's face when she saw what everyone did to the Gucc-E-B (N. New Braunfels & Nacogdoches) ... no bread, no water...and no toilet paper...it seriously looked like a tornado went through it. :lol

We had just had our water cooler bottles refilled...but that's an every other week thing...and Chris bought this lamp thingy that goes on batteries, because I think there might be ONE flashlight in my house. :oops

I am worried about the gas situation, though... :fro

[Shelly]

Sonia

Here ya go!

http://www.sanantoniogasprices.com/

[Sonia_TX]

We have those lights that you can mount on the wall (we don't have ours on the wall though) and you just have to push them. They're pretty bright. I just hope we have some batteries in case we need them.

[Sonia_TX]

Sonia

Here ya go!

http://www.sanantoniogasprices.com/

Thanks Shelly... perfect... the HEB by my house is still at 2.49 according to Ferd45 haha.

I'm going to go see for myself.

[sa_butta]

I guess I am too late then. As usual. lolBetter do it now before it hits $2.75.

[Shelly]

Thanks Shelly... perfect... the HEB by my house is still at 2.49 according to Ferd45 haha.

I'm going to go see for myself.


You better drive as fast as you can before it changes!

[MannyIsGod]

I'm not gonig to believe the NAM untill I see some verification on the track.

[Sapphire]

If you look on weather.com, it seems to my layperson's eye that it is weakening and just looking like a big storm, rather than an organized hurricane. Wishful thinking on my part?

[MannyIsGod]

It is weakening, but it has a long way to go befoer its not a big storm. Don't read too much into that.

[Manu20]

Looking at the latest satellite images it looks like Rita is strengthening.

[MannyIsGod]

Yeah, she's getting her shit together.

[SpursWoman]

Yeah, she's getting her shit together.





GOTDAMMIT RITA, YOU STUPID BITCH, WOULD YOU MAKE UP YOUR MIND ALREADY!!!!!!


































Sorry, I had to get that out. Carry on. :)

[MiNuS]

god must be a she.

[Sonia_TX]

You better drive as fast as you can before it changes!

Didn't drive fast enough. It was 2.63...so I ended up getting gas a diamond shamrock at 2.59.

[boutons]

Aren't you people screwing around with 2nd-order variations, when the hurricane, as depicted by NHC, has been "on the rails" into Port Arthur for nearly a day now?

[travis2]

I'm not gonig to believe the NAM untill I see some verification on the track.

Oh fuck, now I've seen everything...

It's not enough that it won't let go of that left turn at the coast...nooooooo...now the damn thing SPLITS IN TWO once it reaches Central TX...

I don't know whether to :lmao or :pctoss

[MannyIsGod]

This storm is giving me fits.

[SWC Bonfire]

Have you posted a link to the site you are referring to in the last 40 pages?

[travis2]

Have you posted a link to the site you are referring to in the last 40 pages?
http://www.nco.ncep.noaa.gov/pmb/nwprod/analysis/

Right now we're talking about the NAM 18UTC run for 23 Sep

The GFS 18UTC run will be starting soon...

[MannyIsGod]

Travis, the NAM brings her right over San Antonio in 3 days.

[Manu20]

area Forecast Discussion
National Weather Service Corpus Christi Tx
327 Pm Cdt Fri Sep 23 2005

.long-term (saturday Night Through Friday)...will Keep Forecast Dry
Areawide By Saturday Night With The Thinking That The More Northerly
Motion And Dry Air On The Western Side Of Rita Will Limit Feeder
Bands Across Our Area. Expect Hot And Dry Conditions On Sunday And
Monday With Record Temps Possible. Forecast Becomes Increasingly
Difficult As Various Guidance Products Significantly Diverge. the
Gfs/nam Stall The Remnants Of Rita Out Near Shreveport...then
Breaking Off And Retrograding Back To The Southwest Down The Middle
Texas Coast. Other Solutions Hint At The Trof In The West Moving
Into The Plains And Picking Up The System...ejecting It To The
Northeast. Will Side Closer To The Gfs For Now And Show 20-30
Percent Pops Tue And Wednesday To Account For This Scenario. Most
Guidance Products Are Hinting At A Cold Front By Early Thursday
Across The Area. Will Undercut Guidance On Thu-fri With Northeast
Winds. Expect Some Showers Along The Frontal Boundary On Thursday
But Will Dry Things Out For Friday.

[MannyIsGod]

area Forecast Discussion
National Weather Service Austin/san Antonio Tx
304 Pm Cdt Fri Sep 23 2005

.discussion...
Hurricane Rita Still Fcst To Make Landfall Saturday Morning Somewhere
Along The Upper Texas Coast/southwest Louisiana. Please Refer To The
Latest Advisories From The National Hurricane Center.

The Current Track Of Rita Will Keep Much Of South Central Texas
Dry. Will Continue With A Chance Of Pcpn For The Far Eastern
Counties On Saturday...blending With The Wx Grids From Fwd...hgx
And Crp. Will Post A Wind Advisory On Saturday For Those Counties
Along And East Of The I-37/i-35 Corridor. Sustained Winds Of 25 To
35 Mph Will Be Possible Across The Advisory Area As Rita Moves
Inland.

Gfs Mos Temps Look Too Warm For Saturday East Of The I-35/i-37
Corridor...even Though The Cwfa Will Continue On The Subsident Side
Of The Hurricane. Feel Increasing Mid And High Level Cloudiness
Will Moderate The Warming On Saturday Across The Eastern Half Of
The Cwfa. Winds And Humidities Will Be Approching Red Flag
Criteria On Saturday. Will Mention On The Fwf Product But Not
Issue A Watch Attm.

attm Rita Is Fcst To Move Slowly Northward Across East Texas And
Then Stall Over The Arklatex Sunday And Monday. Model Solutions Are
Divergent On What To Do With The Remnants Of Rita. Gfs Loops The
Remnants Southward Across Lousiana Into The Gulf Monday And
Tuesday...while The Nam Slides The Remnants Southwest Back Towards
The Upper And Middle Texas Coasts On Monday. Due To Low Confidence
In These Solutions Will Maintain The Current Fcst For Days 4 Thu 7.

&&

.preliminary Point Temps/pops...
Austin Camp Mabry 75 93 76 98 / 10 20 20 10
Austin Bergstrom Intl Airport 77 92 73 95 / 10 20 20 10
Del Rio Intl Airport 76 101 73 100 / 10 10 10 10
San Antonio Intl Airport 74 96 74 97 / 10 10 10 10

[MannyIsGod]

:lol

Wanna pull up the San Angelo discussion?

[Manu20]

:lol

Wanna pull up the San Angelo discussion?
:lol Great minds think alike.

[SWC Bonfire]

So this NAM model is basically saying that it's going to hit the south tip of Galveston Island and head due West after landfall?

That doesn't seem right.

[Manu20]

As of 4pm CDT Rita has winds of 125mph with gusts to 155mph and the minimum pressure is 930mb

[Manu20]

Hurricane Rita Discussion Number 25


Statement as of 5:00 PM EDT on September 23, 2005



the weakening trend appears to have leveled off. It appears that the
eyewall replacement cycles have been the dominant factor...as
usual...in controlling the intensity fluctuations of Rita. Flight
level wind data from the reconnaissance aircraft indicate that
maximum winds are about 110 knots. Objective T-numbers have
increased a little suggesting stronger winds but I rather wait for
these numbers to persist. Only a slight weakening is forecast
before landfall due to shear and cooler ocean. This is not a very
significant change and in fact...Rita is still forecast to make
landfall as a category three hurricane.

The hurricane has been moving toward the northwest or 320 degrees at
about 10 knots during the past few hours. No significant change in
the steering pattern is expected before landfall. On this
track...the core of Rita should reach the Upper Texas/southwest
Louisiana coast Saturday morning. Thereafter...the steering
currents are foreast to collapse and a weakened Rita could
meander for a few days over northeast Texas/southwest Arkansas
producing torrential rains.

Forecaster Avila

[MannyIsGod]

So this NAM model is basically saying that it's going to hit the south tip of Galveston Island and head due West after landfall?

That doesn't seem right.
The NAM doesn't focus on the storm. The NAM is a large scale computer model that models the entire North American Atmosphere and what is going on at all levels. It forcasts the pressures/windflow/moisture and basically every concievable weather variable based on current observations and trends.

Basically, they NWS puts every ounce of data they have into this computer simulation in order to predict the weather.

The GFS does the same thing on a global scale, and there are other models that do the same.

The NAM is predicting the pressure north of east of Rita to force her to stall. This is probably going to happen. Most of the models forcast the situation to allow for the storm to stall.

Then, the NAM has high pressure building back to her north and east, which would force her to the south and west.

It is a possible scenario, but impossible to tell for certain if it will play out.

When the NWS makes forcasts they take all of the models into acount. When there is a consensus, things become cut and dry and it becomes very easy to forcast what will happen with a high confidence.

But in situations like this where every variable can play a big diference, they models often come up with different solutions and the NWS must come up with a forcast based on the trends, experience, and which models have been verifying. A model verifies when what it predicts actually happens.

They also look for run to run consistency as opposed to a model flip floping every run.

The NAM solution is plausible if the high pressure builds in to the north. We'll see what happens, but we can't totally discount that possibility by any means.

[MannyIsGod]

Objective T-numbers have
increased a little suggesting stronger winds but I rather wait for
these numbers to persist.

That is probably the most important part of that discussion. The NWS is seeing what we are seeing through the satellite images, and using the Dvorak method they think the winds have increased again. They aer waiting for conformation from a recon plane before officialy saying it though.

[Vashner]

I predict that at midnight tonight it will be a weak cat 4...

[travis2]

Travis, the NAM brings her right over San Antonio in 3 days.

One chunk, yes...the other one ends up around Lubbock...

[travis2]

of course, I was concentrating on the 500mb plots...that's your fault, Manny...:lol

The surface plots show that second chunk doesn't do a whole lot...

[Horry For 3!]

Will Karnes City get any rain? Right now we have winds advisory and it is kinda windy outside right now...

[MannyIsGod]

I was concentrating on the 500mb level too. I figured the northern most piece of energy wouldn't have moisture to work with.

[travis2]

Oh, shut up...:lol

[Manu20]

The models are in complete agreement on the track of the storm for next 18 hours. By 24-36 hours, the models begin to
go 'haywire'- as the steering currents become extremely weak. The storm will likely track up to near Shreveport by Saturday
night before going quasi-stationary. From Sunday on through Tues -- no one has a clue where the storm center - which will have
weakened considerably, will be going. The only thing being publicly mentioned is the storm will slow down and bring 2 days
of torrential rainfall to the region. The GFS continues to show the core circulation turning around and heading back to the
coast late Monday and hints at re-intensification. This is highly speculative of course, but you will not hear any of this
discussed on TV until Sunday at the soonest, assuming it is still being forecast at all. But if you took the landfall out of the
equation -- you would have a lot of attention being paid to this. Normally, once storms recurve to the north -- that means they
have begun to go around the sub-tropical high, and are almost always picked up by the westerlies - and taken out of the area.
But, just as was the case with Ophelia, even though the storm began moving northeast away from the Florida coast, it ended up
going stationary off the Carolinas for 3 days as the ridge built back in and blocked it's movement. It had to 'wait' for the next
short wave TROF in the westerlies, to finally pick it up and carry out to sea. The below series of GFS model forecasts will
show you it's track solution for the next 5 days. This is not meant to be a 'forecast'' per se -- but it is provided in my discussions because that's what I do -- and not what the Weather Channel or spokesman for the NHC do. They can't -- I can.

[Vashner]

http://home.satx.rr.com/krograth/images/rita02.jpg

[CosmicCowboy]

Manny...you and Travis might as well quit wasting your time on trying to predict this thing...It will go wherever the Japanese Mafia wants it to go...

http://weatherwars.info/


So in early 1990, the weather engineering operations over North America were assumed from the FSB/KGB by the Yakuza/Aum Shinrikyo teams, and operations continued with the Yakuza's leased giant scalar interferometers. The weather engineering against the United States continues today under the rogue Japanese teams on site in Russia, with direct FSB/KGB supervision.

In 2004 we have entered the 2-year "final preparation phase". These operations have been intensified and will continue to be intense, wreaking great economic damage. Hurricanes Charlie, Frances, Ivan, Jeanne, etc. have been no exception to the Yakuza weather engineering, which included directly influencing and controlling each hurricane's power and behavior, as well as directing its course and speed so as to choose its targeting path. Indeed, Ivan did a 180 degree turn, and Jeanne did a 360 degree loop before reaching Florida, demonstrating the degree of control available.

:lmao

[MannyIsGod]

:lmao !!!!!!!!!!!!

Well I'll be damned.

The GFS is coming out right now. I wonder what the Japanese mafia has planned. :lmao x a million.

[MannyIsGod]

The GFS still has a weaker ridge than the NAM. But its not as bullish anymore. It is trending towards the NAM's line of thinking. The true solution probably lies somewhere in the middle.

[CosmicCowboy]

it's just a Yakuza shift change. They will crank it back up soon...that night crew will start slammin that bottle of sake and have Rita doing cartwheels across the gulf and will probably drive her up the Houston Ship Channel to the all you can eat buffet at the San Jacinto Inn...

[MannyIsGod]

:lmao

[MannyIsGod]

Well, the GFS brings her back to the SW as well, but it practicaly disapates everything by the time it does that.

So, both models now bring her back around, but just in different time frames. We'll see the next couple of runs I guess.

[rl64tx]

Well, Steve Brown doesn't seem to think she's gonna slide back this way.....So I'm gonna go start filling sand bags!!! :smokin

[MannyIsGod]

I wasn't paying attention, but I thought he said the rememants could come back also?

[rl64tx]

From what i gathered he has it stalling out and dissapating in N La or S Ark area

[CosmicCowboy]

naturally no one asked me but fron what I know and am seeing I would be doing a mandatory evacuation of everyone from Sam Rayburn Reservoir south. I checked the Corp of Engineers website and they are dumping water but in my opinion it's too little too late. I just don't see enough safety factor with the current water level...they are only 13 feet below the spillway and they are about to see rains like they have never had before. *sigh* sure hope I'm wrong. It's an earthen dam and if the water tops it it's gone...and SRR is the biggest lake in Texas...

[rl64tx]

Steve Brown now saying forecast changes........please tune in at 6pm....

[Sonia_TX]

I'm so bummed. My friend Courtney and her family decided to go back home because they weren't moving in the awful traffic...she lives in La Porte, Texas. :depressed


I'm back. Yesterday was a nightmare. A horrific nightmare..and the storm isnt even here yet. We left around 1pm yesterday. We had some last minute things to do we were supposed to leave around like 9 lol. But anyways we take 146N to 321. to 59 N to Lukfin. But we werent going to stay in lufkin we were going to drive further possibly to Oklahmoma. At first it was smooth sailing. Everything was fine. 10 min later, traffic of course. 2 o clock still on 146. 3, 4 5 ,6 7,8 gets dark. We all have to pee. We timed it. From 5:15 to 6:15 we went 0.4miles. By 10 we had a quarter of a tank of gas and were STILL not moving. People were stalled out. Sleeping at gas stations hoping to fill up in the morning. And i tell you somthing...we pulled in a gas station and i would NEVER sleep there. Tempers were flaring. It wasnt a good site. So we had quarter of a tank of gas. We just sat there looking at each other. We had JUST got to 321. Traffic was backed up to timbukto. So we did what everyone else did. We went home. We had no choice. I know these cops were doing their jobs...but i saw MORE THAN ONCE, a broke down vehicle with a family just standing there and a cop whizzing by them. Having to fend for themselves. So im at home. I think we will be safe here, yes we will have damage. Im sure of that.

[boutons]

La Porte must be very low elevation, ugh. She's gonna need a ton of luck.

I had friends from Beaumont leaving 2 PM Thurs, also through Lufkin, headed to McKinney. Took them 24 hours. many hours 10 MPH, or dead stopped. Lots of road rage and insane stuff.

==========================

September 23, 2005
Out of Gas, and Patience, on Texas Highways
By THE ASSOCIATED PRESS

THE WOODLANDS, Texas (AP) -- Some people were angry. Others were kind. All were stuck.

Out of gas and some of them out of patience, hundreds of folks woke up Friday morning, or never went to sleep, marooned on an interstate highway. They were trying to get out of traffic-choked Houston to flee approaching Hurricane Rita.

"I don't know what to do," said Nissanka Dharmawardene, who left Wednesdsay evening with his wife and two children from their home in Clear Lake, a flood-prone area in south Houston. Almost 36 hours later, they were on the grassy shoulder of Interstate 45, about 50 miles from home. Their gas-starved car was pointed northbound on the normally southbound lane, a result of officials who rerouted traffic Thursday in an unprecedented step to relieve horrific congestion.

Dozens of cars were like theirs, lining the shoulders of the highway or abandoned in parking lots in front of businesses.

Ironically, traffic by daylight was sparse, a far cry from the gridlock the night before as an estimated 2.5 million people fled inland from the Gulf of Mexico coast.

"Last night we were bewildered. Now we are hoping, waiting for trucks to come," said Dharmawardene, 52.

"I guess you sit and wait for someone to bring you gas or wait for the hurricane to come and kill us," said 32-year-old Darrell Dailey from southwest Houston. He was hoping to get to Dallas with his wife and three kids, a sister and her child.

Out of fuel, they spent the night at an Oak Ridge North school in Montgomery County with more than 200 other families.

"I'm scared," said his 12-year-old daughter, Tykendrea. "I think the hurricane will come, and we're outside."

Dailey slipped a credit card into a gas pump at a closed station. It approved the transaction but dispensed no fuel.

That's when Jim Carroll, 55, walked up.

"I've got some," he said, walking over to his own truck, disabled because of a fan belt problem, to retrieve a five-gallon can about half-filled with gasoline. Then using a cut plastic soft drink bottle as a funnel, he poured it in Dailey's car.

"Might as well let people use it," he said. "Let them get down the road."

"God bless you," Dailey told Carroll, who had hoped to get from his home in League City in Galveston County -- a likely flood area -- to Waco in Central Texas.

"We have been remarkably assisted by so many good citizens," Houston Mayor Bill White said of such random acts of kindness.

Dailey had spent the night in the gas station lot with about 50 people.

"It was hot, people were sleeping in cars, babies on the concrete were sleeping," Carroll said. "Not many people were prepared for this."

One Shell Oil Co. gas station with pumps that failed Thursday was able to get them running Friday morning, and constables armed with shotguns guarded the pumps and formed a single long line of cars to organize the chaos. Only premium-grade fuel was left. There were few objections. Karen Cheney said she had tried to soothe desperate motorists Thursday by giving away water.

"They attacked us," she said. "It was pretty hairy."

"We did lower the price to regular so we wouldn't gouge these people," Randy Pachar, the station owner, said Friday. "I'm just glad we were able to get this fixed. I wish we could do more."

Mary Coltzer, 68, was among several hundred who spent the night across the street in a parking lot, then was part of the long caravan of vehicles waiting Friday to get the unexpected fuel bonus. Overnight, people from a nearby neighborhood showed up to give them water.

"We'd have been in a world of hurt," she said, "Pretty damn miserable. It's not a lot of fun."

Rosa Castro, nearly out of fuel, walked to the front of the long line with a five-gallon plastic gas can, but officers said she'd have to be in her car, with her sister behind the wheel and their seven children in tow. They left Pasadena at 4 a.m., and stopped 17 hours later to spend the night in a Baptist church.

"It's been terrible, believe me," she said, wearing shorts, a T-shirt and house shoes. "We started with a full tank of gas and lots of water for the kids, but it was such a mess. I wondered why so many people in Katrina didn't move in time, and now I'm in the same situation. All I have is cash, clothes, and God."

[spurs=bling]

thank God my aunt is already in SA. i'm so glad she is out of there.

[Sonia_TX]

I've lived here all of my life and I finally broke down and looked these places up on a map....

http://www.texasoutside.com/images/maps/bwbigcoastal.GIF




:oops :lol


LaPorte is right on the water...

[MannyIsGod]

Well, I'm going to reinstall XP, so I'll be back in an hour or so.

[SpursWoman]

Thanks for bumping the *good* map...


Isn't the traffic better now to try getting out again?

[MannyIsGod]

Oh, and I think your friends in La Porte will be ok. There will be some storm surge, but it won't be nearly as bad as it could have been. They'll be fine. :)

[Kori Ellis]

Sonia - that sucks about your friend. :( Hopefully she can stay somewhere safe and high.

[MannyIsGod]

They need to STAY. You never leave this close to a hurricane coming ashore. You'er better off riding it out. But seriously, the sturge there won't be too bad. The winds certainly won't be too bad. They pretty much lucked out.

[Sonia_TX]

SW, it took a while for me to find it...lol. It was way back there on post 900 something...

I thought the traffic was better..I know it's better coming here but her mom didn't want to come here because 'it floods in San Antonio'. Isn't that the stupidest thing ever?! Yea it floods...but WE aren't in the middle of a damn hurricane.

[SpursWoman]

That's true....I forgot *touch down* moved up a few hours from what I'd been hearing the last few days...

[Sonia_TX]

Manny I hope you're right. You're smart when it comes to this stuff so I'll take your word for it.

[Sapphire]

SoniaTX--I will keep them in my prayers--my house is just north of Baytown and I got out Weds. Luckily my job allowed, and I had the funds to go. I came thisclose to waiting till after I got a good night's sleep and leaving Thursday. Thank God I didn't!

Anyway, hopefully they have water and food. Cell phones were HORRIBLE on Weds. I imagine they are worse than that now. Like I said, let's all pray hard. God is good, He really is.

[MannyIsGod]

Sonia..that is pretty damn stupid :lol

Don't worry, Jess and I have had our fill with stupid mothers. The conversation between Jess and her mother over the past few days has awed me.

The worst part about it is the people who don't gethit but evacuate think they were dumb to do so. In truth, they just got lucky.

[Sonia_TX]

Oh and She is a poster here.. I *think* her name is Court4Short... She's from the Houston area but loves our Spurs. :)

[MannyIsGod]

Ok Ok, I'm going to do the reinstall now.

[Sonia_TX]

Sonia..that is pretty damn stupid :lol

Don't worry, Jess and I have had our fill with stupid mothers. The conversation between Jess and her mother over the past few days has awed me.

The worst part about it is the people who don't gethit but evacuate think they were dumb to do so. In truth, they just got lucky.

yea...I guess with stuff like this you never know. Rita has been doing some crazy shit hasn't it? So who knows what it was going to do. My friends in Corpus left and are staying out of there until they're for sure it's over with.

[Sonia_TX]

SoniaTX--I will keep them in my prayers--my house is just north of Baytown and I got out Weds. Luckily my job allowed, and I had the funds to go. I came thisclose to waiting till after I got a good night's sleep and leaving Thursday. Thank God I didn't!

Anyway, hopefully they have water and food. Cell phones were HORRIBLE on Weds. I imagine they are worse than that now. Like I said, let's all pray hard. God is good, He really is.

Sapphire I am glad you're okay. I hope you have a house to go back to also. But as long as you're here (you are in SA right?) you might as well have some fun w/us. ;)

[Vashner]

I wanted some rain :(

[Sapphire]

I wanted some rain :(
Head East, they are going to get plenty. :lol

[Vashner]

Hum I was thinking about chugging a six pack of coors light tall boys and using a waterhose overhead for a few minutes outside...

[midgetonadonkey]

Hum I was thinking about chugging a six pack of coors light tall boys and using a waterhose overhead for a few minutes outside...

You should make it a six of Blue Bull talls. Nothing like malt liquor and a waterhose. Nothing at all.

[Horry For 3!]

La Porte must be very low elevation, ugh. She's gonna need a ton of luck.

I had friends from Beaumont leaving 2 PM Thurs, also through Lufkin, headed to McKinney. Took them 24 hours. many hours 10 MPH, or dead stopped. Lots of road rage and insane stuff.

==========================

September 23, 2005
Out of Gas, and Patience, on Texas Highways
By THE ASSOCIATED PRESS

THE WOODLANDS, Texas (AP) -- Some people were angry. Others were kind. All were stuck.

Out of gas and some of them out of patience, hundreds of folks woke up Friday morning, or never went to sleep, marooned on an interstate highway. They were trying to get out of traffic-choked Houston to flee approaching Hurricane Rita.

"I don't know what to do," said Nissanka Dharmawardene, who left Wednesdsay evening with his wife and two children from their home in Clear Lake, a flood-prone area in south Houston. Almost 36 hours later, they were on the grassy shoulder of Interstate 45, about 50 miles from home. Their gas-starved car was pointed northbound on the normally southbound lane, a result of officials who rerouted traffic Thursday in an unprecedented step to relieve horrific congestion.

Dozens of cars were like theirs, lining the shoulders of the highway or abandoned in parking lots in front of businesses.

Ironically, traffic by daylight was sparse, a far cry from the gridlock the night before as an estimated 2.5 million people fled inland from the Gulf of Mexico coast.

"Last night we were bewildered. Now we are hoping, waiting for trucks to come," said Dharmawardene, 52.

"I guess you sit and wait for someone to bring you gas or wait for the hurricane to come and kill us," said 32-year-old Darrell Dailey from southwest Houston. He was hoping to get to Dallas with his wife and three kids, a sister and her child.

Out of fuel, they spent the night at an Oak Ridge North school in Montgomery County with more than 200 other families.

"I'm scared," said his 12-year-old daughter, Tykendrea. "I think the hurricane will come, and we're outside."

Dailey slipped a credit card into a gas pump at a closed station. It approved the transaction but dispensed no fuel.

That's when Jim Carroll, 55, walked up.

"I've got some," he said, walking over to his own truck, disabled because of a fan belt problem, to retrieve a five-gallon can about half-filled with gasoline. Then using a cut plastic soft drink bottle as a funnel, he poured it in Dailey's car.

"Might as well let people use it," he said. "Let them get down the road."

"God bless you," Dailey told Carroll, who had hoped to get from his home in League City in Galveston County -- a likely flood area -- to Waco in Central Texas.

"We have been remarkably assisted by so many good citizens," Houston Mayor Bill White said of such random acts of kindness.

Dailey had spent the night in the gas station lot with about 50 people.

"It was hot, people were sleeping in cars, babies on the concrete were sleeping," Carroll said. "Not many people were prepared for this."

One Shell Oil Co. gas station with pumps that failed Thursday was able to get them running Friday morning, and constables armed with shotguns guarded the pumps and formed a single long line of cars to organize the chaos. Only premium-grade fuel was left. There were few objections. Karen Cheney said she had tried to soothe desperate motorists Thursday by giving away water.

"They attacked us," she said. "It was pretty hairy."

"We did lower the price to regular so we wouldn't gouge these people," Randy Pachar, the station owner, said Friday. "I'm just glad we were able to get this fixed. I wish we could do more."

Mary Coltzer, 68, was among several hundred who spent the night across the street in a parking lot, then was part of the long caravan of vehicles waiting Friday to get the unexpected fuel bonus. Overnight, people from a nearby neighborhood showed up to give them water.

"We'd have been in a world of hurt," she said, "Pretty damn miserable. It's not a lot of fun."

Rosa Castro, nearly out of fuel, walked to the front of the long line with a five-gallon plastic gas can, but officers said she'd have to be in her car, with her sister behind the wheel and their seven children in tow. They left Pasadena at 4 a.m., and stopped 17 hours later to spend the night in a Baptist church.

"It's been terrible, believe me," she said, wearing shorts, a T-shirt and house shoes. "We started with a full tank of gas and lots of water for the kids, but it was such a mess. I wondered why so many people in Katrina didn't move in time, and now I'm in the same situation. All I have is cash, clothes, and God."
I used to live near The Woodlands, I lived in Conroe. My grandparents were going to go to Austin but it took them 3 hours to get to Montgomery which usually takes 10 mins, so they said forget this and turned around and is going to ride it out.

[Vashner]

The wind totally stopped outside here now... sigh..

[SpursWoman]

I noticed that, too....


But it sure is beating the shit out of Geraldo right now. :lol

[Tres_Till_it_MHz]

http://img237.imageshack.us/img237/3029/mermaid5ka.jpg

[Tres_Till_it_MHz]

^^^^Guess no one has seen her before.^^^ She's in CC before you get to the Island.......

[MannyIsGod]

Theres some pretty big fires in Galveston right now. I don't know how you stop a fire with winds that bad...

[LuvBones]

Can anyone tell me where Humble is?? I think my sis decided to move CLOSER to the storm.. I can't find this place on a map anywhere! :(

[LuvBones]

Actually I've found something on it, but relative to Houston... I can't tell how far it is.

[Vashner]

Theres some pretty big fires in Galveston right now. I don't know how you stop a fire with winds that bad...
Yea just saw that on tv... awesome force of nature... with the winds fanning the flames..

[boutons]

maps.google.com, and enter "humble, tx"

[LuvBones]

^wow, thanks.

[LuvBones]

I'm just trying to see if the hurricane is going to go through there... been watching the news this whole time & going crazy with my sister moving around and me not knowing if she's in the path of it.

[MannyIsGod]

Humble is on the NE side of Houston. She should be OK.

[Vashner]

Argh my cable modem going up and down...

[Aggie Hoopsfan]

http://ak.imgfarm.com/images/ap/RITA_NEW_ORLEANS.sff_LAWH112_20050923195330.jpg

This barge is now IN the 9th Ward, it got pulled through the breach by the water current.

Crazy.

[Vashner]

Hum am I seeing things or is it raining in New Braunfels?

Bats?

[boutons]

that barge! sonofabitch. what goddam hell hole NO has become. after the water is pumped out again, I bet they torch up the barge in place. rather than try to move it. probabaly 200 tons of steel, assuming it's empty.

[Vashner]

They don't have any concrete there (no limestone hills to saw down like we have)...

STOP USING SAND.. Use some friggin crete... somewhere Hoover is rolling around in is grave...

[Aggie Hoopsfan]

Yeah, concrete is just growing on trees there right now...

Dude, there is NO infrastructure. Patchwork won't work, they need to rebuild the whole thing.

[boutons]

Beaumont hospital completely sandbagged and ready for 10+ ft of water!

http://graphics8.nytimes.com/images/2005/09/23/national/24storm650.1.jpg

[Vashner]

Awesome coverage on ksat 12 ABC atm...

Steve Brown rockz

[MannyIsGod]

Yeah Vash.

I don't know why the fuck they have to always put these reporters out in the wind. Do we really love seeing them do that that much?

[samikeyp]

I don't know why the fuck they have to always put these reporters out in the wind. Do we really love seeing them do that that much?

C'mon Manny....you would love it to be you! :lol

[MannyIsGod]

Oh hell yeah Mike. :lol

http://mfile.akamai.com/12944/live/reflector:41088.asx

Thats the link to channel 2 in Houston.

Oh and Jess is a punk ass!! :lol

[samikeyp]

Oh hell yeah Mike.

Dude...I would go with you!

[samikeyp]

Dude...we should go tornado chasing....we can take JBlaze with us for laughs! :lol

[MannyIsGod]

If this thing had been weaker and had it come ashore in Texas, I woudl have chased it. Tornado chasing sounds cool, but its hard to find them because they're so short lived. I'd sure as hell do it though.

[Ginofan]

Oh hell yeah Mike. :lol

http://mfile.akamai.com/12944/live/reflector:41088.asx

Thats the link to channel 2 in Houston.

Oh and Jess is a punk ass!! :lol

Mr. I'll-only-go-if-it's-a-CAT-1-or-2 pshh!

[Mijo]

They don't have any concrete there (no limestone hills to saw down like we have)... We are lucky to have an abundace of limestone aggregate here in town but limestone is not necessary to batch concrete. Lots of companies utilize mix designs containing river rock which is available just about everywhere.

[Ginofan]

Dude...we should go tornado chasing....we can take JBlaze with us for laughs! :lol

Some how I can picture you as the Dusty character from the movie Twister. :lol

[Mijo]

If this thing had been weaker and had it come ashore in Texas, I woudl have chased it. Tornado chasing sounds cool, but its hard to find them because they're so short lived. I'd sure as hell do it though. It'd be a hell of a rush. When I was in the Navy, one touched down in the middle of the ocean and formed a water spout. I was on an aircraft carrier and we tried like hell to steer away from it. It moved very quickly and luckily we had the whole ocean to manuever with to stay out of its path.