Hurricane Rita

[aaron]

Here's two of the graphics on Tropical Storm Rita. It has a real possibility of striking New Orleans, which would mean we would be on the east side of the storm once again.

http://www.nhc.noaa.gov/storm_graphics/AT18/refresh/AL1805W5_sm2+gif/084708W_sm.gif

http://www.nhc.noaa.gov/storm_graphics/AT18/refresh/AL1805P_sm2+gif/084708P_sm.gif

[rebelrouser05]

Let's hope the high pressure ridge over the Southeast keeps this one to the South. I don't wish what we've been through on anyone , but we've had our killer hurricane to last for quite some time.

Sufferin' succotash, why this big jump in strong hurricanes in recent years? Is it El Nino, general global warming, another sign of the End Times, or what?

[aaron]

TWC said it was a natural cycle and this same thing happened during the 50's, 60's, and 70's. They also said you can expect us to be making it to the end of the alphabet for another 20 to 30 years.

[Lylabean]

I was watching Dateline last night and ofcourse they say it's because the ocean is 1 degree warmer and this is caused by us and global warming. But I was thinking too I had heard it was just part of the hurricane cycle.

What happened to P and Q?

Lynn

[aaron]

Q isn't in the naming system, and Phillippe is in the Atlantic now, but shouldn't hit land.

[Dragonfly]

Looks like we might get a visit from Rita over here in Sugar Land

[aaron]

well, I'd wait till Wednesday to make any assumptions. This thing is a long way off from making landfall, it very well could hit Mexico.

[Southern_Belle]

I am really hoping that this one doesn't come our way. I just got back into a normal routine with classes, work, meetings, etc... I don't want to have to go through another no power, no water, no fun situation. :-(

[lamarrebel]

This morning's track is encouraging in that the cone has been moved further to the west. The Lafayette area seems to be the western edge of the cone on the link shown above. Weather.com shows the western edge of the cone to be near Lake Charles. The projected ground zero also now seems to be somewhere between Corpus Christi and Houston/Galveston, closer to Corpus Christi.

[aaron]

Looks like it's a category 5 now.

[aaron]

Correction: This hurricane just became the 3rd strongest on record, with Katrina being 4th.

[noway]

fox news reporting 898 ml bars OMG!!!!

[lamarrebel]

I say we all need to do a lot of praying for our fellow man....especially after what we have just endured with Katrina.

[reality]

I agree. Speaking from experience, we all know they are going to need strength from the Lord after this monster hits.

[wilebill]

That damn thing seems to be wanting to track further east. :(

If you go to the NOAA site (http://www.ssd.noaa.gov/PS/TROP/DATA/RT/float-vis-loop.html) and then click the "Trop fcst pts" check box above the image, it looks like it's going east of the forecast track.

[lamarrebel]

As of 12 pm., Rita has fallen back to a category 4 storm....maximum sustained winds have fallen from its peak of 175 MPH to 150 mph ....let's continue to pray that this storm continues to weaken as it approaches landfall.

[lamarrebel]

The good news is that Hurricane Rita has been downgraded to a CAT 3, with 125 MPH winds and could very well even fall to CAT 2 by the time it reaches landfall. The bad news is that cone has shifted considerably to the east since yesterday and New Orleans is already suffering levee breaches in the Lower Ninth Ward, which is bringing back flooding into the city.

Cameron, LA, and Beaumont/Port Arthur TX seem to be in the crosshairs now.