Hurricane Rita
Collected Resources and Information

 

Rita's Destruction
Eastward hook spared the worst for Galveston/Houston/most refineries, but made big problems for all around Port Arthur, TX, and Lake Charles ,LA , especially low coastal areas--some small towns are "gone". In coastal LA, many families were trapped by rising water. Many evacuees must wait days to return (roads closed, power out for thousands). New Orleans flooded again.
Search Rita news: general · evacuations · traffic jams · rigs and refineries
Radar: Galveston (loop) · W. Gulf · S. Florida  Satellite: Gulf (loop) · storm-centered
Rita Coverage: PalmBeachPost · New York Times ·
oil refineries and rigs: graphic
Tracking Map | 5 Day Forecast Map | Historical Map | Public Advisory | Marine Advisory | Discussion | Satellite Map | Wind Map | Computer Models | Storm History / Verification

• Websites
  • Two excellent web graphics from the The New York Times Rita Coverage:
    • Predicted path and expected rainfall totals
    • Predicted path showing Oil Refineries and Offshore Rigs and Platforms
  • Local News (TV etc) along the Gulf Coast
    • abc13.com--The latest on Hurricane Rita for Galveston and Houston
    • Corpus Christi
      • The City of Corpus Christi
      • Nueces County, Texas
      • National Weather Service Forecast Office Corpus Christi
      • Corpus Christi Caller-Times
      • KEDT-TV [PBS affiliate]
      • KIII-TV [ABC affiliate]
      • KRIS-TV [NBC affiliate]
      • KZTV-TV [CBS affiliate]
    • Houston/Galveston
      • KHOU CBS Channel 11 - Houston's CBS local affiliate.
      • KPRC NBC Channel 2 - Houston's local NBC affiliate
      • KTRK ABC 13 - Houston's ABC local affiliate.
      • HoustonChronicle.com - Special Report Hurricane Rita
      • The Galveston County Daily News
      • Comm-Net Emergency Information Page
      • Harris County OHS&EM--Home of the Real-Time Rainfall Maps
    • Harlingen-Weslaco-McAllen-Brownsville
      • NEWSCHANNEL 5
  • Hurricane Rita info from Texas Emergency Management Home Page
  • Wunderground:"tropical"  (plus all the links at the top of this page)
    • Dr. Jeff Masters' Tropical Weather Blog
    • Steve Gregory's Tropical Weather Blog
  • "Skeetobite" Tropical Weather... Done Better!™
  • National Hurricane Center - Tropical Prediction Center
    • Hurricane Local Statements for RITA
  • NOAA's National Weather Service
    • Hurricane Local Statement for Brownsville, TX
    • Hurricane Local Statement for Lake Charles, LA
    • Hurricane Local Statement for Houston, TX
    • Hurricane Local Statement for Corpus Christi, TX
    • Hurricane Local Statement for Key West, FL
• Images:
  • Radar: Galveston (loop) | W. Gulf | S. Florida
  • NWS Radar:
    • Long Range Composite Reflectivity - Lake Charles, LA
    • Long Range Composite Reflectivity - Houston-Galveston, TX
    • Long Range Composite Reflectivity - Corpus Christi, TX
    • Long Range Composite Reflectivity - Brownsville, TX
  • Satellite: Gulf (loop)| storm-centered
  • Harris County OEM and TxDoT Road Gauge Map
  •  

Saffir-
Simpson
Scale

Depression
<35 mph
<30kt

Tropical Storm
(earns a name from the list)
39-73 mph
34-64 kt

Category 1:
74-95 mph
65-82 knots
4-5 ft surge
minimal damage

Category 2:
96-110 mph
83-96 knots
6-8 ft surge
moderate damage

Category 3:
111-130 mph
97-113 knots
9-12 ft surge
extensive damage

Category 4:
131-155 mph
114-135 knots
13-18 ft surge
extreme damage

Category 5:
over 155 mph
over 135 knots
>18 ft surge
catastrophic damage

Here is NOAA's page.

Wind Scales describes the Beaufort Scale and also the Saffir-Simpson Scale.
plus:
Small Craft Warning
21-38 mph
18-33 kt
Gale Warning
39-54 mph
34-47 kt
Storm Warning
55-73 mph
48-63 kt