Rita
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From: West Deptford NJ
Rita
Well Hurricane Rita has been upgraded to a Cat. 5. The mayor is telling everyone to evacuate as he sees no help from FEMA.
I wish all of our members (and everyone else) my thoughts that they will get through this very difficult time.
I wish all of our members (and everyone else) my thoughts that they will get through this very difficult time.
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From: Clifton, VA
Originally Posted by TR-S2K,Sep 21 2005, 05:58 PM
Evacuation of people in harm way is responsibility of Local and State Governments, Federal Government and FEMA have no authority in this matter.
But apparently others do not.
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From: West Deptford NJ
Originally Posted by TR-S2K,Sep 21 2005, 04:58 PM
Evacuation of people in harm way is responsibility of Local and State Governments, Federal Government and FEMA have no authority in this matter.
I guess we would rather fight about politics.
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This was passed on to me by a friend in the Houston area early this morning:
Maximum sustained winds have increased to near 120 mph with higher gusts. Rita is now a Category 3 Hurricane and is expected to strengthen to a Category 4 sometime later today. Hurricane force winds extend outward up to 45 miles from the center and Tropical Storm force winds extend outward up to 140 miles. Coastal storm surge flooding from 4-6 feet above normal tide levels is possible in the Tropical Storm Warning area. Storm surge flooding elsewhere in the Florida Keys and south Florida should subside today. Rita may produce 1-3 inches of rainfall in the Florida Keys and the southern Florida Peninsula. /(National Hurricane Center) /
*Local/State/Federal Preparedness Efforts for Rita *
The National Weather Service long range forecast indicates Rita will make landfall on the Texas coast by Saturday
Maximum sustained winds have increased to near 120 mph with higher gusts. Rita is now a Category 3 Hurricane and is expected to strengthen to a Category 4 sometime later today. Hurricane force winds extend outward up to 45 miles from the center and Tropical Storm force winds extend outward up to 140 miles. Coastal storm surge flooding from 4-6 feet above normal tide levels is possible in the Tropical Storm Warning area. Storm surge flooding elsewhere in the Florida Keys and south Florida should subside today. Rita may produce 1-3 inches of rainfall in the Florida Keys and the southern Florida Peninsula. /(National Hurricane Center) /
*Local/State/Federal Preparedness Efforts for Rita *
The National Weather Service long range forecast indicates Rita will make landfall on the Texas coast by Saturday
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From: Houston, TX
Thanks y'all. 
I am not panicking, yet. The house is buttoned down for the most part, the pantry is full, the cars are gassed up. Not too many trees around my house that could fall on my roof; flooding should not be an issue. if push comes to shove, I am less than 3 minutes away from I-10 and can get to Austin in less than in hour. For now I'll stay put and see what might come our way.
Besides, traffic is a mess right now -- even if I wanted to leave, it's close to impossible. I just ran a little errand to get gas (lucked out -- a lot of stations are dry already) and go to the pharmacy, and covering those five miles toook me over an hour.
Maybe I'll keep a diary that I can post after the fact.
I am not panicking, yet. The house is buttoned down for the most part, the pantry is full, the cars are gassed up. Not too many trees around my house that could fall on my roof; flooding should not be an issue. if push comes to shove, I am less than 3 minutes away from I-10 and can get to Austin in less than in hour. For now I'll stay put and see what might come our way.
Besides, traffic is a mess right now -- even if I wanted to leave, it's close to impossible. I just ran a little errand to get gas (lucked out -- a lot of stations are dry already) and go to the pharmacy, and covering those five miles toook me over an hour.
Maybe I'll keep a diary that I can post after the fact.
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From: Houston, TX
I recommend the website of the Houston Chronicle for uptodate Rita coverage, in case you're interested.
http://www.chron.com
and
http://blogs.chron.com/rita/
http://www.chron.com
and
http://blogs.chron.com/rita/
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From: Euclid, OH
Originally Posted by TR-S2K,Sep 21 2005, 05:58 PM
Evacuation of people in harm way is responsibility of Local and State Governments, Federal Government and FEMA have no authority in this matter.
Batten down and hang on tight, everyone.
JonasM
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From: SoCal
from Hugh Hewitt
Ray Nagin bought a house in Dallas--not Galveston--Right? If so, you guys should be all right. 
windspeeds in a Category 5
Hurricane are comparable to the windspeeds in an F3 (Severe) Tornado.
The "F" stands for the Fujita Scale, developed in 1971 by Dr. Ted Fujita at
Univ of Chicago, in which an F3 Tornado has wind speeds from 158 - 206 MPH.
In a "Severe" tornado, there is severe damage including roofs and walls
torn off well-constructed houses, trains overturned, most trees in forests
uprooted, heavy cars lifted off the ground and tossed around, and weak
pavement blown off roads!
At sustained wind speeds of 165 MPH, Hurricane Rita is basically a 100-mile
wide F3 Tornado. Stay on message: tell everyone to get out ASAP.
Hurricane are comparable to the windspeeds in an F3 (Severe) Tornado.
The "F" stands for the Fujita Scale, developed in 1971 by Dr. Ted Fujita at
Univ of Chicago, in which an F3 Tornado has wind speeds from 158 - 206 MPH.
In a "Severe" tornado, there is severe damage including roofs and walls
torn off well-constructed houses, trains overturned, most trees in forests
uprooted, heavy cars lifted off the ground and tossed around, and weak
pavement blown off roads!
At sustained wind speeds of 165 MPH, Hurricane Rita is basically a 100-mile
wide F3 Tornado. Stay on message: tell everyone to get out ASAP.