But don't think of that as great news. She is a strong Category 4. A few quick early afternoon notes:
* Her 1 pm position: Near Latitude 25.5N, Longitude 89.2W. That translates to 435 miles SE of Galveston or 430 miles SE of Port Arthur.
* Moving WNW 9
* Radar since 1 pm, has shown a slight northward jog. Don't let that fool you. She will wobble at times as all great hurricanes do.
* Latest landfall forecast is still about midway between Galveston and the Texas-Louisiana border.
* Very anxious to see the 4 pm full advisory. By that time, a new group of warnings/watches will likely be issued and also a new track forecast.
* Buckets and Buckets of rain (no, No. 3 washtubs) will prove to be a huge problem. NHC says up to 15 inches for SE Texas/SW Louisiana landfall area.
* Still a chance that after Rita gets inland, she may get tired and simply sit down for awhile, The NHC fears some possible 25 inch rainfall amounts if that happens. Enormous flood potential.
* Enormous traffic snarl evacuating Houston. Traffic at a crawl. Traffic backed up as much as 100 miles. Lot of people simply ran out of gas. If the current landfall and track forecast is correct, it make take a bit of pressure off Galveston and Houston. However, Rita has not offered a written money-back guarantee.
* At 1:30 this afternoon, showers were showing up offshore from NW Florida over to South Louisiana. They were in bands moving toward the WNW. Some light showers already inland over Coastal Alabama.
SPOT REPORT
Buoy No. 42001 about 210 land miles south of Southwest Pass, La., wind north62 with gusts to 81 mph with 33-foot waves. Nothing unusual yet onshore in SE Texas and Coastal Louisiana.
Please scan down to earlier post to see a list of warnings and coastal effects.
And, please don't relax too much because Rita has weakened some. I have a friend named Rita. Next time I see her, I am going to fuss at her.
PERSONAL NOTE: Hope you will pardon this personal note but I am so sorry to hear today that the Birmingham Post-Herald will cease publication tomorrow. I go way back with them. I used to subscribe to both the Birmingham Post and the Birmingham Age-Herald. I remember the day in 1950, when they merged and published the first copy of the Post-Herald. I will have to save tomorrow morning's edition for old memories.
I am a newspaper junkie and a wannabe newspaper reporter.
* Her 1 pm position: Near Latitude 25.5N, Longitude 89.2W. That translates to 435 miles SE of Galveston or 430 miles SE of Port Arthur.
* Moving WNW 9
* Radar since 1 pm, has shown a slight northward jog. Don't let that fool you. She will wobble at times as all great hurricanes do.
* Latest landfall forecast is still about midway between Galveston and the Texas-Louisiana border.
* Very anxious to see the 4 pm full advisory. By that time, a new group of warnings/watches will likely be issued and also a new track forecast.
* Buckets and Buckets of rain (no, No. 3 washtubs) will prove to be a huge problem. NHC says up to 15 inches for SE Texas/SW Louisiana landfall area.
* Still a chance that after Rita gets inland, she may get tired and simply sit down for awhile, The NHC fears some possible 25 inch rainfall amounts if that happens. Enormous flood potential.
* Enormous traffic snarl evacuating Houston. Traffic at a crawl. Traffic backed up as much as 100 miles. Lot of people simply ran out of gas. If the current landfall and track forecast is correct, it make take a bit of pressure off Galveston and Houston. However, Rita has not offered a written money-back guarantee.
* At 1:30 this afternoon, showers were showing up offshore from NW Florida over to South Louisiana. They were in bands moving toward the WNW. Some light showers already inland over Coastal Alabama.
SPOT REPORT
Buoy No. 42001 about 210 land miles south of Southwest Pass, La., wind north62 with gusts to 81 mph with 33-foot waves. Nothing unusual yet onshore in SE Texas and Coastal Louisiana.
Please scan down to earlier post to see a list of warnings and coastal effects.
And, please don't relax too much because Rita has weakened some. I have a friend named Rita. Next time I see her, I am going to fuss at her.
PERSONAL NOTE: Hope you will pardon this personal note but I am so sorry to hear today that the Birmingham Post-Herald will cease publication tomorrow. I go way back with them. I used to subscribe to both the Birmingham Post and the Birmingham Age-Herald. I remember the day in 1950, when they merged and published the first copy of the Post-Herald. I will have to save tomorrow morning's edition for old memories.
I am a newspaper junkie and a wannabe newspaper reporter.
on September 22, 2005, 1:01 pm
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