Hurricane who?? *PICS*

[HanibalTheCannibal]

I was in the eye of hurricane claudette, it passed directly over our section of the county. It got calm and sunny. The ONLY fatality was from a woman who emerged from her home during the eye passage, and was struck by a flying tree limb when wind gusted to 90+MPH within a minute. It is really weird.

UPDATE:**2:30PM Sept 21. MANDATORY evacuations for my county (Victoria) also for Matagorda, Calhoun, Bee, Dewitt, Lavaca. Ahead of Hurricane Rita, with sustained winds of 165MPH.

000
WTNT63 KNHC 211955
TCUAT3
HURRICANE RITA TROPICAL CYCLONE UPDATE
NWS TPC/NATIONAL HURRICANE CENTER MIAMI FL
255 PM CDT WED SEP 21 2005

DATA FROM RECONNAISSANCE AIRCRAFT INDICATE THAT RITA HAS REACHED
CATEGORY FIVE INTENSITY WITH ESTIMATED MAXIMUM SUSTAINED SURFACE
WINDS OF 165 MPH. THIS WILL BE REFLECTED IN THE 4 PM CDT ADVISORY.

FORECASTER AVILA
SEE CURRENT INFRARED MAPS IN MOTION OF HURRICANE RITA HERE:
http://www.ssd.noaa.gov/PS/TROP/DATA...x-wv-loop.html
(Click on "trop frcst pts" on top of map to see expected landfall points. Note the forecasted eyewall is plotted is on Victoria/Calhoun county line)

[jethro_3]

I was told today that I am "Critical Personal" and I will be available to emergancy with 1/2 hour notice.... I live just a few HUNDRED miles inland and they are talking all leave slips revoked and immediate termination if you don't report for work. "Water is a Priviledge not a right..." Shit, wastewater, still flows down stream even if it is not in the pipe.....

I work for the government, City of Austin.

[Rollingbones]

My sister is on her way to Austin. Her home in Palacios is quite literally in the cross hairs of Rita (my sister's name is Rita..how ironic). Since all the lumber was sent to LA and MS, there's nothing available to board up the house. She expects to be completely wipped out...no home...no job!!! That's a cluster-f^(#!!!! At least her and my bro-in-law will be getting out safely. You can replace "stuff", but you can't replace your sister!!!

[broughy84]

Originally Posted by jethro_3

I was told today that I am "Critical Personal" and I will be available to emergancy with 1/2 hour notice.... I live just a few HUNDRED miles inland and they are talking all leave slips revoked and immediate termination if you don't report for work. "Water is a right not a Priviledge..." Shit, wastewater, still flows down stream even if it is not in the pipe.....

I work for the government, City of Austin.

Are you a wastewater operator too???
I am a water and wastewater operator.
What I small world, I have a DSL and a WWTP Class 2.

[jethro_3]

I am the go to person when the Engineers, contractors, cutomers and crews need information, answers, resources and clarification. I know the W & WW system and people call all hours to get things resolved. We have 1100 people in our utility and an avg dist is 135 MGD and treat 100 MGD. But I don't go inside the plant or operate the lift or pump stations. Our group gets called out to be the point of control/contact when the shit hits the fan in the field... pun intended .

[HanibalTheCannibal]

I actuallr obbed the plywood from my garage walls to board up the windows. I am preparing to leave tomorrow if it stays on track to hit as a CAT5. If it veers north as a CAT3, I will stay.
There are no hotel rroms available in texas, people are having to go far as OK, NM, AZ to get a good solid place to stay. Most people I talk to are scared of shelters after what they saw from Katrina. I tend to concur with them, I will drive and drive untill I see a hotel with vacancy.
Man there are so many circular saws and hammers going after dark here in my neighborhood, its very ominous. EVen my cats are acting weird. The kids were a little nervous about me boarding them inside the house LOL.
See you all in the morning!!!

[Rollingbones]

Good Luck Hannibal!!! Hope you, your family and your home come through it OK. Here in Sacramento I'm a member of CERT (Community Emer. Response Team)....and they're all freaking out about the levy's along the Sacramento and American River!!! After all, it might "rain" here this winter.

[jethro_3]

Hannibal, let me know if you need a place, empty house here... Least I can to do help out a fellow Silverado owner....

[kenwood guy]

Originally Posted by jethro_3

Hannibal, let me know if you need a place, empty house here... Least I can to do help out a fellow Silverado owner....

Good man

[bigbadram51]

My brother lives in Houston, is actually moving into his new house in Magnolia which is north of Houston, from his house southwest of houston. He said he is staying the course. Lets all hope the thing loses some strength. GOOD LUCK TO ALL DOWN THERE AND BE SAFE.

[HanibalTheCannibal]

Well, there is some good news (for us in Victoria anyway) That a direct hit now looks imminent for galveston (within 30 Na. Miles) That is a shift if 75 miles from previous forecast track, so it will still get ugly here. I have a few more things to do around the house, then I will monitor latest track. We may be riding this one out here. Considering there are NO hotel rooms in Texas, even in southern OK the rooms are scarce.
Thanks Jethro3, I may need to take you up on that!! I will check back in here as long as power is on and I have Network access. Pics will start friday evening when the tropical storm force winds are epected to begin.

000
WTNT43 KNHC 220843
TCDAT3
HURRICANE RITA DISCUSSION NUMBER 19
NWS TPC/NATIONAL HURRICANE CENTER MIAMI FL
5 AM EDT THU SEP 22 2005

IF RITA HAS NOT PEAKED IN INTENSITY...IT LOOKS LIKE IT IS PRETTY
CLOSE TO DOING SO. THE LATEST CENTRAL PRESSURE ESTIMATED FROM
RECONNAISSANCE AIRCRAFT DATA IS 897 MB...WHICH SHOWS LITTLE CHANGE
DURING THE PAST 8 HR. THE MAXIMUM FLIGHT-LEVEL WINDS SO FAR ARE
165 KT IN THE NE EYEWALL...WHICH IS ONLY SLIGHTLY HIGHER THAN THE
161 KT OBSERVED YESTERDAY AFTERNOON. THE AIRCRAFT DATA SHOWS A
INCREASINGLY STRONG OUTER WIND MAXIMUM THAT IS LIKELY THE START OF
A CONCENTRIC EYEWALL CYCLE...AND SATELLITE IMAGERY SINCE THE END OF
THE ECLIPSE PERIOD SHOWS WARMING OF THE CONVECTION NEAR THE CENTER.
BASED ON ALL OF THIS...THE INITIAL INTENSITY REMAINS 150 KT.

RITA HAS TURNED A LITTLE TO THE RIGHT DURING THE PAST SEVERAL HOURS
AND THE INITIAL MOTION IS NOW 285/8. RAWINSONDE DATA SHOWS A
STRONG MID-LEVEL RIDGE CENTERED OVER TEXAS. LARGE-SCALE MODELS
FORECAST THIS RIDGE TO SHIFT EASTWARD INTO THE SOUTHEASTERN STATES
AND THE EASTERN GULF OF MEXICO DURING THE NEXT 48 HR. THIS SHOULD
ALLOW RITA TO TURN MORE NORTHWARD WITH TIME. THE TRACK GUIDANCE IS
NOW CLUSTERED AROUND A LANDFALL BETWEEN THE SABINE RIVER AND
MATAGORDA TEXAS IN 48-60 HR...WITH A NET EASTWARD SHIFT OF THE
GUIDANCE SINCE THE LAST PACKAGE. THE NEW FORECAST TRACK IS ALSO
SHIFTED EASTWARD ABOUT 30 N MI...CALLING FOR LANDFALL NEAR THE
BOLIVAR PENINSULA AND GALVESTON BAY. HOWEVER...IT SHOULD BE NOTED
THAT THE NEW TRACK IS ALONG THE LEFT OR WEST SIDE OF THE ENVELOPE OF
GUIDANCE.

[jethro_3]

Hanibal, read your PM's for my cell. Call anytime if you need something...