Just watch a loop of Rita over the past 12 hours. She just took a big turn North. Unless she decides to start aiming west again, and that doesn't appear likely, this will hit pretty much right on the west side of Louisiana. The only reason the tracking keeps aiming it towards Texas is because it keeps inputting all of the westward movement the storm made over the past three days. In other words, this thing doesn't look like it'll come anywhere near Houston anymore. I wonder if they pre-emptively cancelled all flights on Saturday. Guess I need to find out.
I'm still at home (Mo City). I've been watching Ch.2 and Ch.11 all morning. It's pretty obvious by now there is no need to evacuate most of Houston. The storm track continues to shift northward and the storm is weakening. The consensus is the storm will be either a Cat.3 or 4 when it hits landfall. For Houston, the main issue is how hard the wind will blow. For Beaumont, Port Arthur & Lake Charles, ooooh boy. But at least they aren't looking at being hit by a Cat 5 storm. Most likely it will be Cat 3. As Ch.2's guy said it: Cat 5 status is like sprinting. You can only maintain it for a short period of time. The fact Rita became a Cat.5 60-72 hours prior to landfall was a good thing because it could only weaken from then on.
Da-Glyde, you can't get out, man... brace yourself, man. Check it! Ummmm... http://www.ssd.noaa.gov/PS/TROP/DATA/RT/watl-vis-loop.html Is that Stan Tammy Vince or Wilma on the right???? WTF??!?!?!?!?!
So are they saying they are closing the airport friday at Noon? can anyone confirm this..becuase i had tickets to fly out at 5:30 in the afternoon. I guess that is a no go now.
Most ways out of town are backed up. Even the country roads and the FM's North of Houston towards Magnolia, College Station and such are all backed up. If you are in North Houston, you should probably just stay put and leave the roads and gas to those who REALLY need to evacuate.
Ok. Hobby and Ellington field will be closing to flights and people. IAH will remain open tomorrow but he said the last flights will be in the morning. If your flight is tomorrow at 5:30 there's a pretty good chance it will be cancelled. The best bet is to call your airline to confirm if you can get through.
Yeah i am on the phone with continental...been on hold for like 15 minutes to see what i can do and if i can change my ticket to an early flight...but my luck i won't be able to.
Hmmm...isn't that the exact OPPOSITE of what you said earlier...something about everyone feeling silly when it doesn't turn and hits Brownsville...interesting.
24-36 hours ago Rita was on a westardly track which took it to Brownsville if it maintained it's direction. It has clearly made a northernly turn in the past 12 hours and by this time tommorrow it with be either moving NNW or due north toward western LA.
My point was that there isn't a point in freaking out about a hurricane that is 4-5 days from shore. Their course is too unpredictable. Katrina was supposed to hit Florida three days before it hit New Orleans. I'm no meteorologist, so my apologies about where it was heading. It could still, technically hit Houston, as well. But those odds are getting less and less likely the closer it gets to landfall.
Yeah I know...I was watching the high pressure system. That pressure system is what kept Rita heading straight towards us down herre in the valley, but once it moved over, it cleared the way for Rita to make that turn as predicted. It's moved out so much and so quickly that Rita is pulling east of Houston as well...which is GREAT news. At least that's what I observed.
I see, but I think it is safe to say "better safe than sorry". I was prepped to board up and evac Brownsville if that turn didn't get here, and I wasn't on the projected path. After what happend with Katrina, I would say that people prepping in advance is way better than last minute preparations.
Did you get a hold of anyone for the airline company...been on hold with continental for 20 minutes right now..want to see if i can push my flight earlier...least i can get a vacation on company expense if i can get out of this damn city.
. Every time I try, I get a busy signal. It's irritating as hell. How does an airline not have enough volume, and why is everyone calling??? I'm calling 800-523-FARE. Any better #'s?
