[CHECK OUT] Hurricane Rita

Zane · September 21, 2005

I thought it would be a good idea that those who are planning on being away from the site for a while due to hurricane Rita could have a place to check in with us before they head out. After the storm, we will have a check in thread to hopefully account for everyone.

This is strictly voluntary. I like to think of us as a big family and care about everyone and hope you all make it through. So, if you'd like, please jot us a little note about where you're from and/or if you're going to be away during the storm.

Thanks!

Zane

silverado3500 · September 22, 2005

For those who haven't seen the latest update. Max sustained winds are now up to 175mph, and the pressure has dropped to 897mb. The only good news is that hurricanes can rarely sustain themselves at that intensity for more than a day or two. Here are some links to NOAA's NHC updates.

National Hurricane Center

http://www.nhc.noaa.gov/

Satellite Loop of Rita (very slow to load due to high traffic on their site)

http://www.ssd.noaa.gov/PS/TROP/DATA/RT/rgb-loop.html

If you are in doubt as to whether your area will flood with the storm surge, get out. Better to leave and come back to find your home intact, versus staying and being washed away in a possible surge.

Please be safe out there.

Frank S · September 22, 2005

This sucks major butthole. The projected path now takes the eye about 20 miles east of my house and they are predicting sustained winds of 80-90 mph with torrential rain.

Needless to say, my ass is out of her later today. Thankfully they've opened all lanes of I-45 to northbound only traffic once you get north of Houston to relieve some congestion.

Wingnut · September 22, 2005

Be safe Frank...If you need a place to crash, let me know.

I have beer.

Frank S · September 22, 2005

I appreciate it bro but it's going to be damned near impossible to just get 150 miles north of here where my parents are at.

99silveradoz71 · September 23, 2005

Good luck Frank, let us know what's going on.

Friz · September 23, 2005

This thread is a good idea, Zane.

I made it through Dennis okay, Katrina just send me a real windy, rainy day. Hopefully after Rita is gone you can drop this section. Although my gut tells me that this isn't over yet.

I guess this comes a little late, but my place in the Pensacola area is always open to GMTC members and their families.

MCourson · September 23, 2005

I guess it is someone else's turn this year. Good luck guys. I am going to play on the interstate with im sure some people leaving. I am getting on I10 East here in Tallahassee at about 4PM.

lrymal · September 23, 2005

Just a report from Huntsville, TX, one of the evacuation shelter towns. Below is a report I wrote to a newsgroup:

-----

It is even worse today. By "worse": cars all over the side of the roads.

People sleeping against trees. Huntsville police have turned 4 lane roads

into two lane roads, so these poor tired folks can just STOP and rest.

Lots of volunteers are delivering water and snacks. All the restaurants and

grocery stores are shut down---no more stock. Even the giant Super Walmart

announced on the local radio that it has no relevant stock for resale.

This is the most surreal thing I have ever experienced. It is so much like the disaster movies, yet Huntsville has no disaster.

Bizarre, surreal. Folks without sleep are on the sides of the road like

zombies. Local radio said that the Huntsville police, University Sam Houston

police, have actually helped people to the sides of the road and coaxed them

to just sit and lay down, and get some rest. But rest is hard, because they

haven't reached their destination, they can't get gasoline, and the storm is

coming. We will be about 30 miles from its eye and they know it. This thing

knows no ethnicity, no economic class. Even as far as we are from the coast, we are forcast to get 85 mph winds.

I'm going to huff it out on my moped again, and try to get some photos. I

doubt if I'll ever get to see such a thing as this again. And, I'm pulling

myself away from helping out at the shelters this weekend. Just got to. I

think I have "donor fatigue" or whatever you call it. I have pulled shelter assistance for the past three weeks and I'm a bit spent.

--Larry

Wingnut · September 23, 2005

I'm going to huff it out on my moped again, and try to get some photos. I
doubt if I'll ever get to see such a thing as this again. And, I'm pulling

myself away from helping out at the shelters this weekend. Just got to. I

think I have "donor fatigue" or whatever you call it. I have pulled shelter assistance for the past three weeks and I'm a bit spent.

--Larry

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Oh don't worry, following the current schedule, we'll see it again (I think we'll be back to it being Floridas turn though) in about 3 to 4 weeks.

Photos would be nice, but keep yourself safe man.

Good on you for helping out too.

Frank S · September 23, 2005

And what Larry posted is exactly why I'm still at home.

Things are a good bit more optimistic for my area and have been getting somewhat better since about 11 am edt yesterday. It seems now that the eye is projected to pass on the Tx/La border which would put it 110 miles or so east of my house (zip code 77536 for those who want to look) and seeing as how we are on the weaker side of the storm they are predicting top winds of around 70 mph which I can deal with. I'm not too terribly concerned with the rain because we didn't flood with Allison in 2001 and we had 20+ inches locally.

I actually did try to get out at about 2:30-3:00 local time this morning but once I hit I-45 just north of Houston, traffic was at a dead stop with several vehicles abandoned on the way out there and in the area. No way in hell was I going to try and make it another 100 miles north through that in a truck that might get 16 mpg's with constant movement and a good tail wind.

Anyway, i'm keeping my fingers crossed that it holds it's projected path or even hits a little further up the coast than its' projection. If so, i'll be ok probably with just some wind and rain and maybe a few days without power at the most. Plenty of fresh water on hand as well as non perishable food, dry clothing/linen and batteries and candles to last for quite a while. I'm really getting more concerned with out central Louisianna members at this point because they look as if they will catch hell in this. Be safe and check in when you all can.

lrymal · September 23, 2005

And what Larry posted is exactly why I'm still at home.... Be safe and check in when you all can.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

We have a lot of Huntsville folks packing up and heading west, since even with an eastward landfall, the hurricane will be getting close to us as it crosses this part of East Texas.

Well, as of this typing, Friday at 4:00pm CST, the first winds are hitting and the heat is intense. Gonna be an interesting night. Everyone hang in there, y'all!!!!

lrymal · September 23, 2005

I have several albums at the WEBSHOTS album site. If you want to see six photos of the traffic mess of Rita, go to the URL below and look the album named "Rita":

http://community.webshots.com/user/lrymal

71GMC_3/4T · September 23, 2005

Hey Larry,

That second pic in your two-link post is awesome! Mother Nature is beautiful, and so is Rita!

Zane · September 23, 2005

I just wanted to let you all know that i just got off the phone with Frank and he's decided to ride the storm out at his parents. He was about 12 miles away going down a closed exit when we hung up