Rita just went Cat 5!

[Celluloidgal]

Even if you are more inland in Texas, you need to be careful about the water from the storm. We have hardly any rain & when a lot of rain comes in a short amount of time, our soil just can't handle it. So, fellow Texans, stay alert. Prayers to all ya'll.

 

[dturner]

There are no hotel rooms left in the Dallas area - I read they are telling people that Lubbock is the closet city in Texas with rooms available - even Wichita Falls is sold out - WOW!!!

 

[Deb in IA]

Don, are you and Mandy staying in Round Rock? If so, stay safe!!!!


I'm going to check in on our sister-in-law in Spicewood tonight . . .

 

[Deb in IA]

Oh, and I just read this from MSNBC:

Forecasters said Rita could be the most intense hurricane on record ever to hit Texas, and one of the most powerful ever to slam into the U.S. mainland.

YIKES!!!!

This is not one to fool around with!!!

Take care and stay safe, everyone!!!

 

[scoutsmom99]

Everyone in TX or who has family/friends in TX take care, stay safe, and be careful

 

[kaylajr]

Stay safe
I will be praying

 

[2tinksmom]

We are staying...most of my husband's family is coming to our house because they are in areas that tend to flood. We live in an area west of Houston about 50 miles from the coast. They are expecting hurricane force winds here. We live in an area that is the least likely to flood in the Houston area. I know, I know. There's always a first time. Right now, it looks like Rita will hit a little bit further south than this mornings prediction. The weather man said they are expecting a low front from the west to gain intensity and push the high front that is pushing Rita south to the east causing the hurricane to hit closer to Matagorda Bay and Galveston. Say a prayer for those that were unable to leave for whatever reasons and are in more dangerous areas than we are. Of course, if you haven't left by now, the hurricane would probably be over before you could make it down I-10 as bad as the traffic is. I just hope my SIL and family and MIL and family can make it here before tomorrow afternoon. Gotta go now and take my DD to gymnastics...
Michele

 

[TheDisneyBunch]

These huricanes are just horrible this year! What is going on?

Please everyone in her path, be safe! You are all in my thoughts and prayers! I hope you all will be fine and your homes will stay safe!

 

[WDWHound]

Don, are you and Mandy staying in Round Rock? If so, stay safe!!!!


I'm going to check in on our sister-in-law in Spicewood tonight . . .

Thanks Deb. Yes, we plan to stay in Round Rock. Even the worst case scenerios say that we should be OK. We could see some pretty rough weather, but nothing life threatening. Our house is on high ground, so there is no risk of flooding, and I have someone coming out tomorrow to trim back all the trees away from the house so as to reduce the chance of property damage from the wind. After choir tonight I plan to lay in bottled watter and canned food in case we lose power.

 

[jbdreamer]

I feel especially bad for the Katrina refugees who were sent to Houston. Now they have to pack their bags again. It is like they are being followed.

 

[4greatboys]

Just waiting for dh to get home so we can go sit on the freeway. Normally its take about 1.5-2 hours to get to Huntsville from my house (close to Galveston) now they are saying a 12 hour drive to get there.
I have been trying to get all my pictures in the suburban but its getting full quick.
Good luck to all!

 

[Virgo10]

Rita's central pressure is currently at 904 millibars. The lowest Katrina got was 902.

 

[MsDisney23]

Everyone in her path, please stay safe! You are all in my Prayer's.

 

[brerrabbit]

House is boarded up, just finished. Next we have to pack the vehicles and then its time to get out north to College Station where my son is at Texas A&M. We were going to ride it out here but the prospect of a cat 5 is just to much. Now comes the hard part, what do you take? There is so much of our life here and we want to take it all but know we can't. Hopefully we will leave early in the morning and so I will be in and out tonight and hopefully can log on from my son's house when we get there. Current track has it going in a Matagorda Bay which is about 100 miles from Houston but we are on the dirty side so we will get the worse. The flooding does not worry me nearly as much as the wind damage. We are thirty miles from the Gulf and Rita will be packing plenty of walop when she gets to our house. We just heard that our area in Pearland has been given the manditory evacuation notice so any thoughts of riding it out just went out the window. Those of you who pray, pray for all of us in the Texas Gulf Coast area. Those that don't pray just think good thoughts about us and that will no doubt help as well. God bless all my friends going through the ordeal and Ogs bless all you guys thinking and praying for us.

Brerrabbit running from the fox that is Rita.

 

[golfgal]

The National Weather Service just released that Rita is now the 5th most intense hurricaine EVER. Get the heck out of Texas!

000
WTNT63 KNHC 212146
TCUAT3
HURRICANE RITA TROPICAL CYCLONE UPDATE
NWS TPC/NATIONAL HURRICANE CENTER MIAMI FL
545 PM CDT WED SEP 21 2005

...RITA BECOMES THE FIFTH MOST INTENSE HURRICANE ON RECORD...

DROPSONDE DATA FROM AN AIR FORCE RESERVE UNIT RECONNAISSANCE
AIRCRAFT AT 416 PM CDT...2116Z...INDICATED THE CENTRAL PRESSURE HAS
FALLEN TO 904 MB...OR 26.69 INCHES. THIS MAKES RITA THE FIFTH MOST
INTENSE HURRICANE IN TERMS OF PRESSURE IN THE ATLANTIC BASIN.

RITA CURRENTLY RANKS BEHIND HURRICANE GILBERT IN 1988 WITH 888
MB...THE 1935 LABOR DAY HURRICANE WITH 892 MB...HURRICANE ALLEN IN
1980 WITH 899 MB...AND HURRICANE KATRINA LAST MONTH WITH 902 MB.

FORECASTER STEWART

 

[trappednabox]

I hate to ask for p & PD, but please keep us in your thoughts!! Hope everyone here is safe, and makes it thru the storm unharmed

 

[golfgal]

I just saw a recent satellite photo, Rita is occupying about 90% of the Gulf of Mexico, WOW! That storm is HUGE!

 

[C.Ann]

More prayers coming to all in the path of this hurricane.. This is all just becoming too scary now..

 

[sleepyone]

How are we supposed to actually evacuate? The highways are like parking lots.

 

[swtnikki]

I hope everyone stays safe out there.