If you are in the path of Rita. GET THE FUCK OUT OF THERE.

[benburch]

Do not ride this one out, or we will likely have to bury you.

Get at least 100 miles inland.

Take your pets.

You have about 48 hours to depart.

Best to leave tomorrow.

Best to reserve a hotel room NOW.

But if you have to, just get away and sleep in your car.

Carpool if you must.

Hitchhike if you must.

Just get away.

I mean it.

I don't want to bury any more friends.

[crispini]

1. Ha. No hotel rooms to be had anywhere in Texas.

Seriously. We're full all the way up to Dallas.

But I agree about the rest.

[benburch]

2. Illinois is nice this time of year.

Head on up here.

Just go.

[spanone]

3. Fargo, anywhere....

[Carla in Ca]

5. She has really organized...this is going to be awful

Please, everybody leave!

[LynzM]

9. Holy shit

I hadn't looked at satellite pics yet this afternoon. Yikes. :scared:

[SaveAmerica]

17. That's a DivaCane, touching the Yucatan, Cuba and Fla.

[wellstone_democrat]

6. plenty o' rooms further west

Lubbock, Midland, El Paso, Amarillo---lot's o rooms and likely no rain. Dirt and wind and temps in the 90s

come join us!

[crispini]

12. It's a looooong way

back to El Paso. :P

[benburch]

15. Think of it as an adventure.

The farther from this, the better.

[Ilsa]

67. I checked several major hotels for those cities today without luck.

I can't imagine driving 800 miles without a reservation when so many are travelling.

[girl gone mad]

98. Do you need a place to stay?

How many people are with you?

[TheCentepedeShoes]

69. Come on up to Amarillo

It's hot an' dusty but friendly. Please... you all be safe, please!

[merci_me]

14. Hotels in Houston are coming available.

We're staying at a hotel 1/4 mile from our house in Houston. It's in the middle of a lot of tall hotels/office buildings. Flooding is the most likely problem in this area, if the surge comes up the Ship Channel and floods the bayous. There are tons of bayous, so it will be spread out and in this particular area, they are saying 1 or 2 ft max and down within 2 days. At least during the worst, we can go into the halls or the ballrooms, a lot farther from windows than anyplace in our house.

Our concern is being in the house as it hits in the middle of the night and have the electricity out, a tree crash in the roof and feel water around my feet.

The hotel is a large Hilton, so flooding and trees crashing in aren't a worry. We have the room starting tomorrow, so we can make several trips to get our pictures, papers, snacks and some clothes over there and then spend a few days. Several neighbors are doing the same.

We're going to get some really bad winds, but as the tornadoes start swirling around Texas, they can hit anywhere. We're pretty far to the west side of Houston, if it comes in Galveston and if it comes in Matagorda, conversely, we're pretty far east into Houston. Either way, we get the dirty side.

BTW, most of the high-end hotels now have rooms, due to cancellations of conventions, conferences and business trips. It's only about $40 a night more than the Motel 6 type places (that have been full with people from NOLA for weeks), but its worth it to be able to get back and check the damage quickly, plus the cost of trying to drive two cars to Dallas, round trip, makes up the money.

[AuntieM1957]

16. Good Luck, merci_me

I'm in Tomball - and also have lots of trees. When they said on Ch 13 that it was possible for me to have 95 mph winds, I nearly died.
Hard to imagine that nearly a 100 miles inland.

There are no hotels rooms near me, though. All are full with Katrina victims.

Plus, with 3 dogs, 2 cats, and 3 kittens - I'm far too animal friendly for any I've tried. Thinking about going to Little Rock - have family there. But they can't take all our animals - with extended family - there are 8 dogs, 3 cats, and 3 kittens. And relatives can't take all that. How do you decide who to leave?

DUers, pray for us.

Can you imagine having just taken in and worked with all those Katrina victims - and then having a BIGGER monster headed right toward you!

OMG, the mayor of Galveston live on news just said that they have only 2 more buses available for getting people out. Once those are gone, those who haven't left yet will have to get out on their own.
If anyone is unable to get off that island, I don't think they'll make it throught the storm.

[benburch]

24. Board up your windows. 95 MPH debris can smash them.

If you are in a low-lying area, move to higher ground before it strikes. Stay aware of changes. This could easily be stronger than they now predict, in fact I expect it to be.

[WolverineDG]

50. The shelters in SA might take your pets

When I went on the lam from Hurricane Brett in '99, one of the animal shelters in San Antonio opened up space for evacuees. If you are going to do this, remember to take your pets' most recent vaccination records. I didn't even think this was a possibility (I was going to hide my pets in my hotel room) so I didn't take their records. Fortunately, they gave them their shots again, but the cats weren't too happy about that. :)

dg

[benburch]

23. Don't - Please don't stay in Houston.

This storm will be powerful enough to BRING DOWN a building like that should it arrive at the strength I think it will.

[Bouncy Ball]

29. OMG don't stay in Houston!

Shit.

[Ilsa]

42. Don't stay too high up. The wind speed can really jump the

higher you go. Good luck.

[LSK]

46. leave Houston!!!!!

Sleep in your car in Dallas for crying out loud. Go buy a tent or something. LEAVE HOUSTON. Why on earth after all the Katrina stuff would you stay there??? WHY?

[Ilsa]

65. Tents won't hold up for what a big part of the state is going to

get on Friday night and Saturday and probably Sunday. Not just Rita, but the tornadoes it will spawn.

I thought about renting an RV since we can't get a hotel room, but I figure it is a tornado magnet.

[merci_me]

Thank you all for your concern,

the emergency management doesn't even seem to notice anything around my side of town, except to say if you get any flooding during the rain, you'll "probably" get some during the hurricane, that should be gone in a day or so. The topography of Houston is nothing like NOLA. The only thing they say about this part of town is minor flooding (maybe) and various power grids will go out anywhere, depending on limbs hitting power lines. We have that almost once a month, with all the old trees around here. Only difference is those outages are able to be fixed within a couple of hours. Heck, my husband has the electric company on speed dial. Power outages during this will be a few days probably. The hotel has generators.

Also, this isn't downtown, near the bay, it's well into Houston and very few people in this neighborhood are leaving. The few who are seem to just be going to family in one of the Houston suburbs. The news director of the ABC affiliate lives a couple houses away and of course, he's staying, and his wife and kids are staying, too, and he isn't concerned. Since he has such good access to emergency management and isn't worried about this neighborhood, sounds good to me. My house has tons of windows (one is 9ft high by 30 ft wide and goes up into a cathedral ceiling thing and I have big trees behind it).

Also two trees out front of my bedroom and den that are already slated to be removed next month because they are getting weak. Also we have 5 rather large 3x3 skylights. I have no place that doesn't have windows or skylights, even the bathrooms. And this storm is coming in at night, DARK.

Plus, I have total faith in the judgment of our mayor who worked miracles these past weeks. He said, no need to evacuate this part of town.

I truley do appreciate everyone's concern, but there are soooo many people here who really need it, with substard housing, living in an area around the coast, with so many disadvantages and also, people here from Katrina, who are already at the end of their rope.

[Bouncy Ball]

77. oookay.

Are you familiar with how quickly and easily Houston floods? It's not called "the Bayou City" for no reason.

And are you staying on top of this thing? It is HUGE and NASTY. It has meteorologists freaked. There's no way I'd stay in Houston. No. Way.

Good luck.

[kestrel91316]

83. Do you have a walk-in closet? If so, make it your safe room.

[Media_Lies_Daily]

86. I'm sorry, but I think you're certifiably insane. Get out while you can.

[LSK]

90. ummm, biggest Hurricane in history????

Think Andrew - ok. I just dont understand your mindset. Get in your car tomorrow and just drive north all day. Oh well, I tried. :shrug:

[holboz]

108. I pray that you're right and our concern is un-necessary

Although people are taking things more seriously and with a greater sense of urgency, I think most of us are not 100% confident in the ability of our officials to handle such a catastrophic event. With all due respect, your mayor may have worked miracles in the past three weeks but he's not going to have control of what rath Rita may unleash on the area. I'm with the other DUers who don't want to see New Orleans pt.2

God watch over you and the others who stay. Please keep in touch!! Here's your DU guardian angel:
O8)

[powergirl]

74. BEEN IN A HURRICANE IN HOUSTON AND IT IS SCARY

LEAVE TODAY! My dad just drove up here to Dallas from Galveston. DON'T STAY IN HOUSTON. I'm originally from there and I stayed through a CAT 3 hurricane in 1983 - which is a baby compared to this monster. I was 30 miles inland and was scared out of my mind. Houston flooded then and it will flood again. The 10 foot pains of glass in the downtown buildings were flying through the air end over end. Go anywhere at least as far north as Huntsville.:bounce:

[anarchy1999]

99. Amen to that, I was there for Alicia as well. Houstonians, GET THE HELL

OUT! Not now, but right now!

It's 1:45 and I've seen the latest reports, please don't stay anywhere in the Houston area. Come north, we'll find room for you. Please.

We have room for a single person or couple and can accomodate pets temporarily (no pigs please). We have a 2 bedroom apt with 2 baths, 1 bedroom is an office, but we can find space and save you dollars, plus provide shelter from the rain.

I'm also talking with my pastor of our church in the am, I think we might just have a place that could house 10 to maybe 20. Much more user friendly than a convention space.

Peace all and please don't stick around. Not even in a motel or hotel.

I was working for the Holiday Inn, NASA, when Alicia hit. It was not a nice place to be that week after. I was there the day after Alicia blew through, working. DON'T STAY!

[CoffeeCat]

88. I agree! I am scared for anyone in Houston!!

I'm no expert, but I can't imagine staying in Houston!

Have you seen the radar images of this monster hurricane. Katrina was never this large. This hurricane looks so organized and massive. It's distressing to look at the images. I don't recall that Katrina was so tightly organized.

Please remember NOLA--everyone was in danger--even those staying at posh hotels. Remember the people who stated in hotels, who had to walk forever--just to try to get out and get help???? Some of them suffered greatly because they had no food and water. You can't carry enough food and water through flooded streets as you climb through debris! Plus, it would be extremely difficult to keep pets or children safe? You can't

Get out of Houston. Go far away!

Besides, do you want to be anywhere--in the middle of a disaster--relying on the Federal Government to help you?

Look what they did to the Katrina victims!

I hope I'm not upsetting anyone, but I am concerned for all of you and I think you need to drive north--far away, until this passes.

[BrightKnight]

100. People are being advised NOT to evacuate to Houston.

Officials are advising people not to evacuate to Houston.

[Pooka Fey]

103. FEMA "on the ball" ???

:grr: Misread your post - post-Katrina rage syndrome.

[Horse with no Name]

19. I made quite a few phone calls this afternoon

for another DU'er...there are no rooms until you get to OKC.
I would expect those will be gone very soon.

[benburch]

20. Go as far as you need to go. MEXICO is not a bad choice. nt

[holboz]

110. What about east Texas/ Texarkana?

There are quite a few hotels in Texarkana and it's not as far as OKC. I don't know if they have any rooms available.

I live in NW Arkansas and they've been bringing the Katrina evacuees from Houston to NW Arkansas. Fayetteville is about 6 hours from Dallas; loads of hotels in the area, especially at the weekend. The Econo Lodge in Bentonville was offering free rooms to Katrina victims, I'm sure they would do the same for Rita. I'm sure there are others offering the same or a discounted rate.

Just please get out if you can. You don't fuck with mother nature or second guess her fury. This is one where it's better to be safe than sorry.

[rainbow4321]

49. AAA has send they are having to book rooms for evacuees

in Oklahoma. So, yeah, they may have to go pretty far north.

[Ilsa]

54. Oklahoma City, Lubbock, etc were all full when I checked

earlier today. No place we can get to without driving for two days.

[T Town Jake]

95. Have you checked on some of the suburbs around OKC...

...for open hotel/motel rooms? Off the top of my head, there's El Reno, Edmond, Yukon, Norman.

Hell, Tulsa or even Joplin, Missouri might be worth looking into. Tulsa's only an hour and a half or so further north of OKC, and Joplin's about three, IIRC.

[donheld]

62. Go stay at Tom Delay's house. He's a nice Xtian man. He will

take you camping. Won't that be fun? :sarcasm: sarcasm overload. :crazy:

[BrightKnight]

101. Miller needs to take more in Reunion and open AA Center NOW.

Laura miller needs to take more evacuees in Reunion Arena. American Airline Center and other facilities need to be opened for refugees. Emergency powers should be used if necessary.

These people are evacuating now and they are going to need a place to sleep soon.

[maxsolomon]

4. i hear el paso is nice this time of year

or maybe a trip deep into mehico?

[MojoXN]

7. If anyone needs a place to stay for a while...

I have a spare bed in WV. PM me for details.

MojoXN

[roguevalley]

8. take your pets, your parents, hitchhikers, everyone. give cows a

lift. I am so sorry, Texas. I am sick for you. Please, be careful.

[Mairead]

107. Yes, take your pets and take as many elderly poor people as you can

Call the local senior centers or meals-on-wheels program--they should know who needs help, or know who knows.

Don't leave town with an empty seat in your car. Humans on the seats, non-humans on the laps, treasures in the trunk or on the floor.

[Pithy Cherub]

10. Katrina has made more people move, but I fear not enough will.

Even one of my brothers had to be conviced to leave tonight rather than waiting until Friday! :eyes:
This is extremely serious and my first responder sister told him some tales that really made an impact!

Please be safe to all affected! My good thoughts are with you! :grouphug:

[bigwillq]

11. Please, please listen to benburch.

Get out.

My thoughts are with those in the danger zone.:hug:

[Rex]

13. Time for you mariners to take a break, come up to San Antonio.

I don't know how safe we are up here, but we are known as a tourist haven and have the Alamodome to shelter people in a crisis. Do what Ben says and get out of harms way now! I will NEVER forget the bodies floating in NO. Please, please, PLEASE, don't take any chances. Now is the time to take action, not 5 hours before the storm hits!

[benburch]

18. Kick! nt

[redacted]

21. My parents refuse to evacuate. They are on the NW side of town.

My stubborn as all hell father says the winds will "only be 100 miles per hour" when they reach them.

I know if I argue with him he'll just dig in his heels -- better off just hoping he'll change his mind.

They don't even have plywood for the windows -- he just plansd to "tape" them.

Not sure what to do other than worry.

I might have to scream.

[benburch]

22. Ask them if they have made their wills.

That might get through to them.

What town are you in?

[redacted]

31. I am in California. They are semi-retired in Cypress, TX.

BTW Ben aren't you in Northern Illinois -- I grew up in Southern WI and went to Northwestern -- lived in th Chicago area until 1995.

My parents are relatively new to TX. My Dad just doesn't get it and has self destructive tendencies -- Mom will do whatever he wants.

[benburch]

33. Yes, Elgin, IL.

35 miles NW from Chicago along Interstate 90.

[redacted]

35. I know it well -- that Mc D's is on the way to Beloit -- my home town.

[benburch]

37. Well, don't give up on convincing them...

Ask them if they want to be in the middle of a place with no water, food, or electricity for three weeks? Because that is the most likely outcome if they survive.

[redacted]

40. Thanks I'll do that. (despondent)

[benburch]

45. Want me to call them?

Maybe a total stranger calling them and telling them they are in danger?

Or would that make Dad dig in his heels even more?

[redacted]

47. Woulds likely make things worse. But thanks for the offer.

You're great.

Spoke with my aunt (his sister) and she agrees that it's best to let him find the right answer. When anyone tells him what to do (especially me) he just becomes defiant.

I just hope his obstinance doesn't kill him.

[redacted]

52. Yeay! some movement from them. They've decided to evac IF the storm

stays this strong, AND they are going to get hit on the bad side.

They will wait until tommorrow 4pm to go.

So there is some hope.

[benburch]

59. Good! nt

[WolverineDG]

53. tell him to get a permanent marker

and write his ssn on various body parts. it will make it easier to identify his body.

maybe that will wake him up.

dg

[powergirl]

79. Cypress is in the mandatory evacuation zone

I'm originally from that area - Clear Lake City - Live in Dallas now. My Daddy drove up here from Galveston and he is usually one of those stalwarts who never leave - but he decided he didn't need to roll the dice on this one. Your parents need to run - their area will flood. - probably not to the rooftops but a good 4 feet. Good luck. :hug:

[redacted]

96. Strange. They claim they are not in mandatory evac zone and there is no

way they could flood.

Sometimes I just want to strangle them. But I suppose that's why I moved so far away, but now I feel helpless.

Thanks (frustrated shrug)

[huskerlaw]

111. I have friends in Cypress

last I heard, they were going to stay. I'm so completely freaked out for them. :cry:

[Bouncy Ball]

26. Does he realize that RIGHT NOW it's the third most intense

hurricane on record?

Does he realize in the Dallas area, they are talking about possible power outages and water problems? And flash floods?

THAT far north?

God, I hope he changes his mind, this one is one bad mofo.

[benburch]

30. BB, this will be this WILL be the most intense storm recorded.

I would bet on it.

[tom_paine]

60. It already jumped to #2 -- 898 mb

http://www.weather.com/maps/news/atlstorm18/stormtrack_large.html

[Ilsa]

75. Pressure has fallen slightly again.

Now at 26.52; was at 26.55. Rita is a real bitch.

[Bouncy Ball]

78. What is that in MBs?

[karlrschneider]

89. 33.87 Mb/in Hg

easy conversion

[redacted]

34. He thinks his brick house will withstand. But it's not reinforced and the

windows are not boarded up. And WHAT ABT THE F'ING ROOF BLOWING OFF!!!!

We are making brownies -- we are going to drown our pain in chocolate.

[Bouncy Ball]

38. Oh shit, I'm so sorry.

Shit, they have to get out. My friends in Spring headed to Oklahoma to ride it out with her parents.

I have friends also in the Seabrook area who left yesterday, they said "fuck this shit." They aren't sure they'll have houses to return to.

I'll keep your parents in my thoughts, ok?

[expatriate]

91. "Brick" houses in the south are not really brick

they are timber construction with brick veneer. They have no more structural integrity that any other timber construction house. So many people in tornado prone areas have brick veneer put on their houses, even on trailers, thinking it will make them "strong". It doesn't.

My heart goes out to you. My father was exactly the same way, and would not take advice from anyone. It led to his untimely demise.

At this point, it's probably best not to urge your father any more, because that's feeding his self-destructive and oppositional tendencies. Since he's shown some change of mind, I wouldn't nudge him in the opposite direction.

Then he can get mad and evacuate, just to show you!

I am thinking of you and your parents.

[Lorien]

27. Tape can be better than plywood

it can keep shards of glass from becoming lethal weapons. I hope that the hurricane weakens and steers clear of them. :hug:

[benburch]

32. Tape to prevent shards, but plywood to save the glass in the first place.

Do both.

[Bouncy Ball]

25. Do as we did.

Get further than 100 miles inland, just to be sure. They're thinking this might cause flash floods pretty far north.

[benburch]

28. Agreed. Good plan.

100 miles inland is the MINIMUM.

This storm could make landfall with 225 mph surface winds.

[txindy]

55. If we get heavy rains that don't let up, yes, we certainly will

The ground is too hard and dry to absorb anything but a soft, steady, light rain - and that's not in Rita's future, I'm afraid. Steer clear of low water crossings and any dry creek bed because they won't be dry for very long.

[Dover]

36. Evacuation seems to be going fairly well if the local media is accurate.

I don't know how much of what I'm hearing on local Texas news is hype, but it does seem a very orderly and well planned evacuation with the added advantage of Katrina's wrath having demonstrated the foolishness of riding it out in the hurricane's path. And the rescue centers are still up and stocked from taking in Katrina evacuees, so they are ready to go for the most part and volunteers have had some practice. AND though the property damage may be immense, there will probably be a lot less loss of life....particularly if it hits in the relatively unpopulated area in the center of the coastline (relative to a big city like Houston).

Those taken out in buses (at least from Galveston) are being encouraged to take their pets with them in the buses and that makes a big difference in getting cooperation.

Most of the evacuees will have their own money and transportation as well so there shouldn't be such a strain on the support system.

[Horse with no Name]

39. Considering there has been 5 days to do so

as well as unlimited resources, as well as everyone is paying attention now...it seems to be going very well.:sarcasm:

[Dover]

48. I wasn't bragging and it's not a competition. I'm relieved there has

been more time to plan/evacuate and with lessons learned from Katrina so fresh. I am sorry that it will put further strain and less focus on Katrina-hit areas for the time being...when they have barely been able to take a breath from their efforts.

Yes, Texas will probably fare better than New Orleans et al. due to a number of things that make it's situation different. And yes, it's Bush country which WILL be to the citizen's advantage...with cronyism no doubt paying big dividends.

[Ilsa]

41. Hotels all booked up. Our city has a madatory evac plan but

they readily admit that some of the places they recommend evac to could be hit as hard as we could be hit.

My autistic son doesn't travel long distances well, nor does he take to large crowds well, and they don't take to all his noise-making well, either. A public shelter is OUT.

If the storm goes far enough north of Matagorda, we're staying, as we'll be on the south side of it. If it heads more towards us, we'll go to my dad's near College Station.

Flooding isn't a problem where we are. The winds are the problem.

[benburch]

44. Looks like Galveston.

Whether he travels well or not, get out of there. Get as far away as you can.

[Dover]

51. Where are you? If you are anywhere near the center of the coast

I wouldn't even consider staying. The roads might be flooded by the time you decide to bail out. What kind of help would make this possible for you?

[Ilsa]

61. We're leaving when we figure out the most likely

scenario for landfall. That will help us figure out which way to head. We should know something tomorrow. Yes, we are almost in the center of the projected path of the storm.

[Dover]

66. I'm relieved to hear it. Might be a good idea to study alternative routes

to your destination and to others, just in case you run into problems and discover a lot of other people had the same idea and have clogged the roads. Take care!

[Ilsa]

68. Thanks. We know all the ways out really well.

We'll stay away from the farm to market roads as they can be unreliable in storms.

[kestrel91316]

85. GO SW. Get in the car and drive and KEEP GOING. Laredo (I'm serious)

[kestrel91316]

84. Matagorda is a BAD place to be, you are too close. Head to LAREDO.

[sepia_steel]

43. My heart and prayers to you, Texas

and please get as far away as you can, even if that means camping out in your car or a campground. i bet you wouldn't be alone.

[Ilsa]

56. In some areas away from the coast, flooding may occur because

the storm moves inland and dumps alot of rain in a short period of time. That's what happened in 1998 as central texas flooded rivers upstream and then downstream.

[Dover]

58. I remember that. It was a deluge. I've also seen severe flooding in

Houston in the not-too-distant past.

[Donailin]

57. You all might as well come to DC!

We'll make our own weather and storm the WH!

[Just Me]

63. It's just not worth the risk. Please, leave the area.

Please. If you're able to take others with you, take them. If you're able to hitch a ride, take it.

It's better to do whatever necessary to avoid yet another human tragedy than to risk allowing it to happen, again.

Please, leave the area.

[expatriate]

64. Okay, I admit it - I'm a weather nut.

Have been ever since moving to Louisiana at the age of four, in 1964.

I have had first hand experience with Hurricanes Betsy, Hilda, Camille, Juan and a whole slew of others I can't remember the names of (and am too lazy and distracted to look up).

I've been watching hurricanes now for four decades.

I have NEVER seen anything like this storm. I have never seen such a huge storm so strong - the old rule of thumb used to be that the further the storm spread out, the weaker it was, so you hoped for a big, diffuse, spread out hurricane without a defined eye. Small storms were the ones that were intense, but they tended not to strike a huge area. The swath of Camille was small compared to Katrina.

Now global warming has brought us monster storms of incredible intensity. Storms that no-one living has ever seen before.

Hurricane Rita is like nothing I have ever seen - Cat 5, huge, and even more organized than Katrina.

So I add my voice to benburch's - get out. Just get out, however you have to, even if you just drive out of the path of this thing, and sleep in your car.

Please, please get out. I have never in my life evacuated from a hurricane - it just wasn't done during my thirty years in Louisiana, unless you were in the wetlands areas or on Grand Isle.

I would run from this one, if I had to camp under an overpass somewhere.

Run away!

[cmf]

70. My sister is not evacuating, but my father is

My father lives in Galveston, I talked to him this morning, he was just going to put the shutters up and then take off to stay with family. I havent been able to get through since. All circuits busy.

Sister lives in Houston (in Montrose for those who are familiar). I managed to text message her and her reply was "We're not leaving. We'll be ok." Crap. Crap. All I can imagine is maybe she's essential staff? When tropical storm Allison blew through a couple years ago, the dorm was destroyed due to flooding. :(

Mom's in Lake Charles. I talked to her briefly, she was at a dinner when I called, I'm still waiting for her to call me back.

[benburch]

71. Tell your sister that this is a near-record storm. nt

[cmf]

72. I'm trying.

It's hard to impart that over text messaging. :shrug: I'm hoping that they have somewhere safe to shelter in. I'm very worried.

[Penndems]

112. Maybe this will convince her to leave:

Hurricane Local Statement from the National Weather Service:

HURRICANE LOCAL STATEMENT...CORRECTED FORMATING NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE HOUSTON/GALVESTON TX 534 AM CDT THU SEP 22 2005
...RITA IS A DANGEROUS CATEGORY 5 HURRICANE WITH WINDS NEAR 175 MPH...

...HURRICANE WATCH IS IN EFFECT FOR THE UPPER TEXAS COAST...

...INLAND HURRICANE WATCH FOR ALL OF SOUTHEAST TEXAS...

...THIS STATEMENT APPLIES TO THE RESIDENTS OF...GALVESTON... AUSTIN...BRAZORIA...BRAZOS...BURLESON...CHAMBERS...COLORADO...FORT BEND...GALVESTON...GRIMES...HARRIS...HOUSTON...JACKSON...LIBERTY... MADISON...MATAGORDA...MONTGOMERY...POLK...SAN JACINTO...TRINITY... WALKER...WALLER...WASHINGTON...AND WHARTON COUNTIES.

...WATCHES/WARNINGS IN EFFECT... HURRICANE WATCH FOR ALL OF THE COASTAL COUNTIES OF SOUTHEAST TEXAS.

INLAND HURRICANE WATCH FOR ALL OF SOUTHEAST TEXAS.

...CURRENT STORM INFORMATION...

.LOCATION... AT 4 AM CDT...THE CENTER OF HURRICANE RITA WAS LOCATED NEAR LATITUDE 24.9 NORTH...LONGITUDE 88.0 WEST...OR ABOUT 515 MILES SOUTHEAST OF GALVESTON TEXAS.

.MOVEMENT... HURRICANE RITA WAS MOVING WEST-NORTHWEST AT 9 MPH. THIS GENERAL MOTION IS EXPECTED TO CONTINUE FOR THE NEXT 24 HOURS.

.INTENSITY... MAXIMUM SUSTAINED WINDS WERE ESTIMATED AT 175 MPH WITH HIGHER GUSTS. RITA IS A DANGEROUS CATEGORY 5 HURRICANE AND FLUCTUATIONS IN STRENGTH ARE EXPECTED THROUGH TOMORROW.

...PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...

.EVACUATION INFORMATION... FOR JACKSON COUNTY... MANDATORY EVACUATION HAS BEEN DECLARED FOR THE ENTIRE COUNTY.

FOR MATAGORDA COUNTY... MANDATORY EVACUATION IN EFFECT FOR EVERYONE SOUTH OF A LINE FROM HIGHWAY 35 AT THE BRAZORIA COUNTY LINE TO MARKHAM THEN SOUTH ON HIGHWAY 2431 TO MIDFIELD AND THEN SOUTH ON HIGHWAY 111 TO THE COUNTY LINE. THIS CURRENTLY EXCLUDES BAY CITY AND VAN VLECK.

ALTHOUGH TRAFFIC HAS BEEN HEAVY AS THE TRAFFIC MANAGEMENT PLAN HAS BEEN IMPLEMENTED...TRAFFIC MOVEMENT SHOULD ACCELERATE. DO NOT LET THE TRAFFIC DELAYS HALT YOUR EFFORTS TO EVACUATE.

FOR HARRIS COUNTY... MANDATORY EVACUATIONS ARE IN EFFECT FOR ZONE A. ZONES B AND C WILL HAVE MANDATORY EVACUATIONS BEGINNING AT 6 AM.

FOR GALVESTON AND BRAZORIA COUNTIES... MANDATORY EVACUATIONS ARE IN EFFECT FOR ZONE A. ZONE B STARTED A MANDATORY EVACUATION IN EFFECT AT 2 AM. ZONE C WILL HAVE A MANDATORY EVACUATION IN EFFECT AT 6 AM. PEARLAND OFFICE OF EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT OFFICE HAS ISSUED A MANDATORY EVACUATION FOR THOSE IN FLOOD PRONE AREAS...THOSE IN MOBILE HOMES OR OTHER NON-STURDY STRUCTURES...AND FOR THOSE WITH SPECIAL TRANSPORTATION.

LIBERTY COUNTY... LIBERTY COUNTY OFFICE OF EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT HAS ASKED FOR A VOLUNTARY EVACUATION FOR THE ENTIRE COUNTY. EVACUEES SHOULD TRAVEL NORTH ON HIGHWAY 321 AND HIGHWAY 146. SPECIAL NEEDS INDIVIDUALS IN NEED OF TRANSPORTATION SHOULD CONTACT THE SHERIFFS OFFICE.

FOR FORT BEND... VOLUNTARY EVACUATIONS IN EFFECT.

FOR WHARTON...MANDATORY EVACUATIONS BEGIN AT 6 AM.

.SCHOOL...GOVERNMENT...AND HOSPITAL FACILITY CLOSINGS... MANY INDEPENDENT SCHOOL DISTRICTS IN GALVESTON...BRAZORIA... MATAGORDA...JACKSON...CHAMBERS...AND HARRIS COUNTIES ARE CLOSED.

LAMAR...NEEDVILLE...AND FORT BEND INDEPENDENT SCHOOL DISTRICTS ARE CLOSED.

IN ADDITION...ALL SCHOOLS IN THE SAN JACINTO COLLEGE DISTRICT AND BRAZOSPORT COLLEGE ARE CLOSED. GALVESTON COUNTY GOVERNMENT FACILITIES ARE CLOSED TODAY. THE JAMAICA BEACH OFFICE OF EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT IS CLOSED.

UNIVERSITY OF TEXAS MEDICAL BRANCH (UTMB) IN GALVESTON IS CLOSED. NO MEDICAL CARE WILL BE AVAILABLE AT UTMB HOSPITAL FROM THIS POINT FORWARD.

...STORM SURGE FLOOD AND STORM TIDES IMPACT... TIDE LEVELS ARE CURRENTLY RUNNING WITHIN 1 FOOT OF NORMAL ALONG THE UPPER TEXAS COAST. TIDE LEVELS ARE EXPECTED TO GRADUALLY BEGIN RISING LATER TODAY AS SWELLS ASSOCIATED WITH HURRICANE RITA BEGIN PROPAGATING ACROSS THE COASTAL WATERS. THIS POTENTIAL WATER LEVEL RISE COUPLED WITH THE HIGH TIDE CYCLE TONIGHT AND EARLY FRIDAY MORNING WILL LIKELY RESULT IN MINOR COASTAL FLOODING ACROSS THE LOWEST AREAS ALONG THE COAST AND ADJACENT TO THE BAYS. MORE SIGNIFICANT COASTAL FLOODING IS EXPECTED TO OCCUR AT THE SUBSEQUENT HIGH TIDE CYCLE WHICH WILL BEGIN FRIDAY EVENING AND CONTINUE INTO SATURDAY MORNING.

THE FOLLOWING ARE THE HIGH TIDE TIMES FOR THURSDAY EVENING AND EARLY FRIDAY MORNING...AS WELL AS THE PREDICTED WATER LEVELS.

LOCATION HIGH TIDE TIME EXPECTED WATER LEVEL RELATIVE TO MEAN LOWER LOW WATER

PLEASURE PIER 937 PM CDT THU 4.7 FEET

PORT BOLIVAR 1123 PM CDT THU 3.9 FEET

GALVESTON CHANNEL 1109 PM CDT THU 4.4 FEET

SAN LUIS PASS 1100 PM CDT THU 3.7 FEET

JAMAICA BEACH 147 AM CDT FRI 3.9 FEET

MORGANS POINT 930 AM CDT FRI 3.5 FEET

EAGLE POINT 303 AM CDT FRI 3.4 FEET

FREEPORT 949 PM CDT THU 4.4 FEET

PORT OCONNOR 451 AM CDT FRI 3.6 FEET

CLEAR LAKE 514 AM CDT FRI 3.5 FEET

...WIND IMPACTS... TROPICAL STORM FORCE WINDS...39 MPH OR GREATER...ARE EXPECTED TO REACH THE UPPER TEXAS COAST AROUND NOON FRIDAY AND SPREAD INLAND TO THE INTERSTATE 10 CORRIDOR BY LATE AFTERNOON. THE TROPICAL STORM FORCE WINDS ARE THEN EXPECTED TO PUSH NORTHWARD ACROSS THE REMAINDER OF SOUTHEAST TEXAS BY AROUND MIDNIGHT.

THE ONSET OF HURRICANE FORCE WINDS ARE EXPECTED AT THE COAST BY LATE FRIDAY EVENING. HURRICANE FORCE WINDS ARE THEN EXPECTED TO SPREAD INLAND THROUGHOUT THE REMAINDER OF FRIDAY NIGHT AND INTO SATURDAY AFTERNOON.

AN INLAND HURRICANE WATCH HAS BEEN ISSUED FOR ALL OF SOUTHEAST TEXAS. THIS MEANS SUSTAINED WINDS GREATER THAN 74 MPH ARE POSSIBLE OVER ALL OF SOUTHEAST TEXAS.

THE IMPACTS FOR SUSTAINED WINDS OF 70 TO 90 MPH WITH GUSTS 100 TO 110 MPH ARE AS FOLLOWS... VERY DANGEROUS WINDS WILL PRODUCE WIDESPREAD DAMAGE. DESTRUCTION OF MOBILE HOMES ARE LIKELY!

STRUCTURAL DAMAGE... THE MAJORITY OF MOBILE HOMES MAY BE SEVERELY DAMAGED. THOSE THAT SURVIVE COULD BE UNINHABITABLE. HOUSES OF POOR TO AVERAGE CONSTRUCTION MAY RECEIVE MAJOR DAMAGE...INCLUDING PARTIAL WALL COLLAPSE AND ROOFS BEING LIFTED OFF. MANY COULD BE UNINHABITABLE. WELL CONSTRUCTED HOUSES MAY INCUR MINOR DAMAGE TO SHINGLES...SIDING... GUTTERS...AND BLOWN OUT WINDOWS. UP TO ONE QUARTER OF GABLED ROOFS MAY FAIL.

PARTIAL ROOF FAILURE IS POSSIBLE AT INDUSTRIAL PARKS...ESPECIALLY TO THOSE BUILDINGS WITH LIGHT WEIGHT STEEL AND ALUMINUM COVERINGS. OLDER LOW RISING APARTMENT ROOFS MAY ALSO BE TORN OFF...AS WELL AS RECEIVING SIDING AND SHINGLE DAMAGE. UP TO ONE QUARTER OF ALL GLASS IN HIGH RISE OFFICE BUILDINGS MAY BE BLOWN OUT. AIRBORNE DEBRIS MAY CAUSE DAMAGE...INJURY...AND POSSIBLE FATALITIES.

NATURAL DAMAGE... ALL TREES WITH ROTTING BASES MAY UPROOT OR SNAP. NEARLY ALL LARGE BRANCHES SHOULD SNAP. BETWEEN ONE QUARTER AND ONE HALF OF HEALTHY SMALL TO MEDIUM SIZED TREES MAY BE SNAPPED OR UPROOTED.

...RAINFALL... 8 TO 12 INCHES OF RAIN...WITH LOCALIZED HIGHER AMOUNTS...IS EXPECTED THROUGH THE DURATION OF THE EVENT. INLAND FLOODING IS LIKELY FRIDAY NIGHT AND SATURDAY.


Link:
http://www.weather.com/weather/alerts/?alertId=12211

[Ilsa]

73. MoveOn.org has a site of people who have volunteered hurricane housing!

http://www.hurricanehousing.org/results.html?zip=78705&distance=50&limit=0&start=0

[Carni]

76. Folks I have a tiny home but my yard is always open

I'll provide the food and bathrooms...if you provide the tent.

I could host a tent village in my yard which quite large and is WAY north (ok like maybe 900 miles) but our temps here are pretty good right now.

Just ask and I am sure many of us here at DU will give whatever shelter we can!

Just GTF out of there--I'll even walk your dog!

[ellie]

80. Come on up to

Northwest Ohio. The weather is absolutely beautiful during the fall and it is sparsely populated here.

[benburch]

81. Northern Illinois has lots of Suite-type hotels that always have rooms...

And the Fall here is usually lovely!

[theHandpuppet]

106. Get thee to Athens, Ohio -- come on up!!

Always dreamed of living in a progressive area -- small town life, university (Ohio U), surrounded by beautiful forests, wildlife, rivers and farmland? Time to visit Athens County, Ohio. What a better time to come on up and check it out! TONS of camping areas (especially around the Hocking River), many with cabins; bed and breakfasts; or hotels for those who need all the creature comforts. There's even a small aiport nearby.

Seriously, folks -- these insanely intense 'canes are just Mother Nature's introduction to the era of global warming. Our coastlines are going to be hit over and over again by Ritas and Katrinas. EVACUATE NOW in the face of Rita but also start checking out other places in the country to relocate.

[gulfcoastliberal]

82. Freepers, please disregard this warning.

This is a test of the emergency DU warning system, this is only a test. If this had been an actual hurricane, FEMA, in conjunction with the police, would confiscate your firearms once they arrived 10 days after the storm. You don't want your guns confiscated, do you? Better stay with them and make sure they're safe. ;)

[Lorien]

87. Even after Katrina, the "it can't happen to me" belief persists

sorry, but those who have cars and don't evacuate are fucking irresponsible and risk being the recipients of Darwin Awards. Last time I evacuated I passed by many people who were obviously too poor to afford a hotel room who were camped along the highway up in Georgia. Hey, a highway in Georgia in your '79 Impala is a HELL of a lot better than lying injured in a pile of rubble after a hurricane in the muggy sub tropical heat! Those who CHOOSE to stay when they have a way to leave risk putting an extra burden on EMS workers, the Red Cross and others who SHOULD only be worried about those who had no other choice! And let me tell ya-weeks on end with no electricity is no picnic. It gets old bloody fast.

Don't be a delusional dumbass; leave now, leave tomorrow morning, leave tomorrow night...just LEAVE!!

[Pooka Fey]

92. Get out. Don't count on any help from * , even if it is Texas

Nominated.

[Blue_In_AK]

93. Hop on a plane and come to Anchorage

It's lovely here, a little drizzly this time of year, but not bad -- mid-50s during the day, 40s at night. Tourist season is over -- the hotels would probably love the extended season.

[T Town Jake]

94. Recommended for the greatest page...

...please folks in the path of this monster, heed this advice. This is deadly serious business we're talking about here.

[redacted]

97. Reccommended -- we just need 1 more nt

[Kurovski]

102. recommended.--N/t

[maddiejoan]

104. Go to Washington DC.

[maddiejoan]

105. Go to Washington DC.

Ritaville, USA

109. here is interest chart on most dangerous hurricanes

this is like deja vu, same kind of thread when katrina was coming.



Rank Storm name, location Year Category Deaths
1 Galveston, Texas 1900 4 8,000 - 12,000
2 Lake Okeechobee, Fla. 1928 4 2,500 - 3,000
3 Florida Keys 1935 5 408
4 Audrey in La., Texas 1957 3 390
5 Miami, Pensacola, Fla.; Miss., Ala. 1926 4 372
6 Grand Isle, La. 1909 3 350
7 Florida Keys, Texas 1919 4 287
8 New Orleans 1915 4 275
9 Northeastern Texas 1915 4 275
10 New England 1938 3 256
10 Camille in Miss., La., Va. 1969 5 256