Latest weather alert for my area--Port Arthur looks to be projection

[Horse with no Name]

Flash Flood Watch from the National Weather Service:

MILLER-CADDO-BOSSIER-WEBSTER-CLAIBORNE-LINCOLN-UNION LA-DE SOTO- RED RIVER-BIENVILLE-JACKSON-OUACHITA-SABINE LA-NATCHITOCHES-WINN- GRANT-CALDWELL-LA SALLE-BOWIE-FRANKLIN-TITUS-CAMP-MORRIS-CASS- WOOD-UPSHUR-MARION-SMITH-GREGG-HARRISON-CHEROKEE-RUSK-PANOLA- NACOGDOCHES-SHELBY-ANGELINA-SAN AUGUSTINE-SABINE TX- INCLUDING THE CITIES OF...TEXARKANA...SHREVEPORT...BOSSIER CITY... MINDEN...HOMER...RUSTON...FARMERVILLE...MANSFIELD...COUSHATTA... BIENVILLE...JONESBORO...MONROE...MANY...NATCHITOCHES... WINNFIELD...COLFAX...COLUMBIA...JENA...CLARKSVILLE...MT VERNON... MT PLEASANT...PITTSBURG...DAINGERFIELD...ATLANTA...QUITMAN... GILMER...JEFFERSON...TYLER...LONGVIEW...MARSHALL...RUSK... HENDERSON...CARTHAGE...NACOGDOCHES...CENTER...LUFKIN... SAN AUGUSTINE...HEMPHILL 423 PM CDT FRI SEP 23 2005

...FLASH FLOOD WATCH IN EFFECT UNTIL SATURDAY AFTERNOON...

THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN SHREVEPORT HAS ISSUED A

* FLASH FLOOD WATCH FOR NORTHWEST LOUISIANA...NORTH CENTRAL LOUISIANA...NORTHEAST TEXAS...EAST TEXAS...AND SOUTHWEST ARKANSAS...ALONG AND SOUTH OF A LINE FROM NEAR CLARKSVILLE TEXAS...TO FARMERVILLE LOUISIANA

* UNTIL 4 PM SATURDAY AFTERNOON

* HURRICANE RITA IS EXPECTED TO MOVE INLAND SATURDAY MORNING NEAR PORT ARTHUR TEXAS. HURRICANE RITA WILL PRODUCE HEAVY RAINFALL AS IT MOVES INLAND LATE TONIGHT...THROUGH SATURDAY NIGHT. THE REMNANTS OF RITA WILL MOVE NORTHWEST AND NORTH TONIGHT AND SATURDAY...BRINGING HEAVY RAINFALL TO EAST AND NORTHEAST TEXAS...AND PARTS OF NORTHWEST LOUISIANA...BEGINNING LATE TONIGHT AND CONTINUING SATURDAY.

* THIS IS A VERY DANGEROUS FLASH FLOOD SITUATION. RAINFALL AMOUNTS FROM HURRICANE RITA WILL GENERALLY BE 6 TO 12 INCHES OVER NORTHEAST AND EAST TEXAS...AND 4 TO 8 INCHES OVER NORTHWEST LOUISIANA...WITH LOWER AMOUNTS OVER NORTH CENTRAL LOUISIANA. ISOLATED AMOUNTS IN EAST AND NORTHEAST TEXAS MAY APPROACH 20 INCHES...BY THE TIME THE STORM ENDS SUNDAY OR MONDAY.

A FLASH FLOOD WATCH MEANS THAT CONDITIONS MAY DEVELOP THAT LEAD TO FLASH FLOODING. FLASH FLOODING IS A VERY DANGEROUS SITUATION.

YOU SHOULD MONITOR LATER FORECASTS AND BE PREPARED TO TAKE ACTION SHOULD FLASH FLOOD WARNINGS BE ISSUED.

[Texasgal]

1. Damn....

This is not going to be good. :(

[HeeBGBz]

2. Did you say this was your area?

Are you in the path of the storm?

[Horse with no Name]

3. yep.

going right through us.

[HeeBGBz]

6. How far are you from the beach?

Are you hunkered down or leaving?

[Horse with no Name]

8. We are on the Oklahoma border

Far enough from the beach.

[Gloria]

4. The Hurricane Watch Net mentioned up to 25 inches along the

coast as far as Alabama was possible, with a specific mention of Metro NOLA being likely to get a helluva lot of rain over the course of severa days...

[Texasgal]

5. Do you have a DU buddy?

That you can contact or that contact you in the event that you are not able to get online?

Do you have any emergency provisions in place in case you flood?

Please tell me your on a hill or something! :scared:

[Horse with no Name]

12. we've got everything we need

Thanks.:)
Been making preparations all week.
Everything is secure, animals are taken care of.
We have food,water, flashlights, and candles. All of our cell phones are charged and I purchased a weather radio yesterday.
I bought the baby a life jacket in case we end up being evacuated into flood waters...don't want to take any chances.
All the pet carriers are in the house and ready to go.
We all have a suitcase ready to go as well.
Just waiting on Rita to make her appearance.
Our house in on pier and beam--so we are about 3 feet off the ground.
I plan on taking pics and posting for you guys...but if we lose power...will do it ASAP. Batteries are charging now.

[Texasgal]

13. Thank goodness!

You sound prepared!

Please try to get back to us as soon as you can... we will be worried!

[patdem]

7. I don't see notice of a storm surge..just lots of rain and flooding?

do they expect a storm surge also?

[Horse with no Name]

9. we're not coastal

we won't see a surge.

[patdem]

14. Thanks..I figured a surge on top of all that rain would be devistating...

I guess you will only be devistated by inundating rain. Good luck...and take care of the kitty cat! :hug:

[HeeBGBz]

10. Storm surge 15 feet according to MSNBC

Be safe

[Zynx]

11. This may not be a Katrina, but it could be an Ivan.

Ivan was "only" a three when it made landfall. I hope people living in that area remember it doesn't have to be a mega storm to cause very significant damage.