Hurricane Rita makes landfall in Southwest Louisiana

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Hurricane Rita
Tropical Storm Philippe

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Hurricane Rita makes landfall in SW Louisiana

Surfersvillage Global Surf News, 24 September, 2005 : - - (05h20 ET) Hurricane Rita's eyewall, containing wind gusts of at least 90 to 115 mph, has absolutely punished coastal and interior areas of southwest Louisiana along with portions of Jefferson and Orange counties across the border in Texas. Hurricane Rita made landfall at 2:30 am CDT just east of the Texas/Louisiana border in western Cameron Parish between Sabine Pass and Johnson's Bayou.

With the likelihood of a tremendous surge along with the torrential rain, there were immediate reports of flooding in Cameron and Lake Charles, Louisiana. In fact, there is almost no doubt that a powerful surge has overcome a good portion of Cameron Parish, Louisiana. Along with the surge, mighty waves of 20 to 30 feet battered the upper Texas coast and coastal Louisiana.

Winds have gusted to 112 mph at Cameron, Louisiana while Beaumont, Texas has gusted 105 mph and Port Arthur has gusted to 116 mph. There is also now a report of terminal collapse at the Lake Charles Regional Airport. Rainfall has obviously been torrential across parts of east Texas and the southern half of Louisiana. Around 8 inches of rain has already fallen over Beaumont, Texas while Baton Rouge, Louisiana has picked up well over 7 inches.

Once inland, a weakening Rita could move northward and then stall in easternmost Texas and extreme western Louisiana and possibly drifting back to the south or southwest. Rainfall across easternmost Texas and southwestern Louisiana may exceed 12 inches initially, but if the stalling scenario plays out then well over 20 inches of rain is possible in some locations. The result could be extensive flooding through at least the first part of the upcoming week not just in and around the location of landfall but farther north into locations such as Shreveport and Alexandria, Louisiana, Marshall and Lufkin, Texas and Texarkana, Arkansas. Preparations for this event of excessive rainfall and the resultant flooding should begin now.

Elsewhere in the Atlantic Basin, Philippe is a depression and will be absorbed by an area of low pressure about 170 miles south of Bermuda. This system may develop into a tropical system over the weekend. Another area of low pressure well west of the Cape Verde Islands may also develop into a tropical system over the next couple of days although satellite representation is quite poor at this time.

In the central and eastern Pacific, Tropical Storm Jova (40 mph), Tropical Storm Kenneth (60 mph) and Tropical Storm Norma (50 mph) are churning toward the northwest, west and west-northwest respectively. None of these storms pose a threat to any land at this time however the waves propagated by Jova have kicked up the waves along the east facing shores of the Hawaiian Islands just a bit however all high surf advisories have been discontinued.

Check for the latest updates at the National Hurricane Center

Hurricane Rita

Hurricane Rita : Current location 5-Day Cone courtesy NOAA/NHC
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Tropical Storm Philippe

Tropical Storm Philippe : Current location 5-Day Cone courtesy NOAA/NHC
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BULLETINS : ...... Click here for latest NOAA/NHC Advisory

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