Today as I continue the look back at Hurricane Rita, I will wrap things up with a timeline of the storm, and in closing I will post the hurricane prayer as has become the tradition now each year. It is also permanently located in the right-hand margin of the blog.
-Saturday, September 17, 2005 10p.m.- T.D. 18 formed to the East of the Turks and Caicos Islands.
-Sunday, September 18, 2005 4p.m- T.D. 18 is upgraded to Tropical Storm Rita between the Turks and Caicos Islands and the Bahamas.
Rita continued to steadily strengthen as she neared South Florida and the Keys. Watches and Warnings were issued for this area as well as portions of Cuba on the 18th.
-Tuesday, September 20, 2005 10a.m. - Rita strengthens into a hurricane as it approaches the Florida Straits. Rita began a period of rapid intensification as atmospheric conditions were ideal over the SE Gulf of Mexico.
-Wednesday, September 21, 2005 1a.m.- Rita became a major hurricane with category 3 winds of 115 mph as it moved into the SE Gulf of Mexico to the West of Key West, FL.
-Wednesday, September 21, 2005 4p.m.- Hurricane Rita becomes a catastrophic category 5 hurricane w/ 165 mph winds over the Central Gulf of Mexico. Hurricane Watches were issued for the Texas and Louisiana coast from Port Mansfield, Texas to Cameron, Louisiana. At this time, the official forecast track still took the eye of Rita inland somewhere between Corpus Christi and Galveston. Evacuations began voluntarily at first for many coastal locations.
-Wednesday, September 21, 2005 7p.m.- Rita becomes the third strongest hurricane on record in the Atlantic Basin (stronger than Katrina). Maximum sustained winds were near 165 mph w/ higher gusts, and the barometric pressure had dropped to an incredible 26.55" or 898 mb.
-Wednesday, September 21, 2005 10p.m.- Rita maxes out in intensity with winds at an incredible 175 mph. Wind gusts to near 200 mph were reported. Hurricane hunter aircraft record a gust over 230 mph at flight level. At this time, Rita began to wobble more to the NW, and this would become the eventual motion of direction in the overnight hours. Model guidance shifted the forecast track to between Galveston and Vermilion Bay with most models clustered near Sabine Pass. The NHC still pegged Galveston for landfall at this time.
-Thursday, September 22, 2005 4a.m.- The Hurricane Watch was extended Eastward from Cameron to Intracoastal City due to the model shift, and turn to the NW by Rita. Winds remained in the category 5 range at this time. For the first time in history, a mandatory evacuation for all of Calcasieu Parish was called. Local officials urged everyone to leave the area as Rita was bearing down on the NW Gulf of Mexico.
-Thursday, September 22, 2005 10a.m.- A Hurricane Warning is issued from Port O'Connor, Texas to Morgan City, Louisiana. Evacuations begin full throttle. Rita leveled off during the morning of the 22nd, and still maintained category 5 intensity with 165 mph winds at this advisory.
-Thursday, September 22, 2005 10p.m.- Rita barrels its way towards SW Louisiana. Rita is a category 4 storm with 140 mph winds.
|Now as I wrap up the look back at Rita for this year, let's all say together the Hurricane Prayer.
O God, Master of this passing world hear the humble voices of your children. The Sea of Galilee obeyed Your order and returned to its former quietide. You are still the Master of land and sea. We live in the shadow of a danger over which we have no control; the Gulf like a provoked and angry giant, can awaken from its seeming lethargy, overstep its conventional boundaries, invade our land and spread chaos and disaster. During this hurricane season we turn to You, O loving Father. Spare us from past tragedies whose memories are still so vivid and whose wounds seem to refuse to heal with passing of time. O Virgin, Star of the Sea, Our Beloved Mother, we ask you to please with your Son in our behalf, so that spared from the calamities common to this area and animated with a true spirit of gratitude, we will walk in the footsteps of your Divine Son to reach the heavenly Jerusalem where a stormless eternity awaits us. In the name of the Father, the Son, & the Holy Spirit...Amen!
This prayer was written after Hurricane Audrey by then Bishop of the Diocese of Lafayette Maurice Schexnayder.
This year I would also like to include some song lyrics. So is often the case, music can help with the healing process, so hear is a song that I believe sums it all up quite nicely.
"Sometimes He Calms the Storm" by Scott Krippayne
All who sail the sea of faith
Find out before too long
How quickly blue skies can grow dark
And gentle winds grow strong
Suddenly fear is like white water
Pounding on the soul
Still we sail on knowing
That our Lord is in control
Sometimes He calms the storm
With a whispered peace be still
He can settle any sea
But it doesn't mean He will
Sometimes He holds us close
And lets the wind and waves go wild
Sometimes He calms the storm
And other times He calms His child
He has a reason for each trial
That we pass through in life
And though we're shaken
We cannot be pulled apart from Christ
No matter how the driving rain beats down
On those who hold to faith
A heart of trust will always
Be a quiet peaceful place
I believe it is important to always remember, reflect, and look back at Rita. Of course, none of us here, will ever forget the storm, and the images of the destruction will forever be engraved in our minds and hearts. Prayers continue to go out to all those who have struggled to get back on their feet after Hurricane Rita, and like I said earlier this weekend, it is the resilience, friendliness, hard-working, & heart-warming attitude of the majority of the people here that make SW Louisiana a great place to live. It is the concept of neighbors helping neighbors that is practiced day in and day out that helps us to quickly get back on our feet after any disaster occurs. Rita will be the benchmark storm from now on for our area, and we can only hope and pray that it will be many many many years before another major hurricane strikes our area. It is one of the dangers of living along the Gulf Coast, and the inevitable it is will happen again. Of course, with hurricanes though, you always have plenty of time to get out of the way and make sure you and your family are safe. If you have any questions or comments about anything I've posted over the weekend, feel free to leave them right here on the blog or e-mail me. I always encourage them, and will read/answer them as soon as I can. Be sure to scroll down for part 1 of the look back at Hurricane Rita. Thank you all for reading. God bless all of you and God bless SW Louisiana!!!
-DM-
