Lake Charles goes dial up

[jlauderdal]

NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE LAKE CHARLES LA
300 AM CDT SAT SEP 24 2005

DISCUSSION
FIRST EXPERIENCE IN A HURRICANE FOR THIS ILLINOIS BOY.
PARTICULARLY MISSING HOME RIGHT NOW. SOUNDS AS IF A 747 IS SITTING
UPON THE ROOF REVVING ITS ENGINES. WIND EQUIPMENT HAS FAILED HERE
BUT BELIEVE WE ARE NOW SEEING WINDS POSSIBLY IN A 70 TO 90 KNOT
RANGE HERE AT LAKE CHARLES. NOS GAUGE AT CALCASIEU PASS REPORTED A
GUST TO 112 MPH...AND THEN FAILED. ANTICIPATING A 15 TO 20 FOOT
STORM SURGE AND UNSURE AT THIS TIME IF THIS WILL IMPACT US. WAS JUST
INFORMED THAT AIRPORT TERMINAL NEXT TO OFFICE HAS COLLAPSED. JUST
HAD A BRIEF COMMS FAILURE BUT NOW BACK UP. UNFORTUNATELY...SINCE WE
ARE NOW IN A DIAL BACKUP MODE...WILL BE UNABLE TO UPDATE GRIDS AND
WILL TURN THIS RESPONSIBILITY OVER TO OUR CURRENT BACKUP OFFICE SAN
ANTONIO. WE WILL MAINTAIN SHORT-TERM
RESPONSIBILITY...NOWCASTS...HLS'S...TAFS...WARNINGS...AS LONG AS WE
HOLD TOGETHER.

RITA CURRENTLY MOVING ONSHORE OVER EXTREME SOUTHWEST CAMERON PARISH
ON A NORTH NORTHWEST TRACK...AND RIGHT ON WITH NHC FORECAST TRACK.
SYSTEM PROGGED TO CONTINUE GENERAL MOTION ACROSS SOUTHEAST TEXAS
TODAY WITH DAMAGING WINDS AND TORRENTIAL RAINS.

INPORTANT TO NOTE THAT LATEST MODELS INDICATING SYSTEM WILL NOT
STALL ACROSS REGION...THUS WILL SEE SIGNIFICANTLY LOWER RAINFALL
TOTALS GOING INTO THE NEW WEEK. JUST A BIT OF GOOD NEWS TO END ON.

FOR ADDITIONAL INFORMATION REGARDING HURRICANE RITA...PLEASE REFER
TO THE LATEST ADVISORIES FROM THE NATIONAL HURRICANCE CENER...AND
THE FOLLOWING PRODUCTS ISSUED BY THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE
OFFICE IN LAKE CHARLES.

HURRICANE LOCAL STATEMENT: PIL - NEWHLSLCH
INLAND HURRICANE/TROPICAL STORM WARNINGS: PIL - NEWNPWLCH
FLOOD WATCH: PIL - NEWFFALCH

GOOD LUCK TO EVERYONE.

[lapeym]

Best.....discussion......ever!

[jlauderdal]

Best.....discussion......ever!

I though it was a winner myself. Was more like blog material than a disco but it works for me.

[OklahomaWeather]

What a trooper!

[HurricaneQueen]

Guessing they've had a long night (or two). Nice that they could put out a product like that.

Hope everyone came through OK. Sending good thoughts your way from SW FL.

Lynn

[cancunkid]

Wow! To go through all that and keep up the good work and try to end on a positive note! Impressive

[TexasStooge]

Very impressive.

[yzerfan]

They've got a blog up as well:

http://www.srh.noaa.gov/lch/temp/ritablog.htm

"5:30 PM - Quick head count of the office staff shows 16 out of a possible 24 staff members are in the building at this time. Also housing 1 spouse and 2 pets. Makes for crowded conditions at times, but no fist-a-cuffs yet! Click here for a picture of operations."

[tampawx]

I loved the comment regarding it sounding like a 747 on the roof...never thought of it that way. Creative for sure.