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NWS Lake Charles Office Web Log A log of events and occurrences at the NWS office in Lake Charles, as well as other information coming into the office, to give you a feel of what it's like to work Hurricane Rita Post Mortem - Well as you can see by the time listed below, and the fact that Rita's effects lasted far longer than 2 AM, something drastic happened...our data network failed. While voice communications both into and out of the office stayed up during the storm, we were no longer able to issue products on our own...nor could we update our homepage as usual. This was a failure similar to what happened after Hurricane Katrina hit the New Orleans area about a month earlier. To summarize the events that followed our comms failure...the staff who rode out the storm in the office: organized the backup efforts that alternated between the San Antonio/Austin and Houston/Galveston NWS offices; listened to winds which slammed things into the building (or in the case of Joe & Sam, watched a transformer broken off a nearby light pole blow OVER the office), answered a ton of phone calls (even during the worst of the storm); and even ventured out and performed damage surveys of employees residences, as well as storm surveys around the Lake Area. Special thanks go out to the following for their work above and beyond the call of duty: 1) Our crack electronics staff, who went out during the height of the storm to correct a failure in our doppler radar, located about 30 yards east of the operations building (but a 50 to 60 yard run from the back door); 2) Deputy Will Scheufens of the Calcasieu Parish Sheriffs Office, who provided security in the case of the worst, as well as constant communications with local law enforcement and emergency management; 3) Facilities technicians from NWS New Orleans and other parts of the NWS's Southern Region, who brought in much needed supplies after the storm and started us on the road to recovery; and finally 4) Four electronics technicians from the NWS's Central Region, who were sent to us to provide emergency repairs to our homes, in heat, humidity and mosquitoes none of which were anywhere used to dealing with...and did so without even a hint of complaining. 2:00 AM - The latest advisory from the NHC puts the
center about 10 miles offshore of 2:00 AM - Due to the slow-moving nature of Rita, the
tornado warning for extreme 1:35 AM - Okay, it looks like my landfall projection was
slightly premature, as 1:20 AM - Totally unofficial, but it looks here like Rita
is currently making landfall near 1:10 AM - The 1 AM position estimate out of NHC put the
center about 30 miles 12:50 AM - Tornado warnings issued for Avoyelles and
Rapides Parishes, based on a 12:30 AM - The NOS gage at Calcasieu pass just reported a
peak gust of 97 knots, or 12:25 AM - We've been sharing the wealth around this
evening as far as doing live 12:15 AM - Peak wind gusts from official reporting
stations around the forecast area, as
* Lake Charles 69 knots/79 mph #
# Official equipment has died, and it is the firm belief of the forecasting
staff @ Unit here has also malfunctioned...last full observation came in at 7 PM 12:00 AM - Happy Saturday. Per the latest NHC
advisory, the center of Hurricane 11:40 PM - The observing unit at Sea Rim State Park now
reporting sustained winds 11:30 PM - The office is receiving numerous phone calls
from people who didn't leave 11:00 PM - Sea Rim State Park, along the coast south of
Beaumont, just gusted to 10:50 PM - Newest Hurricane Local Statement is available. 10:40 PM - Peak wind gusts from official reporting
stations around the forecast area, as
* Lake Charles 64 knots/74 mph 10:30 PM - The backup batteries in the airport's
observing unit finally died. We have 10:25 PM - Some unconfirmed reports to share... * 50 to 55 mph winds in Stephensville (Lower St. Martin Parish)
* Storm surge of unknown depth hammering Pecan Island (Vermilion
* An 18-wheeler flipped on I-10 at mile marker 29, near Westlake * Trees and power lines down all over Acadiana 10:05 PM - We just issued our first tornado warning for
intense winds in the eyewall...it's 10:00 PM - Click here for an image of the latest forecast track of Rita. 9:35 PM - After doing a quick, impromptu survey of local
media web sites, how come 9:25 PM - Was just told that the number of regional or
state conference calls we have 9:20 PM - Just got off the conference call with the
National Hurricane Center. No 9:15 PM - We have achieved hurricane status...64 knot/74 mph wind gust at 9:07! 9:15 PM - Just stepped out the back door of the office to
take a look at conditions 9:10 PM - This just in to the office...the Calcasieu
Parish Office of Homeland Security 9:10 PM - With the power out at the airport, the
automated observing unit on the runway 8:50 PM - We just received phone calls of thanks from
Calcasieu Parish Director of 8:35 PM - The U.S. Geological Survey is reporting an
earthquake, magnitude 5.0, in the 8:30 PM - The Lake Charles doppler radar is back online
and is showing the strongest 8:20 PM - Forgot to mention that at 7:30, commercial
power to the building failed and 8:00 PM - Now it's Steve's turn to do a live phone
interview with KPLC...click here for 8:00 PM - Various members of the staff have done a
countless number of conference 7:50 PM - 71 mph gust!!! 7:35 PM - The office just had its highest gust so
far...52 knots/60 mph. Our radar also 7:10 PM - First staff meeting of the evening.
Discussed protocol in case of an 6:50 PM - Click here for an image of the latest forecast track of Rita. 6:30 PM - Recent recon report indicates that Rita has 3
concentric eye walls...the outer 6:25 PM - Roger is currently doing a live interview with
KPLC, talking about what 6:20 PM - Recent reports from Cameron show winds now gusting to 90 mph! 6:00 PM - Todd just launched the weather balloon in near
tropical storm force winds. 5:30 PM - Quick head count of the office staff shows 16
out of a possible 24 staff 5:25 PM - First tornado report makes its way into the
office. Tornado sighted in 5:00 PM - It's been an afternoon of increasing winds and
rain across Southern Louisiana
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