Severe Thunderstorm Warning 109, NWS Lake Charles, LA

AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
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...HLSS...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.

&&

.PRELIMINARY POINT TEMPS/POPS...
KLCH  77  83  79  85 / 100 100  90  60
KBPT  77  84  79  86 / 100 100  80  60
KAEX  75  82  75  83 / 100 100 100  80
KLFT  77  84  78  85 / 100 100  90  60

&&

.LCH WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES...
LA...INLAND HURRICANE WARNING UNTIL 8 PM SATURDAY FOR THE FOLLOWING
     ZONES: ALLEN...BEAUREGARD...CALCASIEU...CAMERON...IBERIA...
     JEFFERSON DAVIS...LOWER ST. MARTIN...ST. MARY...VERMILION...
     AND VERNON.

     HURRICANE WARNING FOR THE FOLLOWING ZONES:
     CAMERON...IBERIA...ST. MARY...AND VERMILION.

     FLASH FLOOD WATCH THROUGH SUNDAY FOR THE FOLLOWING ZONES:
     ACADIA...ALLEN...AVOYELLES...BEAUREGARD...
     CALCASIEU...CAMERON...EVANGELINE...IBERIA...JEFFERSON
     DAVIS...LAFAYETTE...LOWER ST. MARTIN...RAPIDES...ST. LANDRY...ST.
     MARY...UPPER ST. MARTIN...VERMILION...AND VERNON.

     INLAND TROPICAL STORM WARNING UNTIL 8 PM SATURDAY FOR THE
     FOLLOWING ZONES: ACADIA...AVOYELLES...EVANGELINE...
     LAFAYETTE...RAPIDES...ST. LANDRY...AND UPPER ST. MARTIN.

     TORNADO WATCH IN EFFECT UNTIL 6 AM SATURDAY FOR THE FOLLOWING
     ZONES: VERNON...RAPIDES...AVOYELLES...BEAUREGARD...ALLEN...
     EVANGELINE...ST. LANDRY...CALCASIEU...JEFFERSON DAVIS...ACADIA...
     LAFAYETTE...UPPER ST. MARTIN...CAMERON...VERMILION...IBERIA...ST.
     MARY...AND LOWER ST. MARTIN.

TX...FLASH FLOOD WATCH THROUGH SUNDAY FOR THE FOLLOWING ZONES:
     HARDIN...JASPER...JEFFERSON...NEWTON...ORANGE...AND TYLER.

     INLAND HURRICANE WARNING UNTIL 8 PM SATURDAY FOR THE FOLLOWING
     ZONES: HARDIN...JASPER...JEFFERSON...NEWTON...ORANGE...AND
     TYLER.

     HURRICANE WARNING FOR THE FOLLOWING ZONES:
     JEFFERSON...AND ORANGE.

     TORNADO WATCH IN EFFECT UNTIL 6 AM SATURDAY FOR THE FOLLOWING
     ZONES: HARDIN...JASPER...JEFFERSON...NEWTON...ORANGE...AND
     TYLER.

GM...HURRICANE WARNING FOR THE FOLLOWING ZONES: ALL COASTAL WATERS.

     TORNADO WATCH IN EFFECT UNTIL 6 AM SATURDAY FOR GMZ450-455.

&&

MARCOTTE

HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE LAKE CHARLES LA
637 AM CDT FRI SEP 23 2005

GMZ450-455-470-475-LAZ027>033-041>045-051>055-TXZ180>182-201-215-
216-241145-
COASTAL WATERS FROM CAMERON, LA TO HIGH ISLAND, TX OUT 20 NM-
COASTAL WATERS FROM LOWER ATCHAFALAYA RIVER TO CAMERON, LA OUT
20 NM-
WATERS FROM CAMERON, LA TO HIGH ISLAND, TX EXTENDING FROM 20 NM
TO 60 NM-
WATERS FROM LOWER ATCHAFALAYA RIVER TO CAMERON, LA EXTENDING FROM
20 TO 60 NM-VERNON-RAPIDES-AVOYELLES-BEAUREGARD-ALLEN-EVANGELINE-
ST. LANDRY-CALCASIEU-JEFFERSON DAVIS-ACADIA-LAFAYETTE-
UPPER ST. MARTIN-CAMERON-VERMILION-IBERIA-ST. MARY-
LOWER ST. MARTIN-TYLER-JASPER-NEWTON-HARDIN-JEFFERSON-ORANGE-
637 AM CDT FRI SEP 23 2005

THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR PORTIONS OF CENTRAL
LOUISIANA...WEST CENTRAL LOUISIANA...SOUTH CENTRAL LOUISIANA...
SOUTHWEST LOUISIANA...GM AND SOUTHEAST TEXAS.

.DAY ONE...TODAY AND TONIGHT

EXTREMELY DANGEROUS CATEGORY FOUR RITA MOVING NORTHWESTWARD THROUGH
THE NORTHWESTERN GULF OF MEXICO, AND TOWARD THE UPPER TEXAS COAST.
SEE HURRICANE LOCAL STATEMENT ISSUED BY THE LAKE CHARLES
FORECAST OFFICE.

.DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...SATURDAY THROUGH THURSDAY
EXCESSIVE RAINFALL WILL BE THE PRIMARY PROBLEM INTO TUESDAY.

.SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT...

EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT OFFICIALS SHOULD CLOSELY MONITOR THE LATEST
INFORMATION ON EXTREMELY DANGEROUS HURRICANE RITA.