Just-in-Time Lecture Hurricane Rita Ali Ardalan, Kourosh Holakouie Naieni, Ronald E. LaPorte, Eugene Shubnikov, Faina Linkov, Mehdi Russel & Eric K. Noji

What is the Disaster Supercourse?

Mission Statement: The Global Health Network Disaster, Network for Hurricane is designed to translate the best possible scholarly information from leading researchers to educators worldwide.

What is a JIT lecture?

Lecture objectives:  To provide the best possible information about the science of Hurricane Rita  To learn how the science can help prepare us for primary & secondary prevention consequences of Hurricane Rita

"Preparation through education is less costly than learning through tragedy." MAX MAYFIELD, DIRECTOR NATIONAL HURRICANE CENTER

Hurricane Rita  17 th named tropical storm  9 th named hurricane  5 th major hurricane, & 2 nd category 5 hurricane of the 2005 Atlantic hurricane season

Hurricane Rita  The strongest measured hurricane ever in the Gulf of Mexico  The third most intense hurricane ever in the Atlantic Basin

1. Arlene 2. Bret 3. Cindy 4. Dennis 5. Emily 6. Franklin 7. Gert 2005 Atlantic Hurricane Names 8. Harvey 9. Irene 10. Jose 11. Katrina 12. Lee 13. Maria 14. Nate 15. Ophelia 16. Philippe 17. Rita 18. Stan 19.Tammy 20. Vince 21. Wilma

Rita formation: From a tropical Depression to a Hurricane Cat 5 17th Sep: Tropical depression at east of Turks & Caicos Islands 18th Sep: Tropical storm & mandatory evacuation of Florida Keys

20th Sep, night: Tropical storm with wind speed of 70 mph (110 km/h) & incomplete eyewall 20th Sep, 9:45 AM: Hurricane Cat 1 & closed eyewall Rita formation: From a tropical Depression to a Hurricane Cat 5

20th Sep, 1:45 PM: Hurricane Cat 2 with 100 mph (160 km/h) max sustained winds  20 th Sep, 3:55 PM: Hurricane Cat 5 with max wind speeds of 165 mph (265 km/h) Rita formation: From a tropical Depression to a Hurricane Cat 5

NOAA: Rita as a hurricane Category 5: Minimum central pressure of 897 millibars (hPa) (26.49 inches of mercury) on the afternoon of Sep 21

Rita’s the highest sustained wind: 175 mph (280 km/h) Rita: 18 Sep 2005

Hurricane Rita Rita lost both hurricane and tropical storm status on the same day as its landfall NOAA's: Rita's remnants, as an extensive low pressure area, cause substantial flooding due to rainfall, of which 5 to 15 inches (125 to 375 mm)

Rita status: 25 Sep 10 AM Location of centre of Tropical Depression: 40 miles (65 km) NE of Little Rock, Arkansas. Storm movement: Moving NE at 20 mph (32 km/h) with max sustained winds of 20 mph (32 km/h)

Top five most intense Atlantic hurricanes since measurements began (NOAA) North Atlantic PressureYear HurricaneRank 888 mbar (hPa)1988Gilbert1 892 mbar (hPa)1935Labor Day2 897 mbar (hPa)2005Rita3 899 mbar (hPa)1980Allen4 902 mbar (hPa)2005Katrina5 Based on data from: The Weather Channel

Affected area:  Bahamas  Florida  Cuba  Yucatan  Louisiana  Texas  Mississippi  Arkansas

Impacts Death toll as 24 Sep: 29 (One by tornado, one by a fallen tree during the storm, others indirect deaths) Threats of floods Threats of Tornados Damages: $ 8 billion

Rita & Economic importance Gulf of Mexico  Concentration of oil infrastructure  barrels/day  30% of total refining capacity of the US as the world's largest consumer of gasoline & crude oil

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