bkdelong

If you want to see close-to-live readings for yourself, check out the NOAA National Data Buoy Center's "Rita" site. They're taking Rita's GPS reading and marking the various buoy weather info closest to it.

It's just northeast, (by like 5-10mi), of Buoy 42001 at 25.84, -89.66 which is reading winds at 68kts, (roughly 80mph), and gusts up to 87.4 kts, (roughly 103mph). Greater than 64kts, obviously is hurricane strength on the Beaufort Wind Scale. Wave height is at 32ft, Pressure is at 929mb.

I'm looking for live flood gauge data at the landfall point.

Blech. I've got a YIM chat happening with a few friends in the area and would like to add in more of those who stayed. My YIM is bkdelong.