Rita Goes Skiing

[Brettski]

Rita hit Cat 4 this morning. Yikes.

Forecasted to go to a 5.....

 

[ctenidae]

Double Yikes.

There's even more oil/etc in Texas than LA.

 

[skijay]

One local radio station said, never mind the price of gas, but try to find it if this disrupts the oil region. Has anybody else heard that?

 

[ctenidae]

The number 1 and 6 largest refineries are in the area, accounts for something like 5-10% of US gasoline production, so yeah, gas could gets scarce. Venezuela's sending more up (Chavez's quote was great- "Slap me on the cheek, and I'll respond by trying to help you"), and Europe's going to keep shipping it over as long as the EPA restrictions are lifted.
Of course, if Rita hits on LA again then moves across to Texas, things could get ugly.

 

[ctenidae]

10:35am 09/21/05
U.S. crude stocks fall; gasoline stocks up: Energy Dept By Ciara Linnane
NEW YORK(MarketWatch) -- The Energy Department said crude inventories fell for the week ended Sept. 16, down 300,000 barrels to total 308.1 million. They've already fallen 14.5 million barrels in the last three-straight weeks. Motor gasoline supplies rose by 3.4 million barrels to 195.4 million. Distillate stocks were up 800,000 barrels at 134.1 million barrels. Energy prices continued higher with all eyes on Hurricane Rita. October unleaded gas is up 5.7% at $2.09 a gallon. October crude is up $1.20 at $67.30 a barrel after trading as high as $68.10 earlier. October heating oil is up 2.4% at $2.06 a gallon.

 

[JimG.]

Biggest problem if this storm hits will be diesel and home heating oil. That region produces nearly all of the diesel for the midwest and we're in the middle of the harvest there.

Home heating oil might just run out period. If you didn't already lock in a rate for this winter, good luck.

 

[ALLSKIING]

Home heating oil might just run out period. If you didn't already lock in a rate for this winter, good luck.

Lock in? I did not even no one could do that so I called all the oil companies in my area and got laughed at when I asked if they lock in there prices. :angry:

 

[Marc]

Yeah, there aren't any oil companies around here that are locking in prices this winter either.

 

[ctenidae]

Analysts are calling for $4 or even $5 gas if Rita wrecks anything important. Fill'em up now, boys, because this weekend may be too late.

 

[Greg]

The latest recon report indicated the pressure in Rita has fallen to 920 mb and the maximum flight level winds were over 175 mph. AccuWeather.com Meteorologists believe Rita has become a Cat 5 hurricane.

 

[skijay]

I only require a fill up once a year. I get a break because of the tank size and also a cash discount if I pay within 2 days of delivery. You bet I do!

My oil company does allow you to lock a rate in, if you need the multiple deliveries.

 

[ctenidae]

http://gom.rigzone.com/rita.asp

This is kind of cool, in a scary kind of way. I hope Rita doesn't track a little north of the predictions...

 

[ChileMass]

Now a Category 5 with winds over 165 mph......

Guess global warming might be more than a theory after all.....

 

[loafer89]

Rita is now the third strongest hurricane on record in the Atlantic Basin with a central pressure of 898mb

She will most likely weaken as she aproaches the shallower and somewhat cooler water near the Texas coast, at least one hopes that will happen.

 

[Marc]

Now a Category 5 with winds over 165 mph......

Guess global warming might be more than a theory after all.....

Technically speaking, it would be difficult for it to surpass theory status. A theory only has to be proven incorrect once.

In any case, I don't see the past two years worth of increase hurricane frequency/intensity as blinding evidence supporting global warming. Ice ages, insanely complex weather mechanisms and only around 100 years of supporting data to put together trends... we know enough about CO2's interaction with the atmospheric gases from the laboratory; we should focus on that without trying to put together weak "I told you so" anecdotal evidence.

On the other hand, I generally stay out of global warming discussion since I try not to be one of the many arm chair scientists. I can't say I come close to knowing nearly enough about the subject (or caring about it enough) to give my opinion.

Which is unusual for me, I'm normally the first to jump up and offer his unfounded commentary. Making an ass of myself is one thing I do really well.

 

[Stephen]

I believe Chile's GW theory (that's global warming, not the other GW...) was extreme tounge in cheek.

We DEFINITELY need a tounge in cheek smiley on the board.

Lovely Rita Rip-the-meter-out-of-the-pavement Maid...

-Stephen

 

[Marc]

I cannot acknowledge any tongue in cheek... I'm sorry.


Reason being... I bit my cheek the other day and now have a monstrous cancor there.




Check back with me in a few days. I'm going to find the Ahhhh.... Ambesol.

 

[ctenidae]

The hting that always gets lost in global warming discussions is that the question isn't if it's happening, it's if humans are making it happen faster. Ice core samples from teh poles show pretty clearly that there have been cycles of increased CO2, coupled with increassed temperatures. So, there's little doubt that greenhouse gasses do cause a greenhouse effect. The question is, are we artificially elevating levels of greenhouse gasses, and if so, what's that going to do? If the Earth should be in a downward cycle, then maybe we're avoiding an ice age. If it's in an upward cycle, we may be preheating the oven. With only 100 years of hard data, and only theoretical data of long-term trends for the past million years or so, it's hard to say what cycle we're in.

The point is moot, however- there's no way that belching out massive amounts of pollution is in any way a good thing, regardless of global warming, etc. Why can't the world just realize that we really ought to do something tangible about it simply because it's a much safer thing to do? I know, I know, money.

 

[Brettski]

Global warming?

Anyone see "The day after tomorrow"?

Cat 5, And a more northernly route...luckily for Galveston...been there once....

http://www.nhc.noaa.gov/text/refresh/MIATCPAT3+shtml/221138.shtml

 

[ctenidae]

Man, that looks like it's gonna blow right through the heaviest patch of fixed rigs. That's not good. Only good thing is it looks like most of the portable rigs have been moved East.