Rita's rain, wind bypass Oklahoma

IDABEL, Okla. (AP) _ Residents of Oklahoma's southeastern tip had hoped that Hurricane Rita's tropical moisture would give the region the soaking showers it needs to finally end a drought that

Sunday, September 25th 2005, 1:55 pm

By: News On 6

IDABEL, Okla. (AP) _ Residents of Oklahoma's southeastern tip had hoped that Hurricane Rita's tropical moisture would give the region the soaking showers it needs to finally end a drought that prompted state officials to issue wildfire alerts for the area.

But after coming ashore along the Texas-Louisiana border early Saturday, Rita slowed and took an eastward track that forecasters said will dump the heaviest rains in eastern Texas and Arkansas. The latest data released Saturday evening by the National Weather Service had the remnants of Rita projected to curve northeast Sunday morning, then quickly move east toward the Mississippi Valley overnight Sunday and into Monday.

Now, all southeastern Oklahoma communities are expecting is a light drizzle.

``They're telling us we're just going to get the outer bands out of this,'' said Judy Glover, a dispatcher for the Idabel Police Department in McCurtain County. ``We had hoped we were going to get lots of rain.''

The National Weather Service said there is a 70 percent chance of rain Sunday in southeast Oklahoma, with a 100 percent chance for rain in the extreme southeast corner of the state. Although some storms could produce heavy rainfall, only between 1 and 3 inches is expected.

The region, which includes commercial timber production acreage, has experienced drought conditions throughout most of the summer. A state order that banned outdoor burning remained in effect for months until it was lifted on Thursday.

``We have not had a good rain for two months,'' Glover said.

The state Department of Emergency Management said the American Red Cross and churches across the state had opened shelters to take in evacuees from Oklahoma communities hard-hit by heavy rain as well as evacuees from Louisiana and Texas.

A spokeswoman for the agency, Michelann Ooten, said evacuees arrived late Thursday and Friday but there were no reports of additional arrivals on Saturday.

``Everything's really quiet,'' Ooten said.

Although the state's emergency management center remained on 24-hour alert, Ooten said it appears the state will avoid heavy flooding or the possibility of tornadoes spawned by the remnants of the storm.

``The situation doesn't seem to be playing out to be as horrendous as we first thought it might be,'' Ooten said. ``But we're still on standby and waiting to see exactly what Rita may bring our way, and we'll respond accordingly.''

Southeastern Oklahoma's dry forecast had attracted East Texas residents who evacuated northward to avoid Rita's heavy rains, according to Glover.

Hundreds of evacuees are housed in churches, motels and cabins throughout the area, she said.

On Saturday, Texas Gov. Rick Perry announced a plan to stagger the return of more than 2.5 million evacuees to avoid some of the traffic jams and gasoline shortages that resulted when residents fled Texas.

``If you return today, we cannot guarantee enough fuel, we cannot guarantee safety along the roads because of debris and down power lines, and we cannot ensure a fast return,'' Perry said in a statement.

On Sunday, residents in communties west of Interstate 45 and north of Interstate 10 were asked to return, with Monday scheduled for the return of those people living in communities west of State Highway 35 and south of I-10. Included in Monday's return plan are all Houston residents inside Loop I-610.

Residents in remaining areas east of I-45 were asked to wait until Tuesday to return.

Although torrential rain is not expected, the U.S. Geological Survey alerted state and federal agencies Saturday that heavy rainfall from Rita will increase the likelihood of landslides in the Ozark-Ouachita mountains of Arkansas, Missouri and eastern Oklahoma.

The region has been dry in recent weeks but soil conditions pose a significant risk for fast-moving landslides in areas that receive heavy rain, the agency said in an advisory.

Forecasts call for up to 7.6 inches of rain in a 24-hour period beginning Sunday in the Ozarks of Arkansas and Missouri. Up to 21.8 inches of rain is forecast for the region through Thursday.