If this thing tracks further north and east then they need to start evacuating some of the areas further up the coast. This could be a nasty surprise for some.
Satellite shows some weakening of the storm - nothing major though - but still.
The National Weather Service said early Thursday that Rita packs maximum sustained winds of nearly 175 miles an hour and stands as the third most powerful Atlantic storm ever seen, based on pressure readings taken by "hurricane hunter" aircraft.
"Some fluctuations in intensity are likely during the next 24 hours," a National Weather Service advisory said.
As of early Thursday, the hurricane watch zone extended from Port Mansfield, Texas, to Intracoastal City, La.