[NautiNurse]

Category 3 Hurricane Rita

Winds 120 mph, pressure 956mb, moving west near 14 mph.

[NautiNurse]

Hurricane Rita Advisory Number 15
Statement as of 5:00 am EDT on September 21, 2005

...Major category three Rita moving into the southeastern Gulf of
Mexico and continuing to strengthen...

 
at 5 am EDT...0900z...the Tropical Storm Warning for portions of the
Florida Keys is discontinued east of the Marquesas Keys...including
Key West.  A Tropical Storm Warning remains in effect for the
Florida Keys from the Marquesas Keys westward to the Dry Tortugas.

 
Interests in the northwestern Gulf of Mexico should monitor the
progress of Rita.

 
For storm information specific to your area...including possible
inland watches and warnings...please monitor products issued
by your local weather office.

 
At 5 am EDT...0900z...the center of Hurricane Rita was located near
latitude 24.3 north...longitude  84.6 west or about  175 miles...
285 km...west of Key West Florida and about  160 miles... 255 km...
west-northwest of Havana Cuba.

 
Rita is moving toward the west near 14 mph...22 km/hr...and this
general motion is expected to continue for the next 24 hours.  This
motion should bring the center of Rita farther away from the
Florida Keys over the southeastern Gulf of Mexico today.

 
Maximum sustained winds have increased to near 120 mph...195
km/hr...with higher gusts.  Rita is a category three hurricane on
the Saffir-Simpson scale.  Strengthening is forecast during the
next 24 hours...and Rita is expected to become a category four
hurricane sometime later today.

 
Hurricane force winds extend outward up to  45 miles... 75 km...
from the center...and tropical storm force winds extend outward up
to 140 miles...220 km.

 
Estimated minimum central pressure is  956 mb...28.23 inches.

 
Coastal storm surge flooding of 4 to 6 ft above normal tide levels
is possible in the Tropical Storm Warning area.  Storm surge
flooding elsewhere in the Florida Keys and South Florida should
subside today.

Rita is expected to produce additional rainfall accumulations of 1
to 3 inches over extreme southern Florida and the Florida Keys. 
Rainfall amounts of 3 to 5 inches...with maximum amounts of 10
inches over the higher elevations...are possible over northwest
Cuba.  Rainfall amounts of 1 to 3 inches are possible over the
northern Yucatan Peninsula.

Repeating the 5 am EDT position...24.3 N... 84.6 W.  Movement
toward...west near 14 mph.  Maximum sustained
winds...120 mph.  Minimum central pressure... 956 mb.

 
An intermediate advisory will be issued by the National
Hurricane Center at 8 am EDT followed by the next
complete advisory at 11 am EDT.

 
Forecaster Beven

[Gabz]

Dear Lord......................

[Zacs Mom]

NautiNurse ~ could you please add me to your "surf's up ping list" - at least for Hurricane Rita, anyway. I'm going to need to try to stay on top of this one, I think.

Thx!
ZM

[Ellesu]

I think she is already a 4!

http://rsd.gsfc.nasa.gov/goes/

[Alia]

Thanks for the ping, NN. Was in San Francisco past weekend. All were intensely fearful of hurricanes -- the way rest of nation is about west coast earthquakes.

[Pharmboy]

Dear Nauti (and anyone in Dallas): I have a meeting scheduled in Big D for Friday...since you have so much experience with these 'canes, do you think flights out of DFW will be affected by Friday, say, 6PM? Thanks in advance for any help here...
PB

[lsucat]

how close to water was she? we live 2 miles from San Jacinto River, that flows into Galveston Bay, about 8-10 miles south of us...

I think she lived about a mile from the bayou that flooded her home. She *never* thought that house would flood. We didn't either. We are just outside of New Orleans and we were planning to at least be able to go to her house in Diamondhead in the aftermath since she was above sea level. Now she is staying here with us and her house is destroyed.

[BJClinton]

Here's praying it scoots a little further south, stays south of San Antone after landfall and heads out to West Texas where it is needed.

[Syntyr]

Mornin all!

Syntyr here checking in from the Galleria area of Houston. I am busily pushing backup data from our major systems to our off site facilities. You would think that a T3 line would feel faster :)

I am ready locked and loaded personally. Just got to get some last backup checkpoints done. Best of luck and God bless all the family and FRiends in the path. Be careful out there!

[pamlet]

Looks like I'll be livin' on this thread for the next few days huh?

We're north of San Antonio, so we're not too worried... but are doing the water, bottled gas thingy in case we lose water and/or power. Our water seems to go out if you sneeze... laugh.. so we're kind of used to that!

[DAVEY CROCKETT]

Thanks much for a job well done on this thread.

Prayers for all in harms way.

[Chasaway]

Assuming a hit by Rita where currently indicated and at current strength, what would the expected impact be in the Corpus Christi area?

Winds, rain, surge, etc.? Anybody have thoughts?