New Hurricane Hunter Data On Rita

NHC conference call is wrapping up... new data shows maximum flight level winds (at 700 mb, or 10,000 feet) now up to 103 knots (119 mph), and a central pressure of 965 mb.

NHC on the call suggests there is a real chance Rita could become a category five hurricane along the way in the Gulf of Mexico. This thing sure looks impressive now on satellite and radar images....

The new 10:00 package will be out shortly.