Be sure and continue to refer to this link for a vast amount of information on Hurricane Rita. You will find links to satellite photographs, radar, the official tracking chart and a number of discussions and advisories:
http://www.abc3340.com/weather/tropics.html
But we want to give you a late morning roundup of what's going on and discuss how Rita will affect other familiar places along the Gulf Coast. She was located late this morning:
* Near latitude 25.4 N, longitude 88.7 W, about 445 miles SE of Port Arthur, Texas.
* She was moving toward the WNW at 9 mph. A gradual turn to the NW should occur within 24 to 36 hours.
* Sustained winds have decreased to 165 mph with higher gusts. She is still a strong Category 5. She may weaken some more before landfall, but she will still be extremely dangerous.
* Hurricane force winds go out 85 miles from the center.
* Central pressure 907 milibars, 26.78 inches.
* Coastal storm surge flooding of 15 to 20 feet above normal tide levels with large and dangerous battering waves will occur near and to the right of landfall.
* Huge amounts of rain. Could be 8 to 12 inches and possibly some 15-inch amounts along the path of Rita, especially over SE Texas and West Louisiana. Amounts of 3 to 5 inches are possible over SE Louisiana, including New Orleans.
* And this is very bad news: After moving inland, rainfall totals may exceed 25 inches because of her slowing down. This could be over parts of East Texas and West Louisiana.
* A Hurricane Warning has been posted from Port Oconnor, Texas to Morgan City, Louisiana. Port Oconnor is about halfway down the Texas coast. That means that hurricane conditions are expected within the next 24 hours.
* A Tropical Storm Warning is up for areas south of Port Oconnor to Port Mansfield, Texas and also for the SE coast of Louisiana east of Morgan City to the mouth of the Mississippi River.
* A Tropical Storm Watch was in effect for north of the mouth of the Mississippi River to the mouth of the Pearl River, including metro New Orleans and Lake Pontchartrain.
Here is a look at how Rita will affect other parts of the Gulf Coast:
GULF SHORES: A Coastal Flood Warning and a High Surf Advisory was in effect. Scattered showers and thunderstorms today becoming more numerous Friday and Saturday. During this time frame, prevailing winds should be east 15-25 mph, gusts may be a bit higher.
GULFPORT-BILOXI: A Coastal Flood Warning is in effect tonight through Friday. Showers and thunderstorms tonight becoming numerous Friday and Saturday with rainfall locally heavy. A good chance of showers on Sunday. All through this time, prevailing winds should be east 10-20 mph, maybe some higher gusts.
NEW ORLEANS: Posted earlier. Scan down to get that informtation.
SPOT REPORTS
New Orleans International Airport...partly sunny, wind NE 13
Belle Chase...wind NE, gusts to 17
Houston Hobby Airport....wind NNW 7
Galveston...sunny, wind N 15
Corpus Christi...sunny, wind N 6
Buoy #42001 (210 miles S of Southwest Pass, Louisiana)...wind NNE 54, gusts to 69 mph, 34-foot waves
We included those reports from coastal Louisiana and SE Texas to show that nothing is going on yet. The projected landfall further east along the Upper Texas coast should take a bit of pressure off Galveston and Houston, but that is certainly not sealed in stone yet. As we always say, you can look for some last minute surprises in landfalling hurricanes. They are like Bill Gates...they love to throw monkey wrenches at us.
http://www.abc3340.com/weather/tropics.html
But we want to give you a late morning roundup of what's going on and discuss how Rita will affect other familiar places along the Gulf Coast. She was located late this morning:
* Near latitude 25.4 N, longitude 88.7 W, about 445 miles SE of Port Arthur, Texas.
* She was moving toward the WNW at 9 mph. A gradual turn to the NW should occur within 24 to 36 hours.
* Sustained winds have decreased to 165 mph with higher gusts. She is still a strong Category 5. She may weaken some more before landfall, but she will still be extremely dangerous.
* Hurricane force winds go out 85 miles from the center.
* Central pressure 907 milibars, 26.78 inches.
* Coastal storm surge flooding of 15 to 20 feet above normal tide levels with large and dangerous battering waves will occur near and to the right of landfall.
* Huge amounts of rain. Could be 8 to 12 inches and possibly some 15-inch amounts along the path of Rita, especially over SE Texas and West Louisiana. Amounts of 3 to 5 inches are possible over SE Louisiana, including New Orleans.
* And this is very bad news: After moving inland, rainfall totals may exceed 25 inches because of her slowing down. This could be over parts of East Texas and West Louisiana.
* A Hurricane Warning has been posted from Port Oconnor, Texas to Morgan City, Louisiana. Port Oconnor is about halfway down the Texas coast. That means that hurricane conditions are expected within the next 24 hours.
* A Tropical Storm Warning is up for areas south of Port Oconnor to Port Mansfield, Texas and also for the SE coast of Louisiana east of Morgan City to the mouth of the Mississippi River.
* A Tropical Storm Watch was in effect for north of the mouth of the Mississippi River to the mouth of the Pearl River, including metro New Orleans and Lake Pontchartrain.
Here is a look at how Rita will affect other parts of the Gulf Coast:
GULF SHORES: A Coastal Flood Warning and a High Surf Advisory was in effect. Scattered showers and thunderstorms today becoming more numerous Friday and Saturday. During this time frame, prevailing winds should be east 15-25 mph, gusts may be a bit higher.
GULFPORT-BILOXI: A Coastal Flood Warning is in effect tonight through Friday. Showers and thunderstorms tonight becoming numerous Friday and Saturday with rainfall locally heavy. A good chance of showers on Sunday. All through this time, prevailing winds should be east 10-20 mph, maybe some higher gusts.
NEW ORLEANS: Posted earlier. Scan down to get that informtation.
SPOT REPORTS
New Orleans International Airport...partly sunny, wind NE 13
Belle Chase...wind NE, gusts to 17
Houston Hobby Airport....wind NNW 7
Galveston...sunny, wind N 15
Corpus Christi...sunny, wind N 6
Buoy #42001 (210 miles S of Southwest Pass, Louisiana)...wind NNE 54, gusts to 69 mph, 34-foot waves
We included those reports from coastal Louisiana and SE Texas to show that nothing is going on yet. The projected landfall further east along the Upper Texas coast should take a bit of pressure off Galveston and Houston, but that is certainly not sealed in stone yet. As we always say, you can look for some last minute surprises in landfalling hurricanes. They are like Bill Gates...they love to throw monkey wrenches at us.
on September 22, 2005, 9:41 am
URNT12 KNHC 221500Z
VORTEX DATA MESSAGE
A. 22/1449Z
B. 25 DEG 18 MIN N
88 DEG 38 MIN W
C. 700 MB 2326 M
D. NA
E. NA
F. 121 DEG 135 KT
G. 35 DEG 13 NM
H. 913 MB
I. 18 C/ 3058 M
J. 22 C/ 3050 M
K. 14 C/ NA
L. OPEN SE
M. C017-55
N. 12345/7
O. 1/1 NM
P. NOAA3 1818A RITA OB 05
MAX FL WIND 135 KT NE QUAD 1446Z
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