Update On Hurricane Rita

Update: More here:

Hurricane Rita Becomes a 175-Mph Monster; 1.3 Million Evacuated

GALVESTON, Texas (AP) - Gaining strength with frightening speed, Hurricane Rita swirled toward the Gulf Coast a Category 5, 175-mph monster Wednesday as more than 1.3 million people in Texas and Louisiana were sent packing on orders from authorities who learned a bitter lesson from Katrina.

Unfortunately, things aren't looking very good.

HOUSTON -- Hurricane Rita is now a top-of-the-scale, "potentially catastrophic" Category 5 storm, packing winds of 165 mph, according to the National Hurricane Center.

Forecasters said the storm could be the most intense hurricane on record to ever hit Texas.

Bumped

Comments

[!]

Its "Bush"s fault ! LOL

[Bigfish]

10 PM CDT WED SEP 21 2005

MAXIMUM SUSTAINED WINDS ARE NEAR 175 MPH...280 KM/HR...WITH HIGHER
GUSTS. RITA IS A POTENTIALLY CATASTROPHIC CATEGORY FIVE HURRICANE ON
THE SAFFIR-SIMPSON SCALE. SOME FLUCTUATIONS IN INTENSITY ARE LIKELY
DURING THE NEXT 24 HOURS.

HURRICANE FORCE WINDS EXTEND OUTWARD UP TO 70 MILES...110 KM...

FROM THE CENTER...AND TROPICAL STORM FORCE WINDS EXTEND OUTWARD UP
TO 185 MILES...295 KM.

THE ESTIMATED MINIMUM CENTRAL PRESSURE IS 897 MB...26.49 INCHES.
THIS MEANS RITA IS THE THIRD MOST INTENSE HURRICANE IN TERMS OF
PRESSURE IN THE ATLANTIC BASIN.
--------------------------------------
2-4 inches of rain in New Orleans unless Rita takes a jog to the north and then estimates increase.
Bigfish

[Kelly3]

Hey Rita DON"T MESS WITH TEXAS!!!

[!]

What if Rita takes a turn to the North east ??

That would not be a pretty scene.!!

None if it is but that would be the worse case scenerio.

[!]

SCRATCH that last sentence. I meant to say. (ITS LATE. )S/B
...Not that it is but that would be the worse case scenerio.

[Isabell]

Its "Bush"s fault ! LOL

Posted by: ! | Sep 21, 2005 11:48:59 PM

LMAO! That's right. If he hadn't been on vacation that one time this wouldn't happen. When houses are ruined it will be his fault. Everything is his fault.

[MarlboroGal]

This bad girl Rita means business. If you're in Texas and near her projected path, LEAVE, especially if you're right on the GOM. I know it's a pain in the butt to evacuate because I've had to do it before myself and may have to do it in the near future yet because of where I live on the east coast. Please don't risk your lives to ride out this monster (cat 5) of a storm. She's not worth dying for.