PersianPaladin

I don't think it will make landfall as anything less than a Cat 4.

000 WTNT43 KNHC 222049 TCDAT3 HURRICANE RITA DISCUSSION NUMBER 21 NWS TPC/NATIONAL HURRICANE CENTER MIAMI FL 5 PM EDT THU SEP 22 2005 RITA IS GOING TROUGH THE WEAKENING PHASE OF AN EYEWALL REPLACEMENT CYCLE AND DATA FROM THE NOAA RECONNAISSANCE PLANE INDICATE THAT WINDS HAVE DECREASED TO 125 KNOTS...AND THIS MAY BE GENEROUS. HOWEVER...THE MINIMUM CENTRAL PRESSURE HAS REMAINED AROUND 913 MB...WHICH IS A VERY LOW PRESSURE TO HAVE ONLY 125 KNOTS. IN ADDITION TO THE EYEWALL REPLACEMENT CYCLE...RITA IS CURRENTLY MOVING OVER THE EDGE OF A COLD SST EDDY. THIS COULD HAVE ENHANCED THE WEAKENING TODAY. THE HURRICANE IS FORECAST TO MOVE OVER ANOTHER WARM EDDY DURING THE NEXT 12 TO 24 HOURS AND THERE IS SOME CHANCE THAT RITA COULD REGAIN SOME INTENSITY. BECAUSE THE SHEAR IS FORECAST TO INCREASE...THIS MAY COMPENSATE FOR THE STRENGTHENING THAT MAY BE CAUSED BY THE EFFECTS OF THE HIGH HEAT CONTENT. THE BEST OPTION AT THIS TIME IS TO KEEP RITA AS A 125 KT HURRICANE WITH A SLIGHT WEAKENING BEFORE LANDFALL. THE BOTTOM LINE IS THAT RITA IS EXPECTED TO MAKE LANDFALL AS A DANGEROUS HURRICANE OF AT LEAST A CATEGORY THREE INTENSITY. RITA IS MOVING TOWARD THE WEST-NORTHWEST OR 300 DEGREES AT 8 KNOTS. THE FORECAST TRACK HAS NOT CHANGED AND RITA IS EXPECTED TO BE STEERED TOWARD THE WEST-NORTHWEST AND NORTHWEST TOWARD THE UPPER-TEXAS OR THE WESTERN LOUISIANA COASTS AS THE HIGH SHIFTS EASTWARD. AFTER LANDFALL...STEERING CURRENTS ARE EXPECTED TO WEAKEN AND THE CYCLONE COULD MEANDER FOR A COUPLE OF DAYS IN THE VICINITY OF NORTHEASTERN TEXAS...PRODUCING HEAVY RAINS. BASED ON THE FORECAST TRACK AND WIND RADII...THE TROPICAL STORM WARNING HAS BEEN EXTENDED EASTWARD AND NORTHWARD ALONG THE LOUISIANA COAST. ANY TROPICAL STORM FORCE WINDS IN THE NEW ORLEANS AREA ARE EXPECTED TO BE CONFINED TO A FEW SQUALLS ASSOCIATED WITH QUICKLY MOVING RAINBANDS. FORECASTER AVILA FORECAST POSITIONS AND MAX WINDS INITIAL 22/2100Z 25.8N 89.5W 125 KT 12HR VT 23/0600Z 26.5N 90.7W 125 KT 24HR VT 23/1800Z 27.8N 92.4W 125 KT 36HR VT 24/0600Z 29.2N 93.8W 120 KT 48HR VT 24/1800Z 30.5N 94.5W 75 KT...INLAND 72HR VT 25/1800Z 33.0N 95.0W 40 KT...INLAND 96HR VT 26/1800Z 33.0N 95.0W 25 KT...INLAND 120HR VT 27/1800Z 33.0N 95.0W 25 KT...INLAND $$

Rather low at the mo...probably only 10%

Lovely and sunny with blue skies...but with a freshening southerly wind and shade temperatures at approx 18C. In sheltered spots temp's are reaching 19.5C

The ships and GFS may well be over-estimating the degree of wind shear from the high-pressure system as well as perhaps exaggerating the north and eastward shift in the storm motion. (According to NOA) Personally...i think the shipping models are full of crust.

Do u have evidence of this? Because i can't see much change in the forecast projection.

Thanks for that Steve. If u want to keep up to date on virtually everything u want to know about Rita (including SST's, pressure, predicted track, etc) then check it out this website: - http://www.crownweather.com/tropical.html#AL18 Credit goes to Stu from UKWW for this link.

The eye-wall replacement cycle is likely to start from now, and the hurricane will gradually weaken as it heads into a slightly cooler sector of water. Rita will probably drop to a Cat 4 in about 12 hours time, but i suspect it will reach Cat 5 status again once it nears the very warm waters of the Texan coast.

I've just posted that 'suggestion' already. Please scroll up the screen and u will find that confirmed report. i.e. HURRICANE RITA DISCUSSION NUMBER 19

Here are recent gulf SST'S: - Looks like if hurricane rita moves NW then it may reach landfall as a Cat 5 if it can enter those warmer waters of the Texan\Louisana coastline.

Looks like it won't sustain Cat 5 status for very long... It can be a very lonely life when your a Cat 5 and surrounded by high-pressure and imminent land fall....

000 WTNT43 KNHC 220843 TCDAT3 HURRICANE RITA DISCUSSION NUMBER 19 NWS TPC/NATIONAL HURRICANE CENTER MIAMI FL 5 AM EDT THU SEP 22 2005 IF RITA HAS NOT PEAKED IN INTENSITY...IT LOOKS LIKE IT IS PRETTY CLOSE TO DOING SO. THE LATEST CENTRAL PRESSURE ESTIMATED FROM RECONNAISSANCE AIRCRAFT DATA IS 897 MB...WHICH SHOWS LITTLE CHANGE DURING THE PAST 8 HR. THE MAXIMUM FLIGHT-LEVEL WINDS SO FAR ARE 165 KT IN THE NE EYEWALL...WHICH IS ONLY SLIGHTLY HIGHER THAN THE 161 KT OBSERVED YESTERDAY AFTERNOON. THE AIRCRAFT DATA SHOWS A INCREASINGLY STRONG OUTER WIND MAXIMUM THAT IS LIKELY THE START OF A CONCENTRIC EYEWALL CYCLE...AND SATELLITE IMAGERY SINCE THE END OF THE ECLIPSE PERIOD SHOWS WARMING OF THE CONVECTION NEAR THE CENTER. BASED ON ALL OF THIS...THE INITIAL INTENSITY REMAINS 150 KT. RITA HAS TURNED A LITTLE TO THE RIGHT DURING THE PAST SEVERAL HOURS AND THE INITIAL MOTION IS NOW 285/8. RAWINSONDE DATA SHOWS A STRONG MID-LEVEL RIDGE CENTERED OVER TEXAS. LARGE-SCALE MODELS FORECAST THIS RIDGE TO SHIFT EASTWARD INTO THE SOUTHEASTERN STATES AND THE EASTERN GULF OF MEXICO DURING THE NEXT 48 HR. THIS SHOULD ALLOW RITA TO TURN MORE NORTHWARD WITH TIME. THE TRACK GUIDANCE IS NOW CLUSTERED AROUND A LANDFALL BETWEEN THE SABINE RIVER AND MATAGORDA TEXAS IN 48-60 HR...WITH A NET EASTWARD SHIFT OF THE GUIDANCE SINCE THE LAST PACKAGE. THE NEW FORECAST TRACK IS ALSO SHIFTED EASTWARD ABOUT 30 N MI...CALLING FOR LANDFALL NEAR THE BOLIVAR PENINSULA AND GALVESTON BAY. HOWEVER...IT SHOULD BE NOTED THAT THE NEW TRACK IS ALONG THE LEFT OR WEST SIDE OF THE ENVELOPE OF GUIDANCE. THE INTENSITY FORECAST REMAINS SOMEWHAT PROBLEMATIC. FIRST...THE MORE NORTHERLY TRACK WILL LIKELY KEEP RITA OVER THE LOOP CURRENT LONGER THAN PREVIOUSLY EXPECTED...SO THE EFFECT OF LOWER OCEAN HEAT CONTENT MAY BE SOMEWHAT LESS THAN PREVIOUSLY EXPECTED IN THE FIRST 24 HR OR SO. SECOND...THE GFS AND SHIP MODELS FORECAST SIGNIFICANT SHEAR OVER RITA AFTER 24 HR...WHICH RESULTS IN SHIPS CALLING FOR SIGNIFICANT WEAKENING. SHEAR ANALYSES FROM CIMSS AT THE UNIVERSITY OF WISCONSIN SHOW ABOUT 12 KT OF SOUTHERLY SHEAR CAUSED BY AN UPPER-LEVEL ANTICYCLONE EAST OF RITA...AND THE LARGE-SCALE MODELS SUGGEST THIS PATTERN WILL CONTINUE UNTIL LANDFALL. HOWEVER...THE GFS AND SHIPS MAY BE OVERDOING THE SHEAR. FINALLY...THERE WILL BE AT LEAST ONE AND POSSIBLE MORE CONCENTRIC EYEWALL CYCLES BEFORE LANDFALL. THE INTENSITY FORECAST IS BASED ON THE PREMISE THAT SHEAR AND REDUCED OUTFLOW WILL CAUSE A GRADUAL WEAKENING... ESPECIALLY AFTER RITA MOVES WEST OF THE LOOP CURRENT IN 24-36 HR. SUPERIMPOSED ON TOP OF THIS WILL BE FLUCTUATIONS CAUSED BY CONCENTRIC EYEWALL CYCLES. THE NEW INTENSITY FORECAST IS AN UPDATE OF THE PREVIOUS FORECAST...CALLING FOR SLOW OVERALL WEAKENING BUT NOT AS MUCH AS SHOWN BY SHIPS. FORECASTER BEVEN FORECAST POSITIONS AND MAX WINDS INITIAL 22/0900Z 24.9N 88.0W 150 KT 12HR VT 22/1800Z 25.3N 89.3W 150 KT 24HR VT 23/0600Z 26.1N 91.1W 145 KT 36HR VT 23/1800Z 27.2N 92.8W 140 KT 48HR VT 24/0600Z 28.8N 94.3W 130 KT 72HR VT 25/0600Z 32.0N 95.5W 65 KT...INLAND 96HR VT 26/0600Z 34.1N 95.0W 30 KT...INLAND 120HR VT 27/0600Z 34.5N 94.5W 25 KT...INLAND DISSIPATING $$

Wow. This thing as become potentially CATASTROPHIC: - 000 WTNT33 KNHC 220832 TCPAT3 BULLETIN HURRICANE RITA ADVISORY NUMBER 19 NWS TPC/NATIONAL HURRICANE CENTER MIAMI FL 4 AM CDT THU SEP 22 2005 ...POTENTIALLY CATASTROPHIC CATEGORY FIVE RITA MOVING WEST-NORTHWESTWARD ACROSS THE CENTRAL GULF OF MEXICO... AT 4 AM CDT...0900Z...THE HURRICANE WATCH IS EXTENDED EASTWARD ALONG THE LOUISIANA COAST TO INTRACOASTAL CITY. A HURRICANE WATCH IS NOW IN EFFECT FOR THE GULF OF MEXICO COAST FROM PORT MANSFIELD TEXAS TO INTRACOASTAL CITY LOUISIANA. A HURRICANE WARNING WILL LIKELY BE REQUIRED FOR PORTIONS OF THE HURRICANE WATCH AREA LATER TODAY. AT 4 AM CDT...A TROPICAL STORM WARNING IS IN EFFECT FOR THE SOUTHEASTERN COAST OF LOUISIANA EAST OF MORGAN CITY TO THE MOUTH OF THE MISSISSIPPI RIVER. A TROPICAL STORM WARNING MEANS THAT TROPICAL STORM CONDITIONS ARE EXPECTED IN THE WARNING AREA DURING THE NEXT 24 HOURS. A TROPICAL STORM WATCH REMAINS IN EFFECT ON EITHER SIDE OF THE HURRICANE WATCH AREA... FROM EAST OF CAMERON TO MORGAN CITY LOUISIANA...AND FROM SOUTH OF PORT MANSFIELD TO BROWNSVILLE TEXAS. A TROPICAL STORM WATCH REMAINS IN EFFECT FOR THE NORTHEASTERN COAST OF MEXICO FROM RIO SAN FERNANDO NORTHWARD TO THE RIO GRANDE. A HURRICANE WATCH MEANS THAT HURRICANE CONDITIONS ARE POSSIBLE WITHIN THE WATCH AREA...GENERALLY WITHIN 36 HOURS. A TROPICAL STORM WATCH MEANS THAT TROPICAL STORM CONDITIONS ARE POSSIBLE WITHIN THE WATCH AREA...GENERALLY WITHIN 36 HOURS. INTERESTS IN THE NORTHWESTERN GULF OF MEXICO SHOULD MONITOR THE PROGRESS OF POTENTIALLY CATASTROPHIC HURRICANE RITA. FOR STORM INFORMATION SPECIFIC TO YOUR AREA...INCLUDING POSSIBLE INLAND WATCHES AND WARNINGS...PLEASE MONITOR PRODUCTS ISSUED BY YOUR LOCAL WEATHER OFFICE. AT 4 AM CDT...0900Z...THE CENTER OF HURRICANE RITA WAS LOCATED NEAR LATITUDE 24.9 NORTH...LONGITUDE 88.0 WEST OR ABOUT 515 MILES... 830 KM...SOUTHEAST OF GALVESTON TEXAS AND ABOUT 615 MILES... 990 KM...EAST-SOUTHEAST OF CORPUS CHRISTI TEXAS. RITA IS MOVING TOWARD THE WEST-NORTHWEST NEAR 9 MPH...15 KM/HR... AND THIS GENERAL MOTION IS EXPECTED TO CONTINUE FOR THE NEXT 24 HOURS. REPORTS FROM AN AIR FORCE RESERVE HURRICANE HUNTER AIRCRAFT INDICATE THAT MAXIMUM SUSTAINED WINDS REMAIN NEAR 175 MPH...280 KM/HR...WITH HIGHER GUSTS. THIS MAKES RITA 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 LATEST MINIMUM CENTRAL PRESSURE ESTIMATED FROM REPORTS BY THE HURRICANE HUNTER IS 897 MB...26.49 INCHES. THIS MEANS RITA IS THE THIRD MOST INTENSE HURRICANE IN TERMS OF PRESSURE IN THE ATLANTIC BASIN. TIDES ARE CURRENTLY RUNNING NEAR NORMAL ALONG THE MISSISSIPPI AND LOUISIANA COASTS IN THE AREAS AFFECTED BY KATRINA. TIDES IN THOSE AREAS WILL INCREASE UP TO 3 TO 4 FEET AND BE ACCOMPANIED BY LARGE WAVES OVER THE NEXT 24 HOURS... AND RESIDENTS THERE COULD EXPERIENCE SOME COASTAL FLOODING. HEAVY RAINS ASSOCIATED WITH RITA ARE FORECAST TO BEGIN TO AFFECT THE WESTERN AND CENTRAL GULF OF MEXICO COASTAL AREAS THURSDAY NIGHT INTO FRIDAY. RITA IS EXPECTED TO PRODUCE TOTAL RAINFALL ACCUMULATIONS OF 8 TO 12 INCHES WITH ISOLATED MAXIMUM AMOUNTS OF 15 INCHES FROM THE CENTRAL TEXAS COAST TO SOUTHWESTERN LOUISIANA. RAINFALL AMOUNTS OF 2 TO 4 INCHES WILL BE POSSIBLE ELSEWHERE ACROSS SOUTHERN LOUISIANA...INCLUDING THE NEW ORLEANS METROPOLITAN AREA. AFTER RITA MOVES INLAND...TOTAL RAIN ACCUMULATIONS OF 5 TO 10 INCHES WILL BE POSSIBLE OVER EASTERN TEXAS... AND CENTRAL AND EASTERN OKLAHOMA DURING SATURDAY AND SUNDAY. REPEATING THE 4 AM CDT POSITION...24.9 N... 88.0 W. MOVEMENT TOWARD...WEST-NORTHWEST NEAR 9 MPH. MAXIMUM SUSTAINED WINDS...175 MPH. MINIMUM CENTRAL PRESSURE... 897 MB. AN INTERMEDIATE ADVISORY WILL BE ISSUED BY THE NATIONAL HURRICANE CENTER AT 7 AM CDT FOLLOWED BY THE NEXT COMPLETE ADVISORY AT 10 AM CDT. FORECASTER BEVEN $$

If it keeps heading westward...it'll weaken and run into slightly cooler waters in the western quarter of the Gulf...but the water is considerably warmer in the north-western area off the coast of Texas. So it may pep-up again if it heads in that direction. Has somebody said this already? (i bet i'm repeating an obvious point )

Possibly...but i reckon rate of increase should slow in the next 6 hours.

I doubt it.... I wouldn't want to be around when the real 'payback' occurs... :lol:

I'm not surprised that it has developed so quickly....it is entering an area of water where there are uniform temperatures of 29-30C!! :blink:

Your data is rather out-dated now, Strauch67. Max Sustained wind speeds have now exceeded 140mph+ and gusts are even higher.

i already posted that advisory....lol :blink:

000 WTNT33 KNHC 211137 TCPAT3 BULLETIN HURRICANE RITA INTERMEDIATE ADVISORY NUMBER 15A NWS TPC/NATIONAL HURRICANE CENTER MIAMI FL 8 AM EDT WED SEP 21 2005 ...SATELLITE SUGGESTS THAT RITA HAS BECOME A CATEGORY FOUR HURRICANE... 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 8 AM EDT...1200Z...THE EYE OF HURRICANE RITA WAS LOCATED NEAR LATITUDE 24.4 NORTH...LONGITUDE 85.3 WEST OR ABOUT 195 MILES... WEST OF KEY WEST FLORIDA AND ABOUT 790 MILES EAST-SOUTHEAST OF CORPUS CHRISTI TEXAS. RITA IS MOVING TOWARD THE WEST NEAR 14 MPH 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. SATELLITE IMAGERY SUGGESTS THAT RITA HAS CONTINUED TO STRENGHTEN AND MAXIMUM SUSTAINED WINDS HAVE INCREASED TO NEAR 135 MPH WITH HIGHER GUSTS. RITA IS NOW A CATEGORY FOUR HURRICANE ON THE SAFFIR-SIMPSON SCALE. A NOAA PLANE WILL CHECK THE INTENSITY LATER THIS MORNING. SOME ADDITIONAL STRENGTHENING IS POSSIBLE DURING THE NEXT 24 HOURS. HURRICANE FORCE WINDS EXTEND OUTWARD UP TO 45 MILES FROM THE CENTER...AND TROPICAL STORM FORCE WINDS EXTEND OUTWARD UP TO 140 MILES. ESTIMATED MINIMUM CENTRAL PRESSURE IS 948 MB...28.00 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 PORTIONS OF 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 8 AM EDT POSITION...24.4 N... 85.3 W. MOVEMENT TOWARD...WEST NEAR 14 MPH. MAXIMUM SUSTAINED WINDS...135 MPH. MINIMUM CENTRAL PRESSURE... 948 MB. THE NEXT ADVISORY WILL BE ISSUED BY THE NATIONAL HURRICANE CENTER AT 11 AM EDT. FORECASTER AVILA $$

ESTIMATED MINIMUM CENTRAL PRESSURE 956 MB EYE DIAMETER 25 NM MAX SUSTAINED WINDS 105 KT WITH GUSTS TO 130 KT. FORECASTER BEVEN $$

000 WTNT33 KNHC 210832 TCPAT3 BULLETIN HURRICANE RITA ADVISORY NUMBER 15 NWS TPC/NATIONAL HURRICANE CENTER MIAMI FL 5 AM EDT WED SEP 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 $$

Couldn't agree more.

Here's hoping it stalls in the gulf and blows itself out.....

"I thought it was the best, it was brilliant. Being launched at 100 mph felt sooo great ,better than rocking roller coaster in walt disney florida, next time i go i'll b the 1st person in the queue!!" "Rita was amazing! My dad and i both queued for the front two seats and it was definately worth the wait! It gives you such a thrill and you can barely stand at the end, i loved it and i cant wait to go on it again next year!!" Is this slightly NOT the queue to be in the hurricane? (oh dear...when will people learn... )