Rita Threatens Florida Keys Then Texas Coast

Posted on September 19, 2005

Rita is currently a tropical storm with sustained winds of 65 mph. Rita is forecast to soon become a hurricane and travel just south of the Florida Keys. Beyond the Keys the storm is expected to become a major hurricane (Cat 3 or higher) in the Gulf of Mexico. The current path after five days has Rita targeting the Galveston, Texas area but the four to five day forecasts often change. Dr. Jeff Masters blogs that New Orleans and Alabama are not yet risk-free from Rita just yet.

The entire stretch of coast from 500 miles south of Brownsville, Texas to Mobile, Alabama is at risk -- no one can say with any confidence where Rita will hit this far in advance. Texas and Louisiana are at the highest risk. The current model trend is to recurve Rita earlier and earlier, so residents from Corpus Christi to New Orleans need to be particulary concerned.

The latest forecast path and status of future hurricane Rita can be found on the National Hurricane Center's website. The Miami Herald is also offering special coverage here. The Sun-Sentinel also has a hurricane section located here.

HURRICANE RITA