Rita comes ashore

Hurricane Rita came ashore this morning near the Texas-Lousiana border. So far damage looks less severe than feared.

Read the full story.

Rita weakens, still major threat

Hurricane Rita weakened to a Category 3 storm today as it continued its trek toward Texas. Landfall is expected overnight, with the possibility of strengthening to Category 3 on the way. Rita is moving slowly, meaning some areas will experience hurricane-force winds for as long as sixteen hours. Twenty to thirty foot storm surges and 25 inches of rain are possible.

Read more about Rita.

Meanwhile, rain from Rita is already causing flooding in New Orleans, as the damaged levees cannot take more water. Read more on New Orleans flooding.

Latest advisory on Hurricane Rita

...RITA EXPECTED TO WEAKEN SLIGHTLY BUT FORECAST TO MAKE LANDFALL AS A DANGEROUS HURRICANE...

...A HURRICANE WARNING HAS BEEN ISSUED...

AT 10 AM CDT...1500Z...A HURRICANE WARNING HAS BEEN ISSUED FROM PORT O'CONNOR TEXAS TO MORGAN CITY LOUISIANA. A HURRICANE WARNING MEANS THAT HURRICANE CONDITIONS ARE EXPECTED WITHIN THE WARNING AREA WITHIN THE NEXT 24 HOURS. PREPARATIONS TO PROTECT LIFE AND PROPERTY SHOULD BE RUSHED TO COMPLETION.

AT 10 AM CDT...1500Z...A TROPICAL STORM WARNING HAS BEEN ISSUED FROM SOUTH OF PORT O'CONNOR TO PORT MANSFIELD TEXAS. A TROPICAL STORM WARNING REMAINS 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 WITHIN THE WARNING AREA WITHIN THE NEXT 24 HOURS.

AT 10 AM CDT...1500Z...A TROPICAL STORM WATCH HAS BEEN ISSUED FROM NORTH OF THE MOUTH OF THE MISSISSIPPI RIVER TO THE MOUTH OF THE PEARL RIVER INCLUDING METROPOLITAN NEW ORLEANS AND LAKE PONTCHARTRAIN. A TROPICAL STORM WATCH REMAINS IN EFFECT FROM SOUTH OF PORT MANSFIELD TO BROWNSVILLE TEXAS...AND FOR THE NORTHEASTERN COAST OF MEXICO FROM RIO SAN FERNANDO NORTHWARD TO THE RIO GRANDE.

A TROPICAL STORM WATCH MEANS THAT TROPICAL STORM CONDITIONS ARE POSSIBLE WITHIN THE WATCH AREA...GENERALLY WITHIN 36 HOURS.

FOR STORM INFORMATION SPECIFIC TO YOUR AREA...INCLUDING POSSIBLE INLAND WATCHES AND WARNINGS...PLEASE MONITOR PRODUCTS ISSUED BY YOUR LOCAL WEATHER OFFICE.

AT 10 AM CDT...1500Z...THE EYE OF HURRICANE RITA WAS LOCATED NEAR LATITUDE 25.4 NORTH...LONGITUDE 88.7 WEST OR ABOUT 460 MILES...740 KM...SOUTHEAST OF GALVESTON TEXAS AND ABOUT 445 MILES...715 KM...
SOUTHEAST OF PORT ARTHUR TEXAS.

RITA IS MOVING TOWARD THE WEST-NORTHWEST NEAR 9 MPH...15 KM/HR. A GRADUAL TURN TO THE NORTHWEST IS EXPECTED DURING THE NEXT 24 TO 36 HOURS.

Texas coast evacuates ahead of Rita

People in Galveston and other cities along the Texas Gulf coast are evacuating in anticipation of Hurricane Rita, which is expected to make landfall Saturday morning. If you are in that area, monitor your local news and follow any evacuation orders. Rita is a dangerous Category 4 storm with nothing to slow it down before it hits Texas. Damage could be similar to that of Katrina.

Galveston was the target of the deadliest hurricane in United States history, which killed between 8000 and 12,000 people in 1900. (The official death toll from Katrina is so far below 1000.)

Read the full story.

Rita now a category 4

Hurricane Rita has become a Category 4 storm. Here is the new advisory:

...RITA REMAINS AN EXTREMELY DANGEROUS HURRICANE...WINDS NOW ESTIMATED 140 MPH WINDS...

AT 11 AM EDT...1500Z...THE TROPICAL STORM WARNING FOR THE FLORIDA KEYS FROM THE MARQUESAS KEYS WESTWARD TO THE DRY TORTUGAS HAS BEEN DISCONTINUED.

A HURRICANE WATCH WILL LIKELY BE ISSUED FOR PORTIONS OF THE NORTHWEST GULF OF MEXICO COAST LATER TODAY OR THIS EVENING.

INTERESTS IN THE NORTHWESTERN GULF OF MEXICO SHOULD MONITOR THE PROGRESS OF DANGEROUS 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 10 AM CDT...1500Z...THE EYE OF HURRICANE RITA WAS LOCATED NEAR LATITUDE 24.3 NORTH...LONGITUDE 85.9 WEST OR ABOUT 260 MILES...
WEST OF KEY WEST FLORIDA AND ABOUT 755 MILES EAST-SOUTHEAST OF CORPUS CHRISTI TEXAS.

RITA IS MOVING TOWARD THE WEST NEAR 13 MPH AND THIS MOTION IS EXPECTED TO CONTINUE DURING THE NEXT 12 TO 24 HOURS.

MAXIMUM SUSTAINED WINDS HAVE INCREASED TO NEAR 140 MPH...WITH HIGHER GUSTS. RITA IS A EXTREMELY DANGEROUS CATEGORY FOUR HURRICANE ON THE SAFFIR-SIMPSON SCALE. SOME ADDITIONAL STRENGTHENING IS FORECAST DURING THE NEXT 24 HOURS AND COULD REACH CATEGORY FIVE INTENSITY IN THE CENTRAL GULF OF MEXICO.

HURRICANE FORCE WINDS EXTEND OUTWARD UP TO 45 MILES FROM THE CENTER...AND TROPICAL STORM FORCE WINDS EXTEND OUTWARD UP TO 140 MILES. THE WIND FIELD ASSOCIATED WITH RITA IS FORECAST TO EXPAND DURING THE NEXT DAY OR TWO.

ESTIMATED MINIMUM CENTRAL PRESSURE IS 944 MB...27.88 INCHES.

Hurricane Rita Hammers Florida Keys

Rita strengthened into a hurricane overnight with sustained top wind of 85 mph and pummeled the Florida Keys with flooding rain and strong wind. The islands face a storm surge of up to 6 feet and up to 8 inches of rain.

Rita is expected to continue gaining strength up to a Category 3 as it crosses the Gulf of Mexico for a weekend landfall, probably in Texas.

Read the full story.

Tourists evacuate Florida Keys ahead of Rita

A hurricane watch was issued Sunday for the entire Florida Keys, and tourists told to evacuate as Tropical Storm Rita is expected in the area by late Monday.

The latest advisory:

...RITA MOVING CLOSER TO THE SOUTHEASTERN BAHAMAS...
...NEW WATCHES AND WARNINGS ISSUED FOR SOUTHERN FLORIDA...

AT 11 PM EDT...0300Z... THE HURRICANE WATCH FOR THE FLORIDA KEYS HAS BEEN UPGRADED TO A HURRICANE WARNING. A HURRICANE WARNING IS NOW IN EFFECT FOR ALL OF THE FLORIDA KEYS AND FLORIDA BAY FROM OCEAN REEF SOUTHWARD AND WESTWARD TO DRY TORTUGAS.

AT 11 PM EDT... THE TROPICAL STORM WATCH FOR THE EXTREME SOUTHEASTERN FLORIDA PENINSULA HAS BEEN UPGRADED TO A TROPICAL STORM WARNING AND A HURRICANE WATCH. A TROPICAL STORM WARNING AND A HURRICANE WATCH ARE NOW IN EFFECT FROM DEERFIELD BEACH SOUTHWARD TO FLORIDA CITY AND CONTINUING WESTWARD TO EAST CAPE SABLE.

A HURRICANE WATCH REMAINS IN EFFECT FOR THE PROVINCES OF VILLA CLARA...MATANZAS...CIUDAD DE HABANA...LA HABANA...AND PINAR DEL RIO...AND A TROPICAL STORM WATCH FOR THE PROVINCES OF CIEGO DE AVILA...SANCTI SPIRITUS...AND CIENFUEGOS.

A HURRICANE WATCH REMAINS IN EFFECT FOR THE NORTHWEST BAHAMAS. A HURRICANE WARNING IS RECOMMENDED FOR THE NORTHWEST BAHAMAS...
EXCLUDING GRAND BAHAMA AND ABACO ISLAND.

A TROPICAL STORM WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT FOR THE TURKS AND CAICOS ISLANDS...AND FOR THE SOUTHEAST AND CENTRAL BAHAMAS.

AT 11 PM EDT... A TROPICAL STORM WATCH HAS BEEN ISSUED FOR THE EXTREME SOUTHWESTERN FLORIDA PENINSULA FROM WEST OF EAST CAPE SABLE WESTWARD TO CHOKOLOSKEE.

Ophelia still affecting North Carolina

A new advisory is in:

2 PM EDT THU SEP 15 2005

...OPHELIA STALLS JUST OFFSHORE THE NORTH CAROLINA OUTER BANKS...

A HURRICANE WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT FROM SURF CITY TO THE NORTH CAROLINA/VIRGINIA BORDER...INCLUDING THE PAMLICO AND ALBEMARLE SOUNDS. A PORTION OF THE WARNING AREA MAY BE DISCONTINUED LATER TODAY.

A TROPICAL STORM WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT NORTH OF THE NORTH CAROLINA/VIRGINIA BORDER TO CAPE CHARLES LIGHT VIRGINIA...INCLUDING THE CHESAPEAKE BAY SOUTH OF NEW POINT COMFORT.

Ophelia pounds North Carolina

Slow-moving hurricane Ophelia has been battering the coast of North Carolina today. Here is the latest advisory.


2 PM EDT WED SEP 14 2005

...OPHELIA CONTINUING TO STRENGTHEN AS IT MOVES CLOSER TO THE NORTH CAROLINA COAST...

A HURRICANE WARNING IS IN EFFECT FROM LITTLE RIVER INLET TO THE NORTH CAROLINA/VIRGINIA BORDER...INCLUDING THE PAMLICO AND ALBEMARLE SOUNDS.

A HURRICANE WATCH AND A TROPICAL STORM WARNING ARE IN EFFECT NORTH OF THE NORTH CAROLINA/VIRGINIA BORDER TO CAPE CHARLES LIGHT VIRGINIA...INCLUDING THE CHESAPEAKE BAY SOUTH OF NEW POINT COMFORT.

A TROPICAL STORM WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT FROM SOUTH OF LITTLE RIVER INLET TO NORTH OF THE SOUTH SANTEE RIVER. THIS WARNING WILL LIKELY BE DISCONTINUED LATER TODAY.

Ophelia still headed for Carolinas

The latest advisory:

...OPHELIA GETTING BETTER ORGANIZED AS IT WOBBLES SLOWLY NORTH-NORTHWESTWARD TOWARD THE SOUTHEASTERN UNITED STATES...

A HURRICANE WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT FROM THE SOUTH SANTEE RIVER SOUTH CAROLINA TO CAPE LOOKOUT NORTH CAROLINA. A HURRICANE WARNING MEANS THAT HURRICANE CONDITIONS ARE EXPECTED IN THE WARNING AREA WITHIN THE NEXT 24 HOURS.

A HURRICANE WATCH AND A TROPICAL STORM WARNING REMAIN IN EFFECT NORTH OF CAPE LOOKOUT TO OREGON INLET...INCLUDING THE PAMLICO SOUND...AND FROM SOUTH OF THE SOUTH SANTEE RIVER TO EDISTO BEACH SOUTH CAROLINA.

Ophelia update

Ophelia is a tropical storm once again. The latest advisory, from a few minutes ago:

...OPHELIA MOVING SLOWLY NORTHWESTWARD...

A TROPICAL STORM WARNING AND A HURRICANE WATCH ARE IN EFFECT FOR THE SOUTHEAST COAST OF THE UNITED STATES FROM NORTH OF EDISTO BEACH SOUTH CAROLINA NORTHEASTWARD TO CAPE LOOKOUT NORTH CAROLINA.

A TROPICAL STORM WARNING MEANS THAT TROPICAL STORM CONDITIONS ARE EXPECTED WITHIN THE WARNING AREA WITHIN THE NEXT 24 HOURS.

A HURRICANE WATCH MEANS THAT HURRICANE CONDITIONS ARE POSSIBLE WITHIN THE WATCH AREA...GENERALLY WITHIN 36 HOURS.

Hurricane watch issued for Carolinas

Ophelia, which has been going back and forth between tropical storm and hurricane status, has been circling off the Florida coast the past 48 hours.

Currently there is a hurricane watch for 300 miles of coastline from the Georgia-South Carolina line to North Carolina's Cape Lookout. Landfall is expected Monday.

Read the full story.

Hurricane update

Hurricane Maria is weakening over the Atlantic, about 600 miles north northeast of Bermuda, posing no threat to land.

Tropical Storm Nate is stationary at 28.7N 66.7W and could become a problem for Bermuda.

Tropical Depression 16, which would be named Ophelia when it becomes a tropical storm within the next 24 hours, is the next threat to the United State. The storm has caused a hurricane warnings to be issued for the east coast of Florida from Jupiter to Merritt Island.