Contributed by: filbert Wednesday, September 21 2005 @ 07:46 AM CST
…SATELLITE SUGGESTS THAT RITA HAS BECOME A CATEGORY FOURHURRICANE…
A TROPICAL STORM WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT FOR THE FLORIDA KEYS FROMTHE MARQUESAS KEYS WESTWARD TO THE DRY TORTUGAS.
INTERESTS IN THE NORTHWESTERN GULF OF MEXICO SHOULD MONITOR THEPROGRESS OF RITA.
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AT 8 AM EDT…1200Z…THE EYE OF HURRICANE RITA WAS LOCATED NEARLATITUDE 24.4 NORTH…LONGITUDE 85.3 WEST OR ABOUT 195 MILES…WEST OF KEY WEST FLORIDA AND ABOUT 790 MILES EAST-SOUTHEAST OFCORPUS CHRISTI TEXAS.RITA IS MOVING TOWARD THE WEST NEAR 14 MPH AND THIS GENERAL MOTIONIS EXPECTED TO CONTINUE FOR THE NEXT 24 HOURS. THIS MOTION SHOULDBRING THE CENTER OF RITA FARTHER AWAY FROM THE FLORIDA KEYS OVERTHE SOUTHEASTERN GULF OF MEXICO TODAY.
SATELLITE IMAGERY SUGGESTS THAT RITA HAS CONTINUED TO STRENGHTEN ANDMAXIMUM SUSTAINED WINDS HAVE INCREASED TO NEAR 135 MPH WITH HIGHERGUSTS. RITA IS NOW A CATEGORY FOUR HURRICANE ON THE SAFFIR-SIMPSONSCALE. A NOAA PLANE WILL CHECK THE INTENSITY LATER THIS MORNING. SOME ADDITIONAL STRENGTHENING IS POSSIBLE DURING THE NEXT 24 HOURS.
