New diary here.
Latest position update:
AT 7 PM CDT...0000Z...THE CENTER OF HURRICANE RITA WAS LOCATED NEAR LATITUDE 28.6 NORTH...LONGITUDE 92.9 WEST...OR ABOUT 95 MILES SOUTHEAST OF SABINE PASS ALONG THE COAST AT THE BORDER BETWEEN TEXAS AND LOUISIANA.
From the NHC on this Dangerous Category Three storm:
THE WEAKENING TREND APPEARS TO HAVE LEVELED OFF. RITA IS STILL FORECAST TO MAKE LANDFALL AS A CATEGORY THREE HURRICANE.
...CORE OF DANGEROUS HURRICANE RITA EXPECTED TO MAKE LANDFALL NEAR
DAYBREAK SATURDAY...
AT 4 PM CDT...2100Z...THE HURRICANE WARNING SOUTH OF SARGENT TEXAS
HAS BEEN DOWNGRADED TO TROPICAL STORM WARNING. A HURRICANE WARNING
IS NOW IN EFFECT FROM SARGENT TEXAS TO MORGAN CITY LOUISIANA.
A TROPICAL STORM WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT FOR THE SOUTHEASTERN
COAST OF LOUISIANA EAST OF MORGAN CITY TO THE MOUTH OF THE PEARL
RIVER INCLUDING METROPOLITAN NEW ORLEANS AND LAKE PONTCHARTRAIN
...AND FROM SOUTH OF SARGENT TO PORT ARKANSAS. A TROPICAL STORM
WARNING MEANS THAT TROPICAL STORM CONDITIONS ARE EXPECTED WITHIN
THE WARNING AREA WITHIN THE NEXT 24 HOURS.
A HURRICANE WARNING IS IN EFFECT 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.
A TROPICAL STORM WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT FOR THE SOUTHEASTERN COAST OF LOUISIANA EAST OF MORGAN CITY TO THE MOUTH OF THE PEARL RIVER INCLUDING METROPOLITAN NEW ORLEANS AND LAKE PONTCHARTRAIN...AND FROM SOUTH OF PORT O'CONNOR TO PORT ARANSAS.
Wikipedia has a fast moving page.
FEMA briefing by webcast.
Houston Real Time Traffic Info; Local Houston News w/streaming video link; NOLA Local news w/streaming video link; KTRH 740 Houston streaming AM radio
NOAA Three-day Storm Track.
Round up on latest developments below the fold.
UPDATED: Rita expected to FLOOD PORT ARTHUR.
Dopler Radar shows heavy rains approaching Texas:
Heaviest rains have passed New Orleans:
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Weather channel shows heavy rains over Lousiana. Local flooding possible.
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Airports Bush Intercontinental (IAH) and Hobby (HOU) are CLOSED.
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Weather Underground: Storm warnings along almost all of Texas, and all of Lousiana's Gulf Coast. Flood warnings all the way through Florida's Gulf Coast. Tornado warnings and watches through the areas being hit by Rita, with local vortexes capable of tornado like damage.
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NHC warns that tropical storm winds are possible as far north as the Ozarks, as far east as Mobile, and as far west as central Texas. Locally heavy rains and wind can cause power outages and local disruption of electricity and phone service.