Clark I have been looking for that link in your met blog post all afternoon! If I am reading it correctly, confirms my thoughts that once past the keys, not entirely favorable for intensification in the GOM unless she hits the loop current (which can be seen on that link), although it looks like Rita will be a tad too far south for that? I was thinking eariler today that the western GOM would have some warmer water, but from that link, it doesn't look like that's really the case, it was only the surface SSTs.

So I was thinking earlier today Rita wouldn't spin up to a Cat 3 by the time she reaches the keys. Then, in the following days, would have a hard time getting to Cat 3 or much beyond weak Cat 3 unless hitting the loop current Wed night / Thurs am. I still think that's the case and we won't see a Cat 3 at tomorrow 11am advis. That core is just having a hard time organizing, and it is going slowly. I think it'll cap out at a Cat 2.