Both windfield and intensity continue to increase: on sat images, windfield continues to expand since noon, and NHC officially updates intensity to Cat 5 with 165mph max sust surface winds.

Just for a reference point - Rita is not currently stronger than Katrina was. Katrina's highest sust winds were 175mph and lowest pressure, 902mb. Also at that time Katrina was over six times larger in area than Rita, which in terms of overall energy was tremendous, although comparisons are more commonly in terms of pressure or windspeed.