Hurricane Rita Advisory Number 24

Statement as of 10:00 am CDT on September 23, 2005

...Rita a little weaker...still a very dangerous hurricane...

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.

At 10 am CDT...1500z...the Tropical Storm Warning south of Port
Aransas has been discontinued.

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. A Tropical
Storm Warning means that tropical storm conditions are expected
within the warning area within the next 24 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 center of Hurricane Rita was located near
latitude 27.4 north...longitude 91.9 west or about 220 miles
southeast of Galveston Texas and about 210 miles southeast of
Port Arthur Texas.

Rita is moving toward the northwest near 10 mph and this motion is
expected to continue during the next 24 hours. On this track...the
core of Rita will make landfall near the southwest Louisiana and
Upper Texas coasts early Saturday.

Maximum sustained winds have decreased to near 135 mph with higher
gusts. Rita is at the border of category four and three hurricane
on the Saffir-Simpson scale. Slight weakening is possible before
landfall...but Rita is expected to come ashore as a major
hurricane.
Hurricane force winds extend outward up to 85 miles from the
center...and tropical storm force winds extend outward up
to 205 miles.

Latest minimum central pressure reported by an Air Force
reconnaissance plane was 929 mb...27.43 inches.
Coastal storm surge flooding of 15 feet above normal tide levels...
locally up to 20 feet at head of bays and nearby rivers...with
large and dangerous battering waves...can be expected near and to
the east of where the center makes landfall. Tides are currently
running about 2 feet above normal along the Louisiana...Mississippi
and Alabama coasts in the areas affected by Katrina. Tides in those
areas will increase to 3 to 5 feet and be accompanied by large
waves...and residents there could experience coastal flooding.
Large swells generated by Rita will likely affect most portions of
the Gulf Coast.

Rita is expected to produce rainfall accumulations of 8 to 12
inches...with isolated maximum amounts of 20 inches over
southeastern Texas and southwestern Louisiana as it moves inland.
Rainfall amounts of 3 to 5 inches are possible over southeastern
Louisiana including metropolitan New Orleans with isolated heavier
amounts possible. Since Rita is forecast to slow down significantly
after making landfall...total accumulations in excess of 25 inches
are possible over the next several days across eastern Texas into
western Louisiana.