Hurricane Rita in Gulf As Category 3 Storm
Posted on: Wednesday, 21 September 2005, 09:00 CDT
Hurricane Rita was spinning over the Gulf of Mexico early Wednesday with sustained winds of 120 mph and gathering strength after brushing the Florida Keys.
At 5 a.m. EDT, Rita was moving west with winds near 114 mph about 175 miles west of Key West, Fla., forecasters at Miami's National Hurricane Center reported.
While over the warm southeastern gulf, Rita would likely strengthen to a Category 4 storm Wednesday afternoon, with winds between 131 and 155 mph, forecasters said.
Damage in the Keys appeared light late Tuesday, although officials were to do a full assessment Wednesday. About 7,000 customers in the Keys were without power late Tuesday, The Miami Herald reported.
Hurricane warnings were dropped, and Monroe County emergency officials said residents could return Wednesday morning, but asked tourists to wait until Friday.
Meanwhile, none of the National Hurricane Center's 14 computerized forecast models carried Rita in the direction of New Orleans, still in dismal condition after Hurricane Katrina struck Aug. 29.
It looks like Texas is it, forecaster Lixion Avila told The Herald.
The Houston Chronicle said Texas Gov. Rick Perry declared the state a disaster area Tuesday night.
Source: United Press International
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