[Tropical] Hurricane Local Statement

[EMWIN Server]

WTUS84 KEWX 221343
HLSEWX
TXZ193-194-209-223>225-231345-

HURRICANE RITA LOCAL STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE AUSTIN/SAN ANTONIO TX
843 AM CDT THU SEP 22 2005

...DANGEROUS CATEGORY 5 HURRICANE RITA IS EXPECTED TO WEAKEN
SLIGHTLY TODAY...
...AN INLAND TROPICAL STORM WATCH IN EFFECT FOR EASTERN PARTS OF
SOUTH CENTRAL TEXAS...

...WATCHES/WARNINGS IN EFFECT...

AN INLAND TROPICAL STORM WATCH...WHICH IS IN EFFECT FROM FRIDAY
EVENING TO LATE SATURDAY NIGHT...IS IN EFFECT FOR THE FOLLOWING
COUNTIES... BASTROP... LEE... FAYETTE... GONZALES... DE WITT...
AND LAVACA.

...STORM INFORMATION...

AT 7 AM CDT...THE CENTER OF HURRICANE RITA WAS LOCATED NEAR LATITUDE
25.2 NORTH...LONGITUDE 88.3 WEST...OR ABOUT 515 MILES SOUTHEAST
OF GALVESTON.

RITA CONTINUES TO MOVE WEST NORTHWEST NEAR 9 MPH. THIS GENERAL
MOTION IS EXPECTED TO CONTINUE FOR THE NEXT 24 HOURS.

MAXIMUM SUSTAINED WINDS ARE NEAR 170 MPH WITH HIGHER GUSTS. RITA
CONTINUES TO BE AN EXTREMELY DANGEROUS CATEGORY FIVE HURRICANE. SOME
WEAKENING MAY BE POSSIBLE TODAY...BUT RITA IS STILL EXPECTED TO MAKE
LANDFALL AS A MAJOR HURRICANE...CATEGORY THREE OR HIGHER.

...PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...

RESIDENTS OF THE COASTAL PRARIES OF SOUTH CENTRAL TEXAS SHOULD
TAKE PRECAUTIONS TO PROTECT LIFE AND PROPERTY.

...INLAND WIND IMPACTS...

TROPICAL STORM FORCE WINDS...39 MPH OR GREATER...ARE EXPECTED TO
SPREAD INLAND FROM THE MIDDLE TEXAS COAST AND INTO LAVACA COUNTY
FRIDAY EVENING. THESE STRONG WINDS WILL CONTINUE TO SPREAD NORTH
INTO THE GONZALES AND LA GRANGE AREAS BY EARLY SATURDAY MORNING
AND INTO THE BASTROP AND GIDDINGS AREAS DURING BY DAYBREAK
SATURDAY. WIND GUSTS MAY EXCEED HURRICANE FORCE...74 MPH OR
GREATER...WITH THE HIGHEST WINDS EXPECTED TO REMAIN EAST OF A
GIDDINGS TO CUERO LINE.

THE NEXT HURRICANE RITA STATEMENT WILL BE ISSUED AT AROUND 11 AM
CDT.

$$




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