[Tropical] Hurricane Local Statement

[EMWIN Server]

WTUS84 KEWX 221813
HLSEWX
TXZ193-194-209-223>225-222030-

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

...RITA WEAKENS A LITTLE FURTHER...REMAINS AN EXTREMELY DANGEROUS
   HURRICANE...

...AN INLAND TROPICAL STORM WATCH IN EFFECT FOR EASTERN PARTS OF
   SOUTH CENTRAL TEXAS...

...WATCHES/WARNINGS IN EFFECT...

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

...STORM INFORMATION...

AT 1 PM CDT...THE CENTER OF HURRICANE RITA WAS LOCATED NEAR
LATITUDE 25.5 NORTH...LONGITUDE 89.2 WEST...OR ABOUT 430 MILES
SOUTHEAST OF GALVESTON.

RITA CONTINUES TO MOVE WEST NORTHWEST NEAR 9 MPH. A GRADUAL TURN
TO THE NORTHWEST IS EXPECTED DURING THE NEXT 24 TO 36 HOURS.

DATA FROM A NOAA RECONNAISSANCE AIRCRAFT INDICATE THAT MAXIMUM
SUSTAINED WINDS HAVE DECREASED TO NEAR 150 MPH...240 KM/HR... WITH
HIGHER GUSTS. RITA IS NOW A STRONG CATEGORY FOUR HURRICANE ON
THE SAFFIR-SIMPSON SCALE. SOME SLIGHT WEAKENING IS FORECAST DURING
THE NEXT 24 HOURS BUT RITA IS EXPECTED TO REMAIN AN EXTREMELY
DANGEROUS HURRICANE.

...PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...

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

...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 4 PM
CDT.

$$


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