Rita size comparison , Galveston to New Orleans

[Rieyeuxs]

I did a little amateur (very amateur!) research on the size comparison of Rita vs Katrina with some interesting results.

As I can roughly calculate, at landfall Katrina's radius was approximately 370 miles (measuring from center to right side of storm). Which is appromixately the distance from New Orleans to Galveston.

Rita has, as near as I can calculate, a radius of 173 miles measured from center to right side.

If Rita goes as (yes I know it's 5 days out) thought towards Galveston, at its current size would outside effect Lake Charles, roughly half way to New Orleans.

I haven't seen any correlating data on the average size of Cat 3 storms. In fact, just the opposite, they come in all sizes from what I can tell. IF it were to hit Galveston as a Major, what are the predictions on Rita's size at landfall? Would outer bands make it to New Orleans, especially since that would be the right front quadrant? Or would the forward motion northward "squash" it inwards? I realise I'm making comparisions as if it were annular, which it won't be, but I was curious on Catagory vs size it could get.

To save myself from the people I disagree with, I'm not wishing a major to hit ANYWHERE, but we unfortunately we know its going to hit somewhere...

[mf_dolphin]

There's no such thing as an average CAT 3. Andrew and Charlie are examples of even Cat 5 storms that were small geographicly. Even Katrina was fairly small until she got her act together in the gulf. With hurricanes you plan for the worst and hope for the best. Otherwise you might just end up in the casualty count one day.....

[Mac]

I would expect Rita to be significantly larger when she makes landfall. Thus far, she has had to deal with dry air and outflow issues, mostly due to her close interaction with Cuba's terrain, and she hasn't been in the best environment for deepening. After she gets into the Gulf waters, I anticipate she will begin to expand her wind field. I especially expect this to happen once she gets past the point where Katrina caused quite a bit of upwelling. Once she gets past Louisiana--boom--she'll rapidly deepen and spread her wings, IMHO.