Cat 5 will be back at 11...

[DESTRUCTION5]

Look out I know this is like beating a dead horse but Rita is in a full blow strengthing phase once again...I say 900 and 160 MPH by 11:00 All the way to the coast...And the thought of this stall stuff? OMG...Katrina move over Rita is bigger and badder and she's gonna Rip TX a new landscape!

[Brent]

I don't know about 11, but at some point tonight I'm expecting a Cat 5 again. 911 mb is just too low.

[Praxus]

Looking at the latest sat pics, I agree she is strengthening. Starting to look
like she did last night.

[jkt21787]

It will not maintain cat 5 intensity to the coast, IMO.

We may see it hit cat 5 again tonight as it moves over a warm eddy, but afterword dry air and lower SST/heat content should get this back down to a 4. My landfall intensity call is between 135 to 145 mph. Also keep in mind another ERC seems likely before landfall.

We saw the weakening that took place today because of a cool eddy and an ERC, and we will probably see it again before landfall.

[Scorpion]

They will issue a special statement before 7.

[f5]

Look out I know this is like beating a dead horse but Rita is in a full blow strengthing phase once again...I say 900 and 160 MPH by 11:00 All the way to the coast...And the thought of this stall stuff? OMG...Katrina move over Rita is bigger and badder and she's gonna Rip TX a new landscape!

she appearing to be missing Texas

[Brent]

It will not maintain cat 5 intensity to the coast, IMO.

We may see it hit cat 5 again tonight as it moves over a warm eddy, but afterword dry air and lower SST/heat content should get this back down to a 4. My landfall intensity call is between 135 to 145 mph. Also keep in mind another ERC seems likely before landfall.

We saw the weakening that took place today because of a cool eddy and an ERC, and we will probably see it again before landfall.

I defintely think it'll weaken, but I think a Cat 3 is unlikely... I wouldn't be at all surprised to see this come in as a Strong 4.

Also keep in mind the INSANELY low pressure is going to enhance the damage as well...

[djtil]

just looking at pressure one would think so....but would need to tack on a huge wind increase in that amount of time.

[PTrackerLA]

So NHC seems to be sticking to their forecast. I'm just worried if she picks up a more northerly component, which is forecasted, it will slam into SW Louisiana. Just not sure what to think right now, under hurricane warning here, just watching and waiting...

[jkt21787]

Pressure up to 913, cat 5 cancel.

[Droop12]

If dry air was going to put a dent in Rita, it would have happened already. IMO, shes on her way back to a Cat 5 tonight. I expect landfall intensity will be near 145mph. Only thing that should get to Rita is the overall, less oceanic heat content near shore...and possibly alittle shear.

[Ixolib]

Look out I know this is like beating a dead horse but Rita is in a full blow strengthing phase once again...I say 900 and 160 MPH by 11:00 All the way to the coast...And the thought of this stall stuff? OMG...Katrina move over Rita is bigger and badder and she's gonna Rip TX a new landscape!

Perhaps, but it may not be TX that get's the new landscape. LA is to the right...

[Viper252]

Rita will Bomb out again before it reaches landfall with the warm water next the shore. It will be a minimum Cat 5 at least when it hits.

[djtil]

Also keep in mind the INSANELY low pressure is going to enhance the damage as well...

elaborate? why would pressure in and of itself enhance damage?

[jopatura]

I don't expect another EWRC before landfall. She appears to be setting herself up quite nicely and I expect to see major bombing over the night tonight and into early tomorrow morning. Then she'll either keep steady or slowly decrease until she hits land in about 24-36 hours. Depending how big she gets tonight, I expect minimal Cat 5/very strong Cat 4 at landfall.

[Viper252]

Yes, but it wont weaken at all since their is warm water that is around the coast. Its possible it could bomb out even more before then. 165-170 Cat 5 storm possibly.

[NFLnut]

She'll more likely sustain her current strength or even weaken slightly. In just a few hours, she'll start the effects of land interaction, and those feeders will run out of a significant amount of fuel. Sorry all you "Cat 5 Bandwagoners," but the bomb won't happen (fortunately)!

[Downdraft]

A lot of these posts need disclaimers applied. If your saying Rita will be a CAT 5 at landfall then it's your opinion and not an offical forecast. Let's not scare the living heck out of people unless it's fact! They have enough to be scared about as it is.

[DESTRUCTION5]

A lot of these posts need disclaimers applied. If your saying Rita will be a CAT 5 at landfall then it's your opinion and not an offical forecast. Let's not scare the living heck out of people unless it's fact! They have enough to be scared about as it is.

They should be scared...This is no Joke..Difference in a Cat 4 or 5 won't matter if you stay...Won't matter if you go...No matter what its coming and its going to DESTROY things...

[ConvergenceZone]

alot of people I disagree with calling for a cat5 at landfall with no logic in their reasoning.