Rita looks ugly and dying

[windnrain]

Rita looks like she is falling appart. She's taking dry air into her eye... I anticipate MUCH more weakening.

[crazycajuncane]

I tend to disagree... I feel like this Hurricane may strengthen back some.

That is just my opinion.

[tallywx]

outflow still looks beautiful, btw.

[Brent]

She LOOKS that way... but recon says different. 930 mb and winds to support a Cat 4. Still very dangerous.

[logybogy]

Are you blind? This is the best she's looked all day! Deep red convection all around the center!

[ChaserUK]

yep - she is gonna try her bloody hardest to come in bad people - and looking at the latest IR enhanced -I think she might do it.

[carve]

It does look like the reds are starting to wrap around the center again.

[carve]

And still a very strong 3..with time to gain again.

[soonertwister]

Latest recon came in with 116 knot / 133 mph winds, and a slight pressure drop to 930.

Category 4 all the way.

[arkess7]

doesnt matter if shes weakning or not....SHES STILL A MONSTER!!!!!

[chrisnnavarre]

It's the slow speed and possiblity of stalling that has me concerned, remember Ivan. Like Katrina she's coming in at the most strategic location to cause wide spread regional damage.

From Houston to NOLA, including Baton Rouge...we're about to take our first real beatin here along the Florida Panhandle with that first real feeder band approaching....

Oh well guess I'll cancel the kid's soccer practice tomorrow and reschedule a make up for Thursday....

http://radar.weather.gov/radar/loop/DS. ... klix.shtml

[jaxfladude]

It's the slow speed and possiblity of stalling that has me concerned, remember Ivan. Like Katrina she's coming in at the most strategic location to cause wide spread regional damage.

From Houston to NOLA, including Baton Rouge...we're about to take our first real beatin here along the Florida Panhandle with that first real feeder band approaching....

Oh well guess I'll cancel the kid's soccer practice tomorrow and reschedule a make up for Thursday....

http://radar.weather.gov/radar/loop/DS. ... klix.shtml

Forget Ivan(No Offense Intended) remember Tropical Storm Allison.

[vbhoutex]

She did indeed ingest some dry air earlier today. It was quite obvious. It was just as obvious that she spit it right back out as the core started rebuilding right away. Maybe you didn't watch long enough. I expect her to be high Cat3, lowCat4 at landfall. She does have some time to regain a little strength.

[coolwater]

She did indeed ingest some dry air earlier today. It was quite obvious. It was just as obvious that she spit it right back out as the core started rebuilding right away. Maybe you didn't watch long enough. I expect her to be high Cat3, lowCat4 at landfall. She does have some time to regain a little strength.

Uh......no.

Strong Cat 2/ weak Cat 3 at landfall.

[djtil]

it looks like the earlier brief strengthening trend might be ending....eye very ragged, cloud tops warming, and a dry air band is beginning to wrap in.

based on slight forecast shear, dry air and cooler waters the likelihood of weakening is somewhat higher than the chance of strengthening.

still expect cat 3 but cat 2 isnt completely out of the question.......and surge will probably be a cat higher regardless.

[Anonymous]

She did indeed ingest some dry air earlier today. It was quite obvious. It was just as obvious that she spit it right back out as the core started rebuilding right away. Maybe you didn't watch long enough. I expect her to be high Cat3, lowCat4 at landfall. She does have some time to regain a little strength.

Uh......no.

Strong Cat 2/ weak Cat 3 at landfall.

I was thinking the same...however, Rita may easily be a Cat 4 hurricane right now.

[txwatcher91]

She did indeed ingest some dry air earlier today. It was quite obvious. It was just as obvious that she spit it right back out as the core started rebuilding right away. Maybe you didn't watch long enough. I expect her to be high Cat3, lowCat4 at landfall. She does have some time to regain a little strength.

Uh......no.

Strong Cat 2/ weak Cat 3 at landfall.

Click on GOES-EAST Visible - Storm Relative and you will see it looks MUCH better than it did this morning. The loop also gets new images every 15 minutes. You can clearly see thunderstorms building on the north and west side of the storm.

http://www.cira.colostate.edu/RAMM/Rmsd ... PICAL.html

[coolwater]

She did indeed ingest some dry air earlier today. It was quite obvious. It was just as obvious that she spit it right back out as the core started rebuilding right away. Maybe you didn't watch long enough. I expect her to be high Cat3, lowCat4 at landfall. She does have some time to regain a little strength.

Uh......no.

Strong Cat 2/ weak Cat 3 at landfall.

Click on GOES-EAST Visible - Storm Relative and you will see it looks MUCH better than it did this morning. The loop also gets new images every 15 minutes. You can clearly see thunderstorms building on the north and west side of the storm.

http://www.cira.colostate.edu/RAMM/Rmsd ... PICAL.html

Sorry, but i'm just not seeing it. This storm is looking VERY ragged. Almost no eye at all.