Posted on 09/20/2005 11:52:46 PM PDT by RWR8189
KEY LARGO, Florida (CNN) -- Hurricane Rita, moving westward away from the Florida Keys, early Wednesday strengthened into a Category 3 storm, capable of causing extensive damage.
It is the fifth major hurricane of the 2005 season, which runs until November 30.
Rita's sustained winds swelled to 115 mph early Wednesday, with higher gusts, and cities in its projected path ordered evacuations in preparation for another possible siege of floodwaters.
Rita's winds extended outward up to 45 miles from the storm's center.
National Hurricane Center (NHC) forecasters predicted that by Wednesday evening Rita could strengthen to a Category 4 -- the same strength as deadly Hurricane Katrina when it made landfall Aug. 29 near the Louisiana-Mississippi state line, devastating New Orleans and nearby Gulf Coast cities.
A Category 4 storm, with top sustained winds of 131 to 155 mph, can cause extreme damage, according to the Saffir-Simpson scale measuring hurricane strength. CNN meteorologist Chad Myers said Rita's winds could increase to 145 mph by landfall.
(Excerpt) Read more at edition.cnn.com ...
This one's really booking along, too. That'll reduce it's chances of weakening much before landfall. Also, because of the curve of the coastline, it will be pulling in energy from all sides until the last minute. I can believe the predictions of landfall at a 4.
Rita is now Cat 4.
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