...Rita wobbles a little westward...expected to reach hurricane strength later tonight...
Movement toward...west-northwest near 13 mph. Maximum sustained winds... 70 mph. Minimum central pressure... 995 mb.
...Rita wobbles a little westward...expected to reach hurricane strength later tonight...
at 8 PM AST...0000z...all warnings are discontinued for the southeastern Bahamas.
A Hurricane Warning remains in effect for the Cuban provinces of Villa Clara...Matanzas...Ciudad de Habana...and la Habana. A Tropical Storm Warning is now in effect for the provinces of Ciego de Avila...Sancti Spiritus...Cienfuegos...and Pinar del Rio.
A Hurricane Warning is in effect for the extreme southern Florida Peninsula from Golden Beach southward to Florida City and westward to East Cape Sable...and for all of the Florida Keys from Ocean Reef to the Dry Tortugas...including Florida Bay.
A Hurricane Warning is in effect for the Exumas and for Andros Island in the northwest Bahamas. A Tropical Storm Warning is in effect for the remainder of the northwestern and central Bahamas.
A Tropical Storm Warning and a Hurricane Watch are in effect from Deerfield Beach Florida southward to north of Golden Beach...and a Tropical Storm Warning is in effect along the Florida East Coast from north of Deerfield Beach northward to Jupiter Inlet...and for Lake Okeechobee.
A Hurricane Watch is in effect for the extreme southwestern Florida Peninsula from west of East Cape Sable northward to Chokoloskee....and a tropical storm watch is in effect for the southwestern Florida coast from north of Chokoloskee to Englewood.
A Hurricane Warning means that hurricane conditions are expected within the warning area within the next 24 hours. Preparations to protect life and property should be rushed to completion. A Hurricane Watch means that hurricane conditions are possible within the watch area...generally within 36 hours.
A Tropical Storm Warning means that tropical storm conditions are expected within the warning area within the next 24 hours. A tropical storm watch means that tropical storm conditions are possible within the watch area...generally within 36 hours.
For storm information specific to your area...including possible inland watches and warnings...please monitor products issued by your local weather office.
At 8 PM EDT...0000z...the center of Tropical Storm Rita was located near latitude 23.1 north... longitude 77.0 west or about 140 miles... 225 km... south-southeast of Nassau and about 315 miles... 510 km...east-southeast of Key West Florida.
Rita has wobbled westward during the past few hours. A motion toward the west-northwest near 13 mph...21 km/hr...is expected to resume later tonight and continue for the next 24 hours. On this track...the center of Rita will pass over or near Andros Island in the Bahamas tonight...and approach the Florida Keys Tuesday morning.
Maximum sustained winds are near 70 mph...110 km/hr...with higher gusts. Some strengthening is forecast during the next 24 hours... and Rita is expected to become a hurricane later tonight.
Tropical storm force winds extend outward up to 105 miles ...165 km from the center.
The latest minimum central pressure reported by an Air Force hurricane hunter aircraft was 993 mb...29.32 inches.
Storm surge flooding of 6 to 9 feet above normal tide levels...along with large and dangerous battering waves...are possible in the Florida Keys in areas of onshore flow. Coastal storm surge flooding of 3 to 5 feet is possible along the extreme southeastern Florida coast...and in the northwestern Bahamas.
Rita is expected to produce total rainfall accumulations of 4 to 6 inches over the southeastern and central Bahamas...with possible isolated maximum amounts of 8 inches. Rainfall accumulations of 3 to 6 inches are possible for eastern Cuba. Storm totals of 6 to 10 inches...with isolated maximum amounts of 15 inches... will be possible in the Florida Keys...and central and northwestern Cuba...with 3 to 5 inches possible across the southern Florida Peninsula.
Isolated tornadoes are possible later tonight and Tuesday over the Florida Keys and the southern Florida Peninsula.
Repeating the 8 PM EDT position...23.1 N... 77.0 W. Movement toward...west-northwest near 13 mph. Maximum sustained winds... 70 mph. Minimum central pressure... 995 mb.
The next advisory will be issued by the National Hurricane Center at 11 PM EDT.
Forecaster Beven
...Rita wobbles a little westward...expected to reach hurricane strength later tonight...
Movement toward...west-northwest near 13 mph. Maximum sustained winds... 70 mph. Minimum central pressure... 995 mb.