I have a feeling that Rita is going to turn north, due to the currents in the Gulf. Very hot and humid today in Lower Alabama. Am I just being fatalistic?
Sorry Bama, but we just can't do the hurricane thing right now. We still have a houseful from New Orleans! I checked some hotels/motels in northwest Houston today where we could go just to get away from the lake, and they are still full with Katrina evacuees.
Water currents don't affect the steering of tropical systems whatsoever.
The ridge over the Gulf is already in place and really forecasts out to 3 days are pretty accurate. There currently aren't any quality models with a landfall east of Texas and no models that are remotely useful at all with a landfall east of Western Louisiana.
I wouldn't worry too much if I was you.