Florida Keys in Tropical Storm / Hurricane Rita Expected Path

September 18th 2005

Tropical storm Rita is centered approximately 295 miles east-southeast of Nassau in the Bahamas Islands and is moving west-northwest at about 10 MPH as of 11PM EDT Sunday night. 

Currently Rita is considered a topical storm with sustained winds of 50 MPH but is expected to strengthen becoming a hurricane by the time she hits the US possibly sometime late Monday.  According to the National Weather Service, the winds could increase to a category 1 hurricane within the next twenty four hours.  A category one hurricane has winds in excess of 74 MPH.

A hurricane warning is effect for the Florida Keys and Florida Bay from ocean Reef southward and westward to Dry Tortugas.  The warning was just upgraded from a Tropical Storm Warning after careful evaluation.  A warning means the conditions are expected within twenty four hours. 

Southeastern Florida is now under a hurricane watch and tropical storm warning.  This includes Deerfield Beach southward to Florida City and continuing Westward to East Cape Sable.  A watch means the conditions are likely to occur within the next 36 hours.

Tourists have evacuated from the Florida Keys.  The Keys are a string of low lying islands extending southwestward of Florida.  Because of their lack of elevation they are vulnerable to hurricanes and tropical storms. 

Rita is the 17^th named storm of the Atlantic hurricane season, making this the forth busiest season since 1851 when record keeping began   Florida Governor Jeb Bush declared a state of emergency giving the National Guard extra powers to oversee evacuations. 

After Rita hits the Keys it is expected to travel through the Gulf and possibly hit Texas or Mexico later in the week.  There forecasts are subject to error, and once she hits the Gulf everyone should pay attention. 

A hurricane watch remains in effect for the provinces of villa Clara, Matanzas, Ciudad De Habana, La Habana and Pinar Del Rio and a Tropical Storm watch has been called for the Provinces of Ciego De vila, Sancti Spiritus and Cienfuegos Cuba.

The newest Atlantic Hurricane Philippe is located 390 miles east of the Leeward Islands. This hurricane is moving northward in the direction of the Eastern US coast.    Ophelia, the previous storm that struck North Carolina has moved into the Atlantic after brushing Massachusetts and Nova Scotia. 

New Rita Article

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By Dan Wilson
Best Syndication Staff Writer

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Keywords and misspellings:  Bahama center miles per hour Phillipe Phileppe Phillepe Reta