7:00 p.m. NHC Advisory

The following information is the latest data into the KRBC Triple Doppler Weather Center from The National Hurricane Center...

AT 7 PM CDT...0000Z...THE CENTER OF HURRICANE RITA WAS LOCATED NEAR LATITUDE 26.0 NORTH...LONGITUDE 89.9 WEST OR ABOUT 350 MILES...565 KM...EAST-SOUTHEAST OF GALVESTON TEXAS AND ABOUT 290 MILES...465 KM...SOUTHEAST OF CAMERON LOUISIANA.

RITA IS MOVING TOWARD THE WEST-NORTHWEST NEAR 10 MPH...17 KM/HR. AGRADUAL TURN TOWARD THE NORTHWEST IS EXPECTED DURING THE NEXT 24HOURS. ON THIS TRACK...THE CORE OF RITA WILL BE APPROACHING THE SOUTHWEST LOUISIANA AND THE UPPER TEXAS COAST LATE FRIDAY. MAXIMUM SUSTAINED WINDS ARE NEAR 145 MPH...230 KM/HR...WITH HIGHER GUSTS.

RITA IS A EXTREMELY DANGEROUS CATEGORY FOUR HURRICANE ON THESAFFIR-SIMPSON SCALE. SOME FLUCTUATIONS IN INTENSITY ARE LIKELYDURING THE NEXT 24 HOURS.HURRICANE FORCE WINDS EXTEND OUTWARD UP TO 60 MILES... 95 KM...FROM THE CENTER...AND TROPICAL STORM FORCE WINDS EXTEND OUTWARD UPTO 205 MILES...335 KM. ANY TROPICAL STORM FORCE WINDS IN THE NEWORLEANS AREA ARE EXPECTED TO BE CONFINED TO A FEW SQUALLSASSOCIATED WITH QUICKLY MOVING RAINBANDS.

SHORTLY BEFORE 6 PM CDT...NOAA BUOY 42001 JUST SOUTH OF THE CENTER OF RITA REPORTED A10-MINUTE AVERAGE WIND OF 83 MPH...134 KM/HR WITH A GUST TO 112MPH...180 KM/HR.THE LATEST MINIMUM CENTRAL PRESSURE REPORTED BY AN AIR FORCEHURRICANE HUNTER AIRCRAFT WAS 913 MB...26.96 INCHES.