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Images: Rita prepares to wreak havoc

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  • Rita

    Rita

    At 1 p.m. CDT on Sept. 23, Hurricane Rita was within 190 miles of Galveston, Texas, heading across the Gulf of Mexico. Sustained winds had dropped from 175 mph Thursday to 125 mph with higher gusts. The National Hurricane Center called Rita "potentially catastophic."

    In addition to the winds, 8 to 12 inches of rain are expected along the storm's path, with 3 to 5 inches of rain predicted for New Orleans. Accumulations could reach 25 inches in some areas. Coastal flooding of 15 to 20 feet above tide level is expected along with dangerous battering waves where the center makes landfall.

    Caption by: Bill Detwiler

  • This satellite image from 1 p.m. CST on Sept. 23 shows the storm is already over much of Louisiana. Hurricane-force winds extend about 85 miles from the center.

    Caption by: Bill Detwiler

  • path

    path

    Here is the storm's predicted route--the eye is expected to hit land on Saturday near the Louisiana-Texas border, Sept. 24.

    Caption by: Bill Detwiler

  • heat tower

    heat tower

    This 3-D image of Hurricane Rita's clouds was produced Sept. 19 by NASA's Tropical Rainfall Measuring Mission (TRMM) satellite. The two giant chimney clouds extend more than 11 miles high.

    Caption by: Bill Detwiler

  • water temperature

    water temperature

    Weather forecasters fear that this storm could attack the Gulf Coast with the fury of Katrina. Hurricanes generally get stronger when the water temperature is above 82 degrees Fahrenheit. This map shows water temperature of the Gulf of Mexico on Sept. 18. Orange and red indicate water temperature above 82 degrees Fahrenheit.

    Caption by: Bill Detwiler

  • Loop Current

    Loop Current

    Hurricane Katrina gained strength dramatically when it reached the Loop Current, which is a large ring of warmer water. The dots show the path and intensity of the storm, red marking the most intense spots.

    Caption by: Bill Detwiler

  • New Orleans

    New Orleans

    Although the eye of Rita is predicted to stay southwest of New Orleans, a slight change of course could significantly add to the city's devastation. This photo of New Orleans was taken shortly after Katrina swamped the city.

    Caption by: Bill Detwiler

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The National Hurricane Center described this storm as a "potential catastrophe" with its current winds of 165mph.

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Rita

At 1 p.m. CDT on Sept. 23, Hurricane Rita was within 190 miles of Galveston, Texas, heading across the Gulf of Mexico. Sustained winds had dropped from 175 mph Thursday to 125 mph with higher gusts. The National Hurricane Center called Rita "potentially catastophic."

In addition to the winds, 8 to 12 inches of rain are expected along the storm's path, with 3 to 5 inches of rain predicted for New Orleans. Accumulations could reach 25 inches in some areas. Coastal flooding of 15 to 20 feet above tide level is expected along with dangerous battering waves where the center makes landfall.

Caption by: Bill Detwiler

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