Hurricane Rita turns toward Texas-Louisiana border
{{date|September 23, 2005}}
{{Hurricane 2005 Infobox|Category 4 Hurricane Rita turns toward Texas-Louisiana border|Hurricane Rita 200509212045.jpg}}
[[w:Hurricane Rita|Hurricane Rita]] weakened to become a [[w:category 3|category 3]] storm on Friday with sustained winds of 125 mph.  The [http://poly9.viavirtualearth.com/poly9/msnbc-rita/ forecast path] is centered near the Texas-Louisiana border.

The core of the [[w:hurricane|hurricane]] is expected to approach the [[w:Texas|Texas]] and [[w:Louisiana|Louisiana]] coasts late on Friday.
[[Image:2005-09-22-10PM CDT Hurricane Rita 3 day path.gif|thumb|left|3-day forecast path.]]
Rita is expected to produce rainfall accumulations of 8-12 inches, with the storm slowing down and producing a total of as much as 25 inches across eastern Texas and western Louisiana.  Bursts of tropical storm winds and rainfall amounts of 3-5 inches are possible in [[w:New Orleans, Louisiana|New Orleans]].

The U.S. Corps of Engineers estimated that 6 inches of rainfall could breach the previously damaged levees. New Orleans' Ninth Ward, which saw as much as 20 feet of water during [[w:Hurricane Katrina|Hurricane Katrina]], is currently in waist high water as a nearby levee was overtopped. Water is spilling over the levee in a section 100 feet wide.

Near the center of the storm, coastal storm surge flooding of 15 feet above normal tide levels is expected, reaching 20 feet in bays and rivers.

News of 3 levee breaches in New Orleans are being broadcast in televised reports.  Tides are about 2 feet above normal along the Louisiana, Mississippi, and Alabama coasts, and tides will increase to 4-6 feet above normal, with large waves and swells.

== Earlier stories ==
*{{Wikinews|title=Houston mayor urges evacuations as Hurricane Rita moves closer to shore
|date=September 22, 2005}}
*{{Wikinews|title=Florida Keys evacuated in preparation for Rita
|date=September 21, 2005}}

== Sources ==
*{{source|url=http://www.nhc.noaa.gov/text/refresh/MIATCPAT3+shtml/230542.shtml?
|title=HURRICANE RITA INTERMEDIATE ADVISORY NUMBER  22A
|author=
|pub=NOAA
|date=September 22, 2005}}
*{{source|url=http://hosted.ap.org/dynamic/stories/R/RITA_NEW_ORLEANS_HK2?SITE=VARIT&SECTION=US&TEMPLATE=DEFAULT 
|title=Rita's Rains Breach Two New Orleans Levees 
|author=Associated Press
|pub=Richmond Times-Dispatch
|date=September 23, 2005}}

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[[Category:Texas]]
[[Category:Louisiana]]
[[Category:United States]]
[[Category:North America]]
[[Category:Disasters and accidents]]
[[Category:Weather]]
[[Category:Hurricane season, 2005]]
Hurricane Rita weakened to become a category 3 storm on Friday with sustained winds of 125 mph.  The  forecast path is centered near the Texas-Louisiana border.

The core of the hurricane is expected to approach the Texas and Louisiana coasts late on Friday.
3-day forecast path.
Rita is expected to produce rainfall accumulations of 8-12 inches, with the storm slowing down and producing a total of as much as 25 inches across eastern Texas and western Louisiana.  Bursts of tropical storm winds and rainfall amounts of 3-5 inches are possible in New Orleans.

The U.S. Corps of Engineers estimated that 6 inches of rainfall could breach the previously damaged levees. New Orleans' Ninth Ward, which saw as much as 20 feet of water during Hurricane Katrina, is currently in waist high water as a nearby levee was overtopped. Water is spilling over the levee in a section 100 feet wide.

Near the center of the storm, coastal storm surge flooding of 15 feet above normal tide levels is expected, reaching 20 feet in bays and rivers.

News of 3 levee breaches in New Orleans are being broadcast in televised reports.  Tides are about 2 feet above normal along the Louisiana, Mississippi, and Alabama coasts, and tides will increase to 4-6 feet above normal, with large waves and swells.
Texas Louisiana United States North America Disasters and accidents Weather Hurricane season, 2005