Uh oh. What if Rita makes it back into the Gulf?

[Ilsa]

What if Rita makes it back into the Gulf? I wonder if it is possible for this storm to make it all the way back home and regroup as a stronger system again?

[Catherine Vincent]

1. It could do what Ivan did.

Crazy Ivan.

[Ilsa]

2. "Kuh-raaaazee Ivan!" as Jonesey would say. n/t

[Catherine Vincent]

14. You're a "Red October" fan too eh?

:-)

[Ilsa]

Both book and movie were awesome! Jones was a fabulous

character. I enjoyed him more than I did Baldwin playing Ryan.

[Johnywolf]

3. no

It will become a tropical depression before reaching water. From the map it is not certain, where it will go. So chances of that are very small!

[Ilsa]

8. Let's hope so. They just said that it depends on two high pressure

areas over the southern plain states and eastern US. It might actually turn up if those areas of high pressure get more distance between them.

[chelsea0011]

4. My local weather, Boston, said just that yesterday.

It is expected to be pushed down back out into the Gulf. Can it still become a hurricane if it is disorganized?

[eleny]

5. I heard it could be driven east causing the Miss River to flood

That would cause disaster as well. I don't have a link for that report. My husband saw it on one of the news stations. Probably CNN.

[jwirr]

6. Off topic - but how did the oil rigs in the path of RITA

fair?

[tjdee]

13. CNN said they're fine.

No significant damage. But, I saw somewhere else (MSNBC?) they have to look and make sure the pipelines are okay, and it will take about a week to get them back up (depending on where the workers are,etc.).

[Ilsa]

15. Don't know for sure yet...

http://wire.chron.com/dynamic/stories/O/OIL_PRICES?SITE=TXHOU&SECTION=BUSINESS&TEMPLATE=bizstory.html

Oil prices sink as Hurricane Rita weakens

NEW YORK (AP) -- Crude oil prices dropped sharply Friday, the second straight day of declines, as traders welcomed news that Hurricane Rita had weakened, suggesting that damage to refinery capacity in the Gulf could be less severe than originally feared.

Refineries in the projected path of the hurricane were shuttered by Friday, including facilities operated by BP PLC, Royal Dutch Shell PLC and Exxon Mobil Corp. Nineteen of Texas' 26 refineries, with a combined daily capacity of nearly 5 million barrels, have been shut, according to the Energy Information Agency.

However, unlike refining facilities shut down by Hurricane Katrina - four of which were still out of service Friday - traders expected less damage from Rita because the Texas refineries were on higher ground than those in Louisiana.

[Dudley_DUright]

7. Not to scare you Ilsa, but at least one computer model

does have it making it back into the gulf. However, the consensus seems to be that it does not.

[Ilsa]

10. Thanks. I feel better. nt

[Quixote1818]

19. That would be amazing if it did! Has that ever happened before?

What if it regrouped and hit Florida then came up and hit Georgia, South Carolina, North Carolina, Virginia, Maryland, New Jersey, Delaware, New York, Conn, Rhode Island, Mass. New Hampshire and Maine?

And wiped out half of the population of Bosh-wash (The Boston to Washington megalopolis).

You never know!

[Roland99]

9. Doubt it...there's a front to the north

[madrchsod]

17. that red line just went thru here today

more rain than we have had for months where i live and with a little luck we will get alot more. northern illinois is about 12-16 inches of rain this year. the solid blue line looks like we will get more rain monday or so. it doesn`t look good for those in the path of rita cause i don`t think she`s got enough punch to head north

[Roland99]

18. Behind on rain here, too. it's rained like 3 times since mid-July.

[tjdee]

11. Where is the high pressure...um....whatever?

Isn't there a high pressure system (?) stopping it from going north and too much east (the weather guy on CNN was describing it as a kidney bean shaped thing)?

So it has to move south, if it's still that big. If it goes into NO, that will be bad. Looks like the MS river may flood whatever happens, not cool.

I'd imagine going back to the Gulf isn't good either, because of all that warm water.

[Horse with no Name]

12. I was just looking at that

I think that IF it did happen--it would be a weak depression or tropical storm.
I don't think we will have another Hurricane Rita.

[whistle]

16. This Rita is really bizarre and seems to have a mind of its own...

...It still appears to be a well organized storm, but can it sustain itself as a hurricane over land for the next three days?




<snip>
WTNT43 KNHC 242044
TCDAT3
TROPICAL STORM RITA DISCUSSION NUMBER 29
NWS TPC/NATIONAL HURRICANE CENTER MIAMI FL
5 PM EDT SAT SEP 24 2005

RITA HAS CONTINUED TO WEAKEN AS IT MOVES INLAND. INITIAL INTENSITY
IS ESTIMATED AT 45 KNOTS BASED ON DOPPLER RADAR BUT WIND GUSTS ARE
PROBABLY HIGHER. FURTHER WEAKENING IS ANTICIPATED AND RITA IS
EXPECTED TO BE A TROPICAL DEPRESSION WITHIN THE NEXT 12 HOURS OR SO.

RITA IS MOVING TOWARD THE NORTH OR 360 DEGREES AT 10 KNOTS. STEERING
CURRENTS ARE FORECAST TO BECOME VERY LIGHT SO ONLY A SMALL EASTWARD
DRIFT IS ANTICIPATED BEYOND 24 HOURS. RITA SHOULD PRODUCE
TORRENTIAL RAIN ALONG ITS PATH.

BECAUSE TROPICAL STORM FORCE WINDS EXTEND ABOUT 150 N MI SOUTH OF
THE CENTER...A TROPICAL STORM WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT FOR THE
COAST FROM HIGH ISLAND TEXAS TO MORGAN CITY LOUISIANA.

FORECASTER AVILA


FORECAST POSITIONS AND MAX WINDS

INITIAL 24/2100Z 32.1N 94.0W 45 KT
12HR VT 25/0600Z 33.5N 93.8W 30 KT...INLAND
24HR VT 25/1800Z 35.0N 93.0W 25 KT...INLAND
36HR VT 26/0600Z 35.0N 91.5W 25 KT...INLAND
48HR VT 26/1800Z 35.0N 90.0W 20 KT...INLAND
72HR VT 27/1800Z 34.5N 89.0W 20 KT...REMNANT LOW
96HR VT 28/1800Z 34.5N 89.0W 20 KT...REMNANT LOW
120HR VT 29/1800Z 34.5N 89.0W 20 KT...DISSIPATING


<link> http://hurricane.terrapin.com/text/1127609179-HADT43US.TXT.html.en