000 WTNT23 KNHC 230853 TCMAT3 HURRICANE RITA FORECAST/ADVISORY NUMBER 23 NWS TPC/NATIONAL HURRICANE CENTER MIAMI FL AL182005 0900Z FRI SEP 23 2005 A HURRICANE WARNING IS IN EFFECT FROM PORT O'CONNOR TEXAS TO MORGAN CITY LOUISIANA. A HURRICANE WARNING MEANS THAT HURRICANE CONDITIONS ARE EXPECTED WITHIN THE WARNING AREA WITHIN THE NEXT 24 HOURS. PREPARATIONS TO PROTECT LIFE AND PROPERTY SHOULD BE RUSHED TO COMPLETION. A TROPICAL STORM WARNING IS IN EFFECT FOR THE SOUTHEASTERN COAST OF LOUISIANA EAST OF MORGAN CITY TO THE MOUTH OF THE PEARL RIVER INCLUDING METROPOLITAN NEW ORLEANS AND LAKE PONTCHARTRAIN....AND FROM SOUTH OF PORT O'CONNOR TO PORT MANSFIELD TEXAS. A TROPICAL STORM WARNING MEANS THAT TROPICAL STORM CONDITIONS ARE EXPECTED WITHIN THE WARNING AREA WITHIN THE NEXT 24 HOURS. SOME PORTIONS OF THE TROPICAL STORM WARNING IN TEXAS COULD BE DISCONTINUED LATER TODAY. AT 4 AM CDT...0900Z...THE TROPICAL STORM WATCH IS DISCONTINUED FOR THE TEXAS COAST SOUTH OF PORT MANSFIELD AND FOR NORTHEASTERN MEXICO. HURRICANE CENTER LOCATED NEAR 26.8N 91.0W AT 23/0900Z POSITION ACCURATE WITHIN 15 NM PRESENT MOVEMENT TOWARD THE NORTHWEST OR 305 DEGREES AT 8 KT ESTIMATED MINIMUM CENTRAL PRESSURE 927 MB EYE DIAMETER 30 NM MAX SUSTAINED WINDS 120 KT WITH GUSTS TO 145 KT. 64 KT....... 75NE 60SE 40SW 50NW. 50 KT.......120NE 100SE 80SW 100NW. 34 KT.......180NE 150SE 120SW 140NW. 12 FT SEAS..350NE 250SE 250SW 300NW. WINDS AND SEAS VARY GREATLY IN EACH QUADRANT. RADII IN NAUTICAL MILES ARE THE LARGEST RADII EXPECTED ANYWHERE IN THAT QUADRANT. REPEAT...CENTER LOCATED NEAR 26.8N 91.0W AT 23/0900Z AT 23/0600Z CENTER WAS LOCATED NEAR 26.5N 90.7W FORECAST VALID 23/1800Z 27.6N 92.2W MAX WIND 125 KT...GUSTS 155 KT. 64 KT... 75NE 75SE 40SW 50NW. 50 KT...120NE 100SE 80SW 100NW. 34 KT...180NE 160SE 120SW 160NW. FORECAST VALID 24/0600Z 28.9N 93.6W MAX WIND 120 KT...GUSTS 145 KT. 64 KT... 75NE 75SE 40SW 50NW. 50 KT...120NE 100SE 80SW 110NW. 34 KT...180NE 160SE 120SW 160NW. FORECAST VALID 24/1800Z 30.4N 94.6W...INLAND MAX WIND 80 KT...GUSTS 100 KT. 64 KT... 60NE 75SE 40SW 40NW. 50 KT... 80NE 100SE 80SW 80NW. 34 KT...140NE 160SE 120SW 120NW. FORECAST VALID 25/0600Z 31.5N 95.0W...INLAND MAX WIND 45 KT...GUSTS 55 KT. 34 KT... 75NE 100SE 75SW 75NW. FORECAST VALID 26/0600Z 33.0N 94.5W...INLAND MAX WIND 30 KT...GUSTS 40 KT. EXTENDED OUTLOOK. NOTE...ERRORS FOR TRACK HAVE AVERAGED NEAR 250 NM ON DAY 4 AND 325 NM ON DAY 5...AND FOR INTENSITY NEAR 20 KT EACH DAY OUTLOOK VALID 27/0600Z 33.0N 94.5W...INLAND MAX WIND 25 KT...GUSTS 35 KT. OUTLOOK VALID 28/0600Z 33.0N 94.5W...INLAND DISSIPATING MAX WIND 25 KT...GUSTS 35 KT. REQUEST FOR 3 HOURLY SHIP REPORTS WITHIN 300 MILES OF 26.8N 91.0W NEXT ADVISORY AT 23/1500Z FORECASTER BEVEN $$