613 
 WTNT23 KNHC 212052
 TCMAT3
 HURRICANE RITA FORECAST/ADVISORY NUMBER  17
 NWS TPC/NATIONAL HURRICANE CENTER MIAMI FL   AL182005
 2100Z WED SEP 21 2005
  
 AT 4 PM CDT...2100Z...A HURRICANE WATCH HAS BEEN ISSUED FOR GULF OF
 MEXICO COAST FROM PORT MANSFIELD TEXAS TO CAMERON LOUISIANA.
  
 AT 4 PM CDT...2100Z...A TROPICAL STORM WATCH HAS BEEN ISSUED FOR
 EAST OF CAMERON TO GRAND ISLE LOUISIANA AND FROM SOUTH OF PORT
 MANSFIELD TO BROWNSVILLE.
  
 AT 4 PM CDT...2100Z...THE GOVERNMENT OF MEXICO HAS ISSUED A TROPICAL
 STORM WATCH FOR THE NORTHEAST COAST OF MEXICO FROM RIO SAN FERNANDO
 NORTHWARD.
  
 A HURRICANE WATCH MEANS THAT HURRICANE CONDITIONS ARE POSSIBLE
 WITHIN THE WATCH AREA...GENERALLY WITHIN 36 HOURS. A TROPICAL STORM
 WATCH MEANS THAT TROPICAL STORM CONDITIONS ARE POSSIBLE WITHIN THE
 WATCH AREA...GENERALLY WITHIN 36 HOURS.
  
 INTERESTS IN THE NORTHWESTERN GULF OF MEXICO SHOULD MONITOR THE
 PROGRESS OF DANGEROUS HURRICANE RITA.
  
  
 HURRICANE CENTER LOCATED NEAR 24.4N  86.8W AT 21/2100Z
 POSITION ACCURATE WITHIN  15 NM
  
 PRESENT MOVEMENT TOWARD THE WEST OR 275 DEGREES AT  11 KT
  
 ESTIMATED MINIMUM CENTRAL PRESSURE  914 MB
 EYE DIAMETER  15 NM
 MAX SUSTAINED WINDS 145 KT WITH GUSTS TO 175 KT.
 64 KT....... 60NE  50SE  40SW  50NW.
 50 KT....... 90NE  60SE  50SW  75NW.
 34 KT.......150NE 125SE 100SW 150NW.
 12 FT SEAS..240NE 175SE 150SW 275NW.
 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 24.4N  86.8W AT 21/2100Z
 AT 21/1800Z CENTER WAS LOCATED NEAR 24.3N  86.2W
  
 FORECAST VALID 22/0600Z 24.5N  88.5W
 MAX WIND 145 KT...GUSTS 175 KT.
 64 KT... 75NE  60SE  50SW  60NW.
 50 KT...125NE 100SE  75SW 100NW.
 34 KT...175NE 150SE 125SW 150NW.
  
 FORECAST VALID 22/1800Z 25.2N  90.6W
 MAX WIND 145 KT...GUSTS 175 KT.
 64 KT... 75NE  60SE  50SW  60NW.
 50 KT...125NE 100SE  75SW 100NW.
 34 KT...175NE 150SE 125SW 150NW.
  
 FORECAST VALID 23/0600Z 26.0N  92.7W
 MAX WIND 135 KT...GUSTS 165 KT.
 64 KT... 75NE  60SE  50SW  60NW.
 50 KT...125NE 100SE  75SW 100NW.
 34 KT...175NE 150SE 125SW 150NW.
  
 FORECAST VALID 23/1800Z 27.0N  94.5W
 MAX WIND 125 KT...GUSTS 155 KT.
 50 KT...125NE 100SE  75SW 100NW.
 34 KT...175NE 150SE 125SW 150NW.
  
 FORECAST VALID 24/1800Z 30.5N  97.0W...INLAND
 MAX WIND  65 KT...GUSTS  80 KT.
 50 KT... 25NE  25SE  15SW  25NW.
 34 KT... 75NE  75SE  50SW  75NW.
  
 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 25/1800Z 33.0N  97.0W...INLAND
 MAX WIND  30 KT...GUSTS  40 KT.
  
 OUTLOOK VALID 26/1800Z 36.0N  96.0W...INLAND
 MAX WIND  25 KT...GUSTS  35 KT.
  
 REQUEST FOR 3 HOURLY SHIP REPORTS WITHIN 300 MILES OF 24.4N  86.8W
  
 NEXT ADVISORY AT 22/0300Z
  
 FORECASTER AVILA
  
  
 $$