Rita To Become A Rainmaker, But Not Here in Georgia
Hurricane Rita is expected to make landfall as a category 3 hurricane near the Texas-Louisiana border sometime this evening. Wind speeds at landfall are expected to be near 125 MPH, with sustained wind speeds of up to 60 MPH in Houston, and gusts to 75 MPH.
In addition to the very real threat of damage caused by the storm, there is also a lot of concern regarding the amount of rain the storm will bring. Right now, the high pressure system that has brought Atlanta so much dry weather this month is predicted to stall Rita near the Texas Arkansas border, allowing her to dump rainfall over the area.
The chart to the right shows expected rainfall totals between 8 PM this evening and 8 PM on Wednesday. Up to 20 inches of rain will fall near the coast, with rain up to five inches falling across a wide swath of Louisiana and Texas.
Notably missing from the rainfall picture is North Georgia. It, along with a stretch running through the Carolinas, is expected to stay dry through the period, with a possibility of rain for late next week.
Below is a satellite picture of Rita taken late this afternoon:
