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Weather models from the main forecasting centres around the world are giving authorities a better idea of where Hurricane Rita will make landfall in the next few days. Agencies and departments, including the Met Office and Foreign and Commonwealth Office, are working closely together to give the best advice for anyone affected by the approaching category 4 hurricane. Hurricane Rita is currently less than 800 miles east of the Texan coast, moving at around 15 m.p.h. With sustained wind speeds in excess 125 m.p.h., an area of the Texan coastline between Galveston and Corpus Christi seems most likely receive a direct hit from Rita. Residents of this area are being warned accordingly. Extreme winds and flooding from storm surge and heavy rain are the main threats to life and property.
The 2005 tropical storm season for the Atlantic was predicted to be one of the most active, but this year could see a record number of storms. In early August, with the season already under way, Colorado State University issued a forecast for 20 tropical storms, 10 of which would reach hurricane level. With Tropical Storm Rita moving across the Gulf of Mexico, there have been 17 tropical storms to date — Rita is the 9th hurricane. Twenty-one storms were recorded in 1933 and the record number of hurricanes in one season was 12 in 1969. With the official end of the season at the end of November, and the fact that some storms have occurred as late as early December, it seems likely that these records could be toppled this year. With only 21 names nominated for each storm season it also means that the National Hurricane Center in Miami will need to resort to using letters of the Greek alphabet should the record be broken. Latest tropical cyclone advisories Travel advice from Foreign and Commonwealth Office Notes:
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