Rita

The previously-mentioned tropical depression 18 is now category 2 hurricane Rita, which blew through the Keys today on the way into the Gulf of Mexico, where it is expected to grow into a category 4 as early as tomorrow afternoon. At least it seems to be headed to the Texas coast instead of hitting Louisiana again, which was initially feared.



Here we've been having a drought. This evening it's raining for only the second time since I've been in Chapel Hill. Earlier it was a fairly intense thunderstorm.