Rita is now a larger, more powerful category 5 hurricane and its projected course has shifted back to a landfall just south of Galveston. That means that both Galveston and Houston could face the worst winds on the northeast side of the hurricane, which could lead to massive flooding, in a scenario very similar to this worst case scenario described earlier this year. This could also deal a devastating blow to the oil industry, with experts talking about more refineries being crippled and prices topping $3 a gallon.
This is bad news. I'm going to get some sleep now and hope it's somewhat better by the time I wake.
Even if you're a Republican, I think we can all agree that it would be better for the U.S. if Rita passes to the south through Crawford, rather than hitting Galveston and Houston. If you've got a deity (or several), be sure to pray appropriately.