My wife's company followed Mayor White's suggestion and shut down for the week. She plans to drive to San Antonio with her friends.

The current track has Rita making landfall south of Galveston (somewhere near Harlingen?). If this holds, Houston should be spared most of the flooding and wind damage...Expect IAH to shut down by late Thursday/early Friday regardless of exactly where Rita makes landfall. CO probably will loosen restrictions on their rebooking procedures later today, once the path becomes clearer.

Havng lived through Allison in 2001, one thing's certain: Houston will flood. The bayous that drain the city into the gulf will essentially be backed up and floodwaters will go nowhere for a day or so.

Pearland (near Hobby) will be far worse. IAH should fare better.