Three weeks after Katrina came ashore, Gulf States residents began bracing for Tropical Storm Rita as it lumbered toward the region Monday, Sept. 19.

A mandatory evacuation was issued for the Florida Keys Monday morning, clogging the one highway in and out as residents and tourists clambered to escape Rita’s onslaught.

As of 2 p.m. EDT Monday, Rita was expected to reach Category 1 Hurricane status within the next 24 hours, before reaching the southern tip of Florida , according to the National Weather Service. However, many are concerned about the storm’s anticipated direction, which could bring its winds and rain dangerously close to areas still reeling from Katrina’s destruction – including New Orleans .

“There is deep concern about this storm causing more flooding in New Orleans ,” President Bush told reporters Monday morning during a Homeland Security council meeting.

Forecasters say the storm could reach Category 4 levels by the time it reaches Texas , Louisiana and Mississippi on Friday or Saturday.

A hurricane warning – meaning hurricane conditions are expected within the next 24 hours – is in effect for the extreme southern Florida peninsula from Golden Beach southward to Florida City , and westward to East Cape Sable, and for all of the Florida keys from Ocean Reef to the Dry Tortugas, including Florida Bay .

A tropical storm warning – meaning tropical storm conditions are expected within the next 24 hours – and a hurricane watch – meaning hurricane conditions within 36 hours – are in effect from Deerfield Beach, FL, southward to north of Golden Beach, and a tropical storm warning is in effect from north of Deerfield Beach northward to Jupiter Inlet.

At 2 p.m. EDT, the center of Rita was about 380 miles east-southeast of Key West , FL , and was moving toward the west-northwest at 14 mph.

Monday afternoon Nation Weather Service data indicated maximum sustained winds of 70 mph with higher gusts. Some strengthening was forecast during the next 24 hours, and Rita could become a hurricane late Monday or early Tuesday.