The Miss-Lou returned to hurricane mode on Thursday, after the Civil Defense Department told area leaders that Hurricane Rita poses a substantial risk to the area.

The National Weather Service in Jackson, in a conference call with Mississippi counties, predicted the Miss-Lou would be take a more substantial hit that Katrina delivered, beginning tonight and carrying into Saturday.

“A little bit stronger on the wind, maybe 25-35 (mph) with tropical storm force gusts, tornado threats and the rainfall looks like a widespread three to six inches is possible,” meteorologist Jeff Craven said.

With the current dry spell the area has faced, the river level is not a problem, although flash flooding could occur if the rain bands line up, he said.

The rain and tornado activity, affects of being on the east side of the storm, are predicted to begin this evening and extend through Saturday.

Craven and Alan Gerard, another meteorologist, expect Rita to be a category 3 or 4 when it hits land. The Texas coast between Galveston and the Louisiana border is the current projected landing zone, 15-20 inches of rain is forecast for southwest Louisiana.

Civil Defense Director George Souderes told the assembled officials – law enforcement, fire, school, city, county, Red Cross among others – to prepare for not just the storm, but the aftermath as well.

“Preparing is one thing, working it while it’s here is another thing, but recovering is out main concern,” Souderes said.

Concordia Parish officials watched and waited Thursday to see what Hurricane Rita would bring.

The Red Cross shelter at the Concordia Parish Community Center remains open and has capacity to accept more evcauees, parish Civil Defense Director Morris White said.

White said the First Baptist Churches in Ferriday and Vidalia, which closed their shelters a week ago, were ready to reopen within hours should the need arise.

All Concordia Parish Sheriff’s deputies are on standby should they be needed during or after Rita hits the area, CPSO spokesperson Kathleen Stevens said.

Souderes asked for questions and got few. Just three weeks after Katrina, they know the routine.

The road department and law enforcement, coming off of a solid performance in the wake of Katrina, are on standby to do it all again.

Ditto for the Red Cross.

Natchez-Adams County chapter executive director John Goodrich said four shelters are running and have room. The group is currently consolidating its shelters while filling assistance requests, but Goodrich isn’t worried that they are stretched too thin. No matter how many evacuees come – or return, for some – there will be room for them.

“We will continue to consolidate our shelters until people start coming in,” he said. “Then we will start filling them again.”

The chapter’s assistance program will continue to operate regardless of Hurricane Rita. More than 100 checks were given out on the first day of appointments.

The only major player absent from the briefing was Entergy. Area customer service manager Stephen Caruthers could not be reached for comment.

Public officials are meeting again this morning for an update from the National Weather Service.