Hurricane Rita

Hurricane Rita

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For other storms of the same name, see Tropical Storm Rita (disambiguation).

Hurricane Rita

Category 5 hurricane (SSHS)
Hurricane Rita on September 21 at 1910 UTC
Formed	September 18, 2005
Dissipated	September 26, 2005
Highest winds	1-minute sustained: 180 mph (285 km/h)
Lowest pressure	895 mbar (hPa); 26.43 inHg
Fatalities	97 – 125 total
Damage	$12 billion (2005 USD)
Areas affected	Hispaniola, Turks and Caicos Islands, Bahamas, Cuba, Florida, Mississippi, Louisiana, Texas, Arkansas, Missouri, Illinois, Canada, Europe
Part of the 2005 Atlantic hurricane season

Hurricane Rita was the fourth–most intense Atlantic hurricane ever recorded and the most intense tropical cyclone ever observed in the Gulf of Mexico. The eighteenth named storm, tenth hurricane, and fifth major hurricane of the 2005 season, Rita formed near The Bahamas from a tropical wave on September 18 that originally developed off the coast of West Africa. It moved westward, and after passing through the Florida Straits, Rita entered an environment of abnormally warm waters. It rapidly intensified to reach peak winds of 180 mph (285 km/h) on September 20. After steadily weakening and beginning to curve to the northwest, Rita gradually weakened and made landfall on Sabine Pass, Texas with winds of 120 mph (195 km/h) on September 20. It weakened over land and degenerated into a large low-pressure area over the lower Mississippi Valley on September 26.

In Louisiana, the storm surge from Rita inundated low-lying communities near the coast, worsening effects caused by Hurricane Katrina less than a month prior. The surge topped levees, allowing water to surge further inland. Lake Charles suffered from severe flooding. Areas in Texas suffered from extensive wind damage. Nine counties in the state were declared disaster areas after the storm. Electric service was disrupted in some areas of both Texas and Louisiana for several weeks. Texas reported the most deaths from the hurricane, where 113 deaths were reported.

Moderate to severe damage was reported across the lower Mississippi Valley. Rainfall from the storm and its associated remnants extended from Louisiana to Michigan. Rainfall peaked at 16.00 in (406 mm) in Central Louisiana. Several tornadoes were also associated with the hurricane and its subsequent remnants. Throughout the path of Rita, damage totaled about $12 billion (2005 USD, $15.2 billion 2013 USD). As many as 120 deaths in four U.S. states were directly related to the hurricane.

 

Meteorological history

Storm path

On September 7, 2005, a tropical wave emerged off the west coast of Africa and entered the northern Atlantic Ocean. Failing to produce organized, deep convection, the system tracked west-northwestward towards the Lesser Antilles. By September 12, a cold front became stationary several hundred miles north of the Leeward Islands and gradually weakened. A surface trough later detached from the dissipating system and moved slowly westward, north of Puerto Rico. By September 17, the ill-defined tropical wave merged with the trough, triggering the development of concentrated shower and thunderstorm activity.^[1] Aided by a decrease in wind shear, the system continued to organize and the National Hurricane Center (NHC) estimated that it developed into a tropical depression around 0000 UTC on September 18. At this time, the depression was situated roughly 80 mi (130 km) east of Grand Turk in the Turks and Caicos.^[1]

Less than a day after forming, the depression became the 17th tropical storm of the season on September 18 and was named Rita. The tropical storm was slow to become a hurricane; National Hurricane Center (NHC) reports early on September 20 estimated the storm's sustained surface winds at hurricane force (75 mph, 120 km/h). However, Rita lacked a complete eyewall, and as such Rita remained classified as a tropical storm with 70 mph (110 km/h) winds during the latter hours of September 20. Aircraft observations released at 9:45 a.m. EDT showed a closed eyewall and winds clearly at hurricane strength. Four hours later, the NHC reported that Rita had reached Category 2 hurricane strength, with 100 mph (160 km/h) maximum sustained winds.

Hurricane Rita making its final landfall

Warm sea surface temperatures (SST) in the Gulf of Mexico, 1 °F (0.5 °C) above average, favored storm intensification. As Rita entered the Gulf of Mexico, rapid intensification began. NHC advisories issued every three hours each showed strengthening from 5 p.m. EDT on September 20 to 11 a.m. EDT on September 21, as Rita's maximum sustained winds increased to 140 mph (225 km/h). Rita continued to gain strength unabated. An update at 2:15 p.m. CDT (1815 UTC) stated maximum winds had increased to 150 mph (240 km/h) and Rita's minimum pressure was 920 mbar (hPa). Less than two hours later, at 3:55 p.m. CDT, another update reported that Rita had strengthened to a Category 5 hurricane, with maximum wind speeds of 165 mph (265 km/h). At 6:50 p.m. CDT, a reconnaissance aircraft recorded pressure of 899 mbar (hPa) away from the storm's center; the actual central pressure was thought to be lower still. At 10 p.m. CDT, Rita reached its maximum intensity, with sustained winds of 180 mph (290 km/h) and an estimated minimum pressure of 895 mbar (hPa), (26.43 in Hg).

Lt. Col. Warren Madden, a Hurricane Hunter and meteorologist for The Weather Channel, recorded a peak wind gust of 235 mph (380 km/h) while flying in the eye of the storm, and called Rita "the strongest storm that I've ever been in." Rita's intense winds destroyed or disabled several buoy-based weather stations.

Rita made landfall between Sabine Pass, Texas, and Johnson Bayou, Louisiana, at 02:38 CDT (07:38 UTC) on September 24, 2005 as a Category 3 Hurricane with winds at 120 mph (195 km/h). Rita lost both hurricane and tropical storm status the day of landfall. Rita's remnants — technically an extensive low pressure area — moved quickly out of the lower Mississippi Valley and were absorbed by a cold front. The Hydrometeorological Prediction Center ceased monitoring Tropical Depression Rita early on September 26.