Closest approach
Offshore tothe east
Hurricane Rita’s closest approach to Galveston occurred on Friday, September 23, 2005, with the center passing offshore to the east as it tracked toward the Texas–Louisiana border. Rita made landfall in the early hours of Saturday, September 24, 2005, near the Sabine Pass/Johnson Bayou area, about 100 miles east of Galveston, as a Category 3 hurricane.
The early forecasts indicated that Rita would directly strike Galveston, likely as a Category 4 or Category 5 major hurricane.
Those forecasts resulted in a mass evacuation from Galveston and surrounding areas and created monumental traffic jams lasting up to 12–15 hours on all major highways and freeways around Galveston and Houston.
September 23 · FridayHurricane conditions developed during Rita’s closest offshore approach.
Closest approachLate Friday evening, with the eye roughly 70–90 miles east of Galveston.
LandfallAbout 2:30–3:00 a.m. CDT on September 24 near the Texas–Louisiana border.
Effects in Galveston
- Hurricane-force gustsStrong winds reached Galveston even though the eye remained well east.
- Surge and erosionSignificant storm surge and beach erosion, especially along the island’s West End.
- Power outages and damageWidespread outages, fallen trees, and downed power lines.
- A fortunate trackDamage was much less than it would have been had the eye come ashore near Galveston.