Storm history › Atlantic › 2005 season
Hurricane Rita (2005)
Rita was a Category 5 hurricane of the 2005 Atlantic season. It was tracked from September 18, 2005 to September 26, 2005, about 8 days, and covered 2,467 miles.
At its peak it had winds of 180 mph (285 km/h) and a lowest pressure of 895 mb.
It made landfall once, near Port Arthur, United States.
Its closest pass to a major city was 62 miles from Havana, Cuba.
Its peak winds rank 7th of 2,017 Atlantic storms on record.
- Peak wind
- 180 mph
- Lowest pressure
- 895 mb
- Strongest
- Category 5 hurricane
- Landfalls
- 1
- Duration
- 8 days
- Track length
- 2,467 mi
- Energy (ACE)
- 25.1
DepressionTropical stormCat 1Cat 2Cat 3Cat 4Cat 5
Landfalls
| # | Date (UTC) | Near | Wind |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | September 24, 2005 | Port Arthur, United States | 115 mph (185 km/h) |
Closest pass to major cities
| City | Closest pass |
|---|---|
| Havana, Cuba | 62 mi (100 km) |
| Memphis, United States | 87 mi (140 km) |
| New South Memphis, United States | 89 mi (143 km) |
| Houston, United States | 90 mi (144 km) |
| Indianapolis, United States | 100 mi (160 km) |
| Santiago de los Caballeros, Dominican Republic | 138 mi (222 km) |
| Miami, United States | 142 mi (229 km) |
How it compares
- Peak winds: 7th highest of 2,017 Atlantic storms on record, tied with Hurricane Milton (2024), Hurricane Irma (2017), Hurricane Mitch (1998).
- Lowest pressure: 5th lowest of 1,294 Atlantic storms with a recorded pressure, tied with Hurricane Milton (2024).
- Energy: 10% of the 2005 Atlantic season's ACE.