Sep 23, 2005
A tropical depression moving west through the Turks and Caicos Islands developed into Tropical Storm Rita on the afternoon of September 18th. Rita moved west through the central Bahamas on the 19th and strengthened into a category 2 hurricane on the 20th while moving across the Florida Straits. After entering the Gulf of Mexico on the 21st, Rita rapidly intensified as it moved west northwest. Rita strengthened to a category 5 storm on the afternoon of the 21st and reached its peak intensity the
Source: NOAA National Weather Service Storm Events Database (event 5478911). Narrative written by NWS staff at the time of the event.
This event is one of many recorded floods in St. James County. See the full FEMA flood zone map, NFIP claim totals, and disaster history for the area.