JOHNSON'S BAYOU, La. (WRBL) — Twenty years ago today, Hurricane Rita made landfall in Southeast Texas and Southwest Louisiana as a Category 3 storm. Rita is the strongest storm ever recorded in the Gulf (by pressure).

Tropical Storm Rita formed on September 18th in the Bahamas. Because of very warm waters in the Gulf, Rita would rapidly intensify into a Category 5 storm only three days later.

Its peak intensity was measured at sustained winds up to 180 mph and a minimum pressure of 895 mb at 10 PM CT September 21st.

A State of Emergency was issued ahead of the storm for Louisiana and Texas. Texas Governor Rick Perry recalled the Texas National Guard that had been sent to New Orleans in the wake of Katrina. Evacuation orders were issued for parts of Louisiana on September 21st and for pa

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