Tropical Storm Rita became a Category One hurricane Tuesday morning with 75-mile-an-hour sustained winds, the National Hurricane Center said.

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The storm has blown across the Bahamas and is headed for the Florida Keys.

Thousands of residents and tourists have evacuated in advance of the hurricane, which is expected to move west into the Gulf of Mexico and toward the Texas Coast.

The hurricane is expected to strike this weekend somewhere along about 200 miles of coastline stretching from far northern Mexico to the southwest corner of Louisiana.

Texas and local officials are heeding the lessons of Hurricane Katrina as they prepare for the storm.

Gov. Rick Perry has recalled the Texas National Guard and other Hurricane Katrina emergency personnel and equipment from Louisiana.

Perry says emergency workers will be deployed along the Texas Gulf Coast by midweek if the current track continues.

Galveston officials have called for voluntary evacuation of the island city.

Officials there want those who can get out on their own to start leaving authorities want them to start leaving Tuesday afternoon.

Buses for Galveston residents who can't evacuate on their own will begin running as well, headed for shelters in Huntsville.

Central Texas officials are also planning for another possible influx of evacuees as the storm approaches.

Arkansas Governor Mike Huckabee says emergency officials have told him to be prepared to take Katrina refugees still housed in Houston-area shelters.

Harris County Judge Robert Eckels warned that the Astrodome, which closed last week as a temporary home to Katrina refugees, can't be used as a hurricane shelter because of its glass roof.

Officials stressed that those fleeing the coastal area should bypass Houston, which Mayor Bill White noted could lose power and is prone to flooding.

People fleeing Rita are urged to drive on to Dallas, San Antonio or Austin, which already are sheltering Katrina refugees.

Click Here For National Hurricane Center Web Site

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MAJOR TEXAS HURRICANES:

July 20, 2005: Emily, storm packing 125 mph winds hit near San Fernando, Mexico, a coastal town about 85 miles south of Brownsville. Minimal damage reported in South Padre and Port Isabel. No deaths or serious injuries. Scattered power outages.

July 15, 2003: Claudette, Matagorda Bay-Victoria; two inland deaths, $180 million in damage across central Texas coast from winds peaking near 100 mph.

Aug. 22, 1999: Bret, Kenedy County; four highway deaths in Laredo, scattered damage as storm with 140 mph winds moved into sparsely populated region.

Sept. 16-18, 1988: Gilbert, 125 miles south of Brownsville; one dead in San Antonio; tornado and wind damage of $5 million in Brownsville, Del Rio and San Antonio.

Aug. 18, 1983: Alicia, Galveston-Houston; 21 dead, more than $2 billion damage; 22 tornadoes, winds 130 mph. Last major hurricane to strike Texas.

Aug. 9, 1980: Allen, lower coast; two dead, $55 million damage; winds 185 mph.

Sept. 3-12, 1971: Fern, middle coast; two dead, $30.2 million damage.

Aug. 3, 1970: Celia, Corpus Christi; 11 dead, $50 million damage; wind gusts to 160 mph.

Sept. 18-23, 1967: Beulah, Brownsville; 13 dead, $150 million damage.

Sept. 11-13, 1961: Carla, Port O'Connor-Galveston-Houston; 34 dead, $300 million damage; wind gusts estimated at 175 mph, storm tide 18.5 feet at Port Lavaca.

June 27, 1957: Audrey, Sabine Pass; 10 dead, $8 million damage.

Oct. 3-4, 1949: Freeport-Houston; two dead, $6.5 million damage; wind gusts estimated at 135 mph; storm tide 11.5 feet at Freeport.

Aug. 25-29, 1945: Port O'Connor; three dead, $20.1 million damage; wind gusts estimated at 135 mph; storm tide 15 feet at Port Lavaca.

July 27, 1943: Galveston Bay-Houston; 19 dead, $16.6 million damage.

Aug. 29-31, 1942: Matagorda Bay; eight dead; $26.5 million damage; winds 115 mph, storm tide 14.7 feet at Matagorda.

Sept. 23, 1941: Texas City; four dead, $6.5 million damage.

July 25, 1934: Seadrift; 19 dead, $4.5 million damage.

Sept. 4-5, 1933: Brownsville; 40 dead, $16.9 million damage.

Aug. 13-14, 1932; Velasco (Freeport); 40 dead, $7.5 million damage.

Sept. 14, 1919: South of Corpus Christi; 284 dead, $20.3 million damage; winds 110 mph, storm tide 16 feet.

Aug. 18-19, 1916: Corpus Christi; 20 dead, $1.6 million damage.

Aug. 16-19, 1915: Galveston; 375 dead, damage over $56 million. Most losses ($50 million) to crops; storm tide 16.1 feet.

July 21-22, 1909: Velasco (Freeport); 41 dead, damage at least $2 million.

Sept. 8-10, 1900: Galveston; 6,000-12,000 dead; damage $30 million to $40 million (around $800 million in today's dollars); Storm surge 15-20 feet, winds estimated at 120 mph; Deadliest
natural disaster in U.S. history.