How did Hurricane Rita affect the CPS estimates?
Hurricane Rita struck the Gulf Coast of Texas and Louisiana during the September collection week. As a result of the evacuations in Texas, about 10 percent fewer interviews were conducted in that state compared with August. Because respondents who were interviewed were asked about employment status during the week before Hurricane Rita struck, any job loss or other impact that occurred because of the hurricane was not reflected in the September 2005 estimates. In October, the number of interviews was below normal in Texas. Again, in accordance with standard CPS procedures, those who were interviewed are used to represent those who were missed. To the degree that the employment status of those interviewed in September and October was different than those missed, some inaccuracy would be introduced into the data. Beginning in November, the number of households interviewed returned to normal in Texas. In general, the area impacted by Hurricane Rita was much smaller than the Katrina-affect
