Hurricane Katrina Facts


Hurricane Katrina
Hurricane Katrina was the costliest U.S. hurricane on record and one of the worst natural disasters in U. S. history. Katrina will be remembered for its catastrophic flooding in New Orleans due to levee failure. Katrina formed in the central Bahamas and moved northwest. It made landfall in south Florida on the Broward/Miami-Dade counties line as a category 1 hurricane. Virginia Key reported a gust to 93 mph. Heavy rain also fell. Key West had 10.05" and Homested 14.04". As Katrina moved over the Gulf of Mexico, it turned north and strengthened into a category 5 hurricane with top sustained winds of 175 mph. Katrina was large in size and gererated a large wind field. This created huge waves in the Gulf where a bouy 74 miles south of Dauphin Island, AL measured a peak significant wave height of 55 feet. Katrina ingested some dry air and weakened to a category 3 hurricane as it made landfall near Buras, LA. It briefly passed over the Gulf waters again and made its last landfall on the Mississippi - Louisiana border. In Louisiana, a storm surge of 11.8' was measured at New Orleans Lakefront airport. New Orleans International airport had a peak gust to 98 mph. New Orlean's wind damage was comparable only to a category 1 or 2 hurricane. The majority of the damage in New Orleans was due to levee failure. Up to 80% of the city of New Orleans was flooded with up to 20' of water. The Mississippi coast suffered catastrophic damage due to storm surge and wind damage. A surge of 24-28 feet was measured along the Mississippi coast with the highest near Pass Christian at 27.8'. The storm surge went inland for about six miles, but up to twelve along the rivers. Pearl River EOC at Poplarville recorded a wind gust to 135 mph. In all, total damage estimates were placed near $81 billion.


Hurricane Katrina Radar Picture


Hurricane Katrina Facts Summary

• Hurricane Katrina Fact: Lowest pressure: 902 millibars / 26.64 inches
• Hurricane Katrina Fact: Pressure and sustained wind at landfall: (Broward/Miami-Dade county line) 984 millibars / 80 mph
• Hurricane Katrina Fact: Pressure and sustained wind at landfall: (Buras, LA) 920 millibars / 125 mph
• Hurricane Katrina Fact: Pressure and sustained wind at landfall: (LA-MS border) 928 millibars / 120 mph
• Hurricane Katrina Fact: Maximum sustained winds at peak: 175 mph
• Hurricane Katrina Fact: Fatalities: 1833
• Hurricane Katrina Fact: Storm surge height: 27.8 feet, Pass Christian, MS
• Hurricane Katrina Fact: Hurricane Katrina began as a tropical depression near the southeastern Bahamas
• Hurricane Katrina Fact: Hurricane Katrina weakened and became extratropical in the Ohio Valley.