Hurricane Katrina, Five Years Later
Landfall of Hurricane Katrina over southern Louisiana on the morning of Aug. 29, 2005, led to the most costly hurricane in United States history and a storm whose impact is still felt to this day.
Katrina made landfall as a massive Category 3 hurricane at the outlets of the Mississippi River followed by a northward sweep east of New Orleans and into Mississippi.
While the deadly storm packed the fury of 120-mph sustained winds at the time of landfall, Katrina had weakened substantial from the 175-mph Category 5 monster prowling the central Gulf as of Aug. 28.
Owing to its size and intense winds, Katrina battered the central Gulf Coast with a storm surge that exceeded 20 feet in some areas.
Even though the worst wind and tidal surge of Katrina tracked east of New Orleans, it nonetheless overwhelmed the city's flood defenses to trigger catastrophic inundation of the low-lying city, from which New Orleans has yet to recover fully.
Storm impacts elsewhere in Louisiana, Mississippi and Alabama were devastating in their own right.
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Daily U.S. Extremes
past 24 hours
| Extreme | Location | |
|---|---|---|
| High | 82° | Gila Bend, AZ |
| Low | -13° | Clayton Lake, ME |
| Precip | 1.24" | Spanish Fork, UT |
WeatherWhys®
The "Dead of Winter," the one-month period when normal temperatures reach their lowest levels, has come to an end for much of the United States. Some people may find it odd that the "Dead of Winter" does not encompass the darkest day of the year (the first day of winter). That is due to a seasonal lag in temperatures. More heat continues to be lost than is gained from the start of winter until this time of year.
This Day In Weather History
Gulf Coast 1 (899)
ry cold morning along Gulf Coast; New Orleans 6.8 deg.; Mobile -1 deg.; Pensacola 7 deg.; Tallahassee -2 deg (All time record for Florida. Brownsville 12 deg. (all time low).
North Dakota 1 (936)
this date the mercury plummeted to -60 deg. at Parshall, ND - the coldest temperature ever for the State of ND. Later the same year, the mercury soared to 121 deg. at Steele, ND - the hottest temperature ever for the state of ND.
Rough Weather
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