Hurricane in Mississippi, August 29, 2005

Hurricane Katrina will likely go down as the worst and costliest natural disaster in United States history. The amount of destruction, the cost of damaged property/agriculture and the large loss of life across the affected region has been overwhelming. Catastrophic damage was widespread across a large portion of the Gulf Coast region. The devastation was not only confined to the coastal region, widespread and significant damage occurred well inland up to the Hattiesburg area and northward past Interstate 20. This hurricane has changed life as we know it across the Gulf Coast region which will take many years to return to normal.Hurricane Katrina was a very large and powerful storm which set several unfortunate records. This storm began as Tropical Depression 12 during the late afternoon and evening of August 23rd. The storm slowly moved northwest, became more organized, and was upgraded to Tropical Storm during the late morning of August 24th as it moved across the Central Bahamas. The Tropical Storm continued to become better organized as it moved slowly west toward Southern Florida. Katrina became a Category 1 Hurricane late in the afternoon on August 25th just before moving inland across South Florida. Hurricane Katrina moved south westward across Southern Florida and only slightly weakened to a Tropical Storm for a few hours while over land. Katrina quickly regained Hurricane status as it moved back over water in the southeast Gulf of Mexico. Katrina continued to move to the west-southwest over the southern Gulf and steadily became better organized and more intense. During the very early hours of August 28, Hurricane Katrina under went rapid intensification and became a Category 5 hurricane. By Sunday afternoon, August 28th, Hurricane Katrina reached her maximum intensity. The sustained winds were 175 mph and the lowest central pressure was 902 mb or 26.64 inches of mercury. This incredible low pressure ranked Katrina 4th for the all time lowest pressures in the Atlantic Basin. By this time, the hurricane had made her turn to the north-northwest and set a coarse for Southeast Louisiana and the Mississippi Gulf Coast. Hurricane Katrina continued northward and made landfall in Southeast Louisiana near Empire around 540 am CDT. The sustained winds were 145 mph and the central pressure was 918 mb or 27.11 inches of mercury. This ranks Katrina as having the 3rd lowest pressure at landfall behind Camille (2nd) and the Labor Day Hurricane (1st). Katrina moved nearly due north across extreme Southeast Louisiana and moved inland again at the mouth of the Pearl River around 905 am CDT. Through the morning and afternoon hours, Katrina steadily moved north and then north-northeast across all of Mississippi. Katrina remained a hurricane as it crossed Interstate 20 near Newton, MS. Katrina was downgraded to a Tropical Storm around 600 pm CDT on Monday, August 29th. The storm continued to move north-northeast across eastern and northeast Mississippi through the evening. The center of the storm passed near Starkville and West Point before exiting the region about 1045 mph CDT Monday, August 29th. Additionally, Hurricane Katrina was responsible for 10 tornadoes. These tornadoes were confined to Central and East-Central Mississippi, mainly Newton, Lauderdale, Leake, Neshoba and Kemper counties. These tornadoes were of F1 and F2 strength, with 8 of the 10 rated as F1.The following are measurements of the strongest winds and lowest pressures measured by area instruments. These data may not represent the strongest winds or lowest readings due to instrument failure or power outages.The 3 strongest wind gusts were recorded at Laurel (110 mph), Hattiesburg (100 mph) and Columbia (81 mph). These readings all occurred before the instruments failed. The 4th strongest wind gust occurred in Starkville (76 mph).The 3 lowest pressures were recorded at Columbia (951 mb), Meridian Naval Air Station (964 mb) and at the NWS Jackson (973.3 mb or 28.74 inches). The observed pressure at the NWS Jackson set the all time record for lowest Sea Level Pressure. The previous record was (28.94 inches) which occurred on August 17, 1969 during Hurricane Camille.The damage from Hurricane Katrina was devastating and widespread. Damage occurred across all of the Jackson forecast area which includes 9 parishes in Northeast Louisiana, 2 counties in Southeast Arkansas and about 2/3 of Central and Southern Mississippi. As widespread as the damage was, the more concentrated and most significant damage occurred across Southeast and East-Central Mississippi. For other areas, especially those west of a Natchez to Yazoo City to Grenada line, damage to trees and power lines was significant and scattered across the landscape. As you move toward Central Mississippi and along Interstate 55 the damage and impacts increase. This portion of the state sustained widespread damage to trees and power lines. Millions of trees were uprooted, snapped or severely damaged. It was the fallen trees that caused just about all of the structural damage and downed power lines across this region. Hundreds of trees fell onto homes causing minor to major damage. These downed trees were responsible for 2 fatalities across Hinds and Warren counties. In each case, a tree fell on a house. Additionally, significant and extensive damage occurred to the Agriculture and Forestry industries of this region. The most devastating damage occurred across Southeast Mississippi, especially south and east of a Columbia to Collins to Laurel line. This region received sustained winds between 60 and 80 mph with gusts ranging from 80 to 120 mph. Wind damage to structures was widespread as many roofs were blown off or partially pealed off. Hundreds of signs were shredded or blown down. Many businesses sustained structural damage as windows were broken, roofs were blown off and walls were collapsed. Millions of trees were uprooted and snapped. Power poles and lines were snapped and taken down from wind and trees. It was the thousands of downed trees which caused the most significant structural damage as these trees fell onto homes and businesses. Ten fatalities were caused by trees falling on homes or on people in Jones county. This region received an enormous blow to the timber industry as a large percentage of trees were blown down or severely damaged. This timber damage will effect this region for decades. Additionally, the combination of the winds and loss of power caused significant losses to the poultry industry and other agricultural industries across this region. As Katrina moved northward, the impact across Central, East-Central and Northeast Mississippi was less, but still widespread and significant. The region east of a Monticello to Brandon to Ackerman line saw millions of trees and power lines blown down. Like the other areas, just about all of the structural damage occurred from fallen trees. Three fatalities occurred across Simpson, Lauderdale and Leake counties. Each of these fatalities was from fallen trees. The agricultural industry again was severely hit across this region with the biggest losses in the timber and poultry industries.The utility companies across the region were severely hit as well. Thousands of power poles and countless miles of power lines were taken down by fallen trees and wind. The power outages across the region were widespread and lasted for a period of a few days to as long as 4 weeks. An example of how widespread the power outages were can be shown from the Jackson Metro area which includes 3 counties, Hinds, Rankin and Madison. The first night, Monday night, the Metro had 97% of the area out of power. The most extensive outages were across the southeast and in rural areas. Here, power took 2-4 weeks to be restored due to the massive amount of damage.The agriculture and forestry industries of the state were severely effected by Hurricane Katrina. The timber industry was hit the hardest with timberland damaged estimated around 1.3 billion dollars. The devastating impact to this industry will be felt for decades. Another particularly hard hit industry was the poultry industry. In the region where the hurricane passed, about 9000 chicken houses exist and hold 20-25 thousand birds apiece. Approximately, 300 of these houses were destroyed and nearly another 2400 were damaged. The combination of lost birds and damaged houses bring damage estimates between 100-120 million dollars. The region's Row Crops were hard hit as well. The main crops in this industry are cotton, rice, corn and soybeans. The damage varied and was dependant on location. The estimated damage is around 100 million dollars. The region's catfish industry was also hard hit. The main damage has come from damaged levees and the loss of power. The power outage and the lack of a way to aerate the ponds has given way to disease and stress-induced conditions to the fish. The estimated damages are around 100 million dollars. Other impacted industries across the region include dairy and cattle (est damage 30 million) and Nursery Plants (est damage 18 million).Hurricane Katrina was responsible for 15 direct fatalities across inland Mississippi and 19 indirect. All the direct deaths, in some way, were attributed to fallen trees. Trees either fell on homes, on vehicles, or on the actual person. The indirect fatalities varied and ranged from heart attacks to heat stress during the days after without power.Damage costs associated with this hurricane will be the highest for any natural disaster in United States history. Preliminary amounts, across the NWS Jackson County Warning Area (CWA), show property damage estimates around 5.9 Billion dollars. Agricultural damage across the region was also extremely high with estimates around 1.5 Billion dollars. The total estimated damage is approximately 7.4 Billion dollars. All of these estimates are extremely preliminary and will likely be adjusted over the coming months.