Why Hurricane Katrina’s storm surge was uniquely destructive

NEW ORLEANS — Sept. 25, 2006: A white jersey streaked right through the middle of the punt formation and New Orleans Saints special teams standout, Steve Gleason, blocked an Atlanta Falcons punt just outside their own end zone, leading to a scoop-and-score touchdown that sent more than 70,000 roaring fans into a frenzy in the Saints' first game in the Superdome since being ravaged by Hurricane Katrina. BASEBALL IN THE WILD? MLB EYES ICONIC NATIONAL PARK FOR FUTURE NEUTRAL-SITE GAMEThe Saints and the NFL marked the 20th anniversary of "The Rebirth" or "Domecoming" game, as it has come to be known by fans, Monday night with a special pregame remembrance ceremony. next NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA - OCTOBER 05: New Orleans Saints fans ride a float during the Rebirth Parade celebrating Steve Gleason prior to the game against the Atlanta Falcons at Caesars Superdome on October 05, 2026 in New Orleans, Louisiana.

What are Santa Ana winds, and why do they fuel California wildfires? Santa Ana winds can down trees, trigger power outages and even damage buildings. They're also notorious for fanning some of the most destructive wildfires in Southern California history. What are Santa Ana winds? These winds form when an area of high pressure builds over the Great Basin, a region in the Intermountain West that includes Nevada and parts of other neighboring states. When this high forms, it creates a sharp pressure difference between the interior and the coast. Air then rushes downhill to the sea in an attempt to create balance. But there's an issue: California's mountain ranges get in the way.(MORE: The Pineapple Express is a firehose, and El Niño just turned it up)These hot, dry winds continue to speed up as they descend mountains. Any sparks can quickly become raging wildfires. This air is forced to squeeze through narrower mountain passes and canyons. One of these mountain ranges is the Santa Ana Mountains in Orange County, which is how these winds got their name in the first place.

A rare tornado struck western Sicily on Friday, damaging homes and sending several people to the hospital. The storm reportedly began as a waterspout before coming ashore and tracking several kilometres inland, hitting the towns of Petrosino and Marsala, southwest of Palermo. DON’T MISS: Tornado, funnel cloud, waterspout, landspout, gustnado: what’s the difference? A video posted to Facebook appeared to show numerous vehicles overturned. Reuters reported on Friday that several people sustained injuries in the storm. Friday’s incident was an example of a tornadic waterspout, which is a full-fledged tornado that forms over water. These dangerous storms can track inland, as was the case in Sicily on Friday. Most of Italy’s organized tornado activity is centred within the Po Valley in the northern part of the country. Powerful supercell thunderstorms are known to hit cities between Milan and Venice with very large hail, destructive winds, and occasional tornadoes. Historical records hold several dozen reports of tornadoes in Sicily since the 19th century. A particularly damaging and deadly tornado struck the city of Catania on Oct. 7, 1884. WATCH: In a tornado warning?

Hurricane Isaias appears to be the most impactful storm of the 2026 Atlantic hurricane season dominated by a super El Niño. So far this century, storms beginning with "I" have often been the most damaging. (MORE: Latest forecast | tracking maps)Eleven "I" hurricanes retiredOver the past 25 years, 11 other "I" hurricanes have had their names retired by the World Meteorological Organization. By retired, we mean no future Atlantic Basin storm will use that name again. The name is retired when a particular tropical storm or hurricane is so deadly and/or damaging that future use might be considered insensitive or confusing. When that happens, a new name is chosen by a WMO committee that will be used every six years going forward. Isaias replaced Ike when that notorious 2008 hurricane name was retired. Get More of Our News on GoogleSet The Weather Company as a 'Preferred Source' to get quicker access to the news you value. Tracks and locations of retired hurricanes starting with the letter "I" from 2001 through 2025. (Data: NOAA/NHC)The notorious "I" listHere's the list of 11 retired "I" hurricanes, starting with the most recent.

Hurricane Juan cemented its place in history during the early morning hours on Sept. 29, 2003, when it swept across Atlantic Canada with ferocious winds. The first hurricane to directly strike Halifax since the late 1800s, Juan caused hundreds of millions of dollars in damage and killed several people throughout the region. DON’T MISS: Hurricane Fiona, two years later: Could it happen again? Juan quickly developed and strengthenedA tropical disturbance around 550 km southeast of Bermuda served as the seed that would eventually grow into Hurricane Juan. The disturbance encountered a complex setup influenced by the remnants of Hurricane Isabel that hit the U. S. Mid-Atlantic one week earlier. The system quickly advanced from a tropical depression the morning of Sept. 24 into a full-fledged hurricane just 48 hours later. A ridge of high pressure to Juan’s northeast quickly steered the storm directly toward Nova Scotia. This speedy forward motion didn’t allow any time for the storm to weaken as it crossed the Gulf Stream on approach to Atlantic Canada. Hurricane Juan made landfall just west of Halifax shortly past midnight on Sept. 29, 2003, with maximum sustained winds of 160 km/h.

THE TAKEAWAYBoston metro and coastal Massachusetts: Pounding rain, street flooding and powerful wind gusts up to 60 mph continue. Long Island and NYC corridor: Vicious 50 mph wind gusts, driving heavy wave action along south-facing ocean beaches. Outer Banks and the Jersey Shore: Waves remain extremely high (up to 18 ft) with ongoing severe beach erosion and persistent inundation during high tide cycles. The monster nor'easter is still slamming millions as it makes a direct hit along the New Jersey coastline, lashing the East Coast from North Carolina's Outer Banks all the way up to New England with intense wind gusts, severe beach erosion and destructive high tide flooding. The storm makes its dramatic turn onshore in New Jersey today, fueling its final act of violent winds that may knock out thousands of more power outages. As a result of the deadly weather conditions, a 56-year-old man was killed by a falling tree in Brooklyn, New York, as strong winds slammed New York City and the Northeast on Saturday. Nor’easter FOX Weather Threat Zone.(FOX Weather) The nor’easter has already left behind a wide swath of damage along the East Coast, from New England to the Outer Banks.