Effects of Hurricane Katrina on the gulf coast Essay

Effects of Hurricane Katrina on the disconnectedness coast - Essay ExampleEffects of Hurricane Katrina on the gulf coastTo sympathise what happened to New siege of Orleans and the disconnection Coast during Katrina, however, one must first understand a bit about hurricanes, tropic storms, and their classifications. Storm occur when there are four detail weather conditions present low air pressure, warm temperatures, moist ocean air and tropical hoists blowing go about the equator. Hurricanes begin as a tropical depression, with wind speeds of 23-39 mph, and falling air pressure. Once the wind reaches speeds of 39-73 mph, it upgrades to a hurricane. Category 1 hurricanes kick in winds from 75-94 mph, which does not cause real damage to structures, only to mobile homes, trees and shrubs, and flood is kept to a minimum (Brinkley , 2006, p. 17). Category 2 hurricanes have winds from 96-100 mph (Fradin & Fradin, 2010, p. 14). Category 3 is much stronger, with winds from 111-13 0 mph, which causes some structural damage to small residence, destroys mobile homes, and more flooding (Brinkley, 2006, p. 15). Category 4 hurricanes have winds from 131-155 mph (Fradin & Fradin, 2010, p. 14). Category 5 has winds in excess of 155 mph, which causes complete roof failure on many residences and industrial buildings. Some complete building failures with small utility buildings short-winded over or away. Major damage to lower floors of all structures located less than 15 feet higher up sea direct and within 500 yards of the shoreline. Massive evacuation of residential areas on low free-base within five to ten miles of the shoreline may be required.... Some complete building failures with small utility buildings blown over or away. Major damage to lower floors of all structures located less than 15 feet above sea level and within 500 yards of the shoreline. Massive evacuation of residential areas on low ground within five to ten miles of the shoreline may be require d (Brinkley, 2006, p. 17). Beginning as a tropical depression over the Bahamas on August 23, 2005, then gaining strength while contact landfall in Florida (Hoffman, 2005, p. 4), Hurricane Katrina began hitting the Gulf Coast as a Category 3 Hurricane, with winds up to 141 mph (DesRoaches, 2006, p. 1). The original reports were that Katrina capability only hit the Gulf Coast as a Category 1, which is the lowest grade of Hurricane, but, thus far while reports were that she was a Category 1, there was apprehensiveness that she would pick up fury and steam sooner hitting the Gulf region (Reid & Theiss, 2005, p. 4). As Hurricane Katrina hit the mainland of America, in Florida, she was only a Category 1, with wind gusts of 80 MPH, but picked up strength as she passed the warm waters of the Gulf of Mexico, which put the Gulf states of Mississippi and Louisiana into a state of emergency (Rodger, 2006, p. 11). While the devastation in New Orleans is what attracted the most attention, and is what will give Hurricane Katrina its most notoriety, Hurricane Katrina was a devastating storm all around, as it alter 45 bridges, destroyed railroad tracks and caused debris to fall into the road which cost $200 million in cleanup costs (Rodger, 2006, p. 1). Of course, Katrina was not the only hurricane during the 2005 hurricane season, although she was easily the most famous of that bunch. 15 hurricanes