Katrina vs Helene: A comparative look at two of Florida’s top devastating hurricanes

Heather Ainsley ECB Publishing, Inc. Perhaps the most memorable hurricane that comes to mind when speaking about devastation and impact to local communities is Hurricane Katrina, which made landfall in Florida in August of 2005. It began as a tropical depression that formed on Aug. 23, 2005, forming over the southeastern area of the Bahamas. By the next day, Katrina had developed into a tropical storm, and was given its name as it moved toward central Bahamas. It made landfall along the southeastern coast of Florida as a Category 1 hurricane on Aug. 25, making its way across the southern part of the state. Upon reaching the warm waters of the Gulf of Mexico, the storm rapidly intensified