Hurricane Katia (2023) (ThePhoneExpert)

Hurricane Katia (2023) was a powerful and a destructive Cape Verde hurricane, the Strongest since Hurricane Irma (2017). It was also the most intense Tropical Cyclone worldwide in 2023 with a minimum pressure of 901 millibars. It devastated multiple nations, including the US. Katia was the most intense hurricane to make landfall in Florida since Hurricane Michael in 2018

Meteorological History

On August 29, the NHC began monitering a tropical wave which emerged off the coast of Africa. The next day,  it rapidly intensified into a Tropical low and into a tropical depression soon after. Over the next 2 days the depression meandered, and on September 1, the depression intensified into Tropical Storm Katia. After 6 hours getting designated into a Tropical Storm, Katia rapidly intensified into a Hurricane and later into a Category 2 Hurricane. On September 3rd, it entered Category 3 status, classifying it as a Major Hurricane. Katia delivered Tropical Storm Conditions on the islands which were earlier affected by Idalia. On September 5th, Katia further intensified into a Category 4, maintaining this intensity for a consecutive 2 days. On September 7, Katia entered Category 5 status; the highest categorisation on the Saffir-Simpson Hurricane Wind Scale and later attained its Peak Intensity of 175mph and a pressure of 901mbars. Just 18 hours after becoming a Category 5, Katia weakened into a C4 on September 8 and into a C3 on September 9. On September 11, Katia made landfall at Palm Bay, Florida and later moving inland. On September 13, Katia dissipated as a Tropical Low.

Katia resulted in $72 Billion in damages (2023 USD) and 304 deaths; mostly in Haiti, The Bahamas and Florida.

Retirement

Due to high damages and a huge death toll, the name Katia was retired by the WMO in the spring of 2024, and was replaced with Kaitlyn for 2029.