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100 Years of Category 5+ Hurricanes in North America
Graphic Truth: 20 years since Katrina, Category 5 hurricane frequency is increasing
20 years ago, Hurricane Katrina devastated Louisiana and the Gulf Coast, killing nearly 1,400 people and destroying thousands of homes in the predominantly Black Lower 9th Ward of New Orleans. While Katrina remains the costliest US storm in history at $200 billion, it is just one of the increasingly frequent category 5 hurricanes to hit North America over the last 50 years.
100 Years of Category 5+ Hurricanes in North America
Graphic Truth: 100 Years of Category 5+ Hurricanes in North America
Hurricane Erin intensified quickly over the weekend, becoming a Category 5 storm packing wind speeds of 160 miles per hour. As the week begins, Erin, the first hurricane of the 2025 Atlantic season, has dropped to Category 4 and is threatening the East Coast with high winds, heavy rains, and rough surf. If recent years are a measure of what’s to come, Erin could be the first of several major storms this season. Here’s a look at how the number of Category 5 hurricanes across North America has increased by 56% over the last 50 years.