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Assignment#01
Your Session #
Hurricane Sandy
Vs
Hurricane Katrina
Submitted By:
Scarlet Li
Submitted To:
Ma’am ABC
Date of Submission:
3rd Jan, 2015
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Table of Contents
Overview of Hurricane’s Sandy and Katrina: ................................................................................. 3
Similarities and Differences among the Hurricane’s Sandy and Katrina: ...................................... 4
Similarities: ................................................................................................................................. 4
Differences: ................................................................................................................................. 5
Overall Summary: ........................................................................................................................... 5
Works Cited: ................................................................................................................................... 6
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Overview of Hurricane’s Sandy and Katrina:
Hurricane Sandy also known as "Super-storm Sandy" was the most destructive as well as
second-costliest hurricane in United States history. The Category 2 storm off the coast of the
Northeastern United States, and was the largest hurricane diameter with winds spanning 1,100
miles (1,800 km). Total damage was estimated at $68 billion (2013 USD). About 286 got an end
of their life due to this storm all over the seven countries (CNN Library, 2014). Hurricane
Katrina was another caustic hurricane but unlike sandy it was Atlantic tropical hurricane of the
2005 Atlantic hurricane season. It was also a costliest disaster in the history of the United States.
Katrina is the seventh most intense Atlantic hurricane ever recorded, part of the 2005 season that
included three of the six most intense Atlantic hurricanes ever documented. At least 1,833 people
died in the hurricane and subsequent floods. Total property damage was estimated at $108 billion
(2005 USD)
Figure 1: Track of hurricane Katrina
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Figure 2: Track of hurricane Sandy
Similarities and Differences among the Hurricane’s Sandy and Katrina:
Similarities:

Both Sandy and Katrina were tremendously destructive Atlantic Hurricanes. They were
costliest and the second costliest Hurricanes in United State history with the Price tags of
105 dollar billion and 50 dollar billion respectively.

Both rose during very energetic storm seasons.

Both were very large storms, causing very wide damage and high storm flows.

Both shut down and flooded the major U.S. cities; Sandy hit New York City and Katrina
shut down the New Orleans, although for shorter time.

Both storms eventually merged with the other systems.
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Differences:

Storm Katrina was more severe than the Sandy, peaking as category 5 storms with 175
mph winds and striking the U.S. as a category 3. Sandy was a category 2 storm at peak
strength with 110 mph winds, and hit the U.S. at category 1 intensity.

Katrina was a hurricane in every sense of the word at landfall in the U.S. with full
tropical characteristics. Sandy was a post-tropical cyclone at landfall in the U.S. and so
was technically no longer a hurricane.

Hurricane Katrina started on a westward path, hitting Florida and then turning north to hit
the U.S. Gulf coast, a similar path to that taken by numerous Atlantic hurricanes.
Hurricane Sandy started on a northward path, before making an unprecedented westward
turn to hit the U.S. east coast.

Hurricane Katrina's damage was almost exclusively in the United States while Sandy
caused significant damage and several dozen deaths in the Caribbean.

Hurricane Katrina was far deadlier than Sandy, killing more than 1,800 people. Hurricane
Sandy killed just over 200 people (Newman, 2012).
Overall Summary:
The overall picture of wreck and destruction that Hurricanes Katrina (2005) and Sandy (2012)
depicted was tragically alike. Both attacked on major cities, hit on the heavily populated
coastlines and cut down electric power to millions. Katrina was actually a tropical cyclone that
moved towards a low-pressure area. Katrina was a hot-core hurricane which got its energy from
the tropical Atlantic Ocean. Sandy had alike properties while it was whipping around the tropics.
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But as it moved towards north, it fused with a weather system coming from westward and
transformed into extra-tropical storm (NASA, 2012).
Storm Type at Landfall
Cost loss
Katrina
Sandy
Category 3 hurricane, Aug.
Post-tropical cyclone, Oct. 29,
29, 2005.
2012.
$148 billion (2012 dollars)
$71 billion in New Jersey and
were estimated total cost lost
New York, $360 million in
Connecticut.
Death loss.
1,833.
286 (132 on U.S(main land) )
Displaced people
More than 550,000
Data is still under
families were homeless.
compilation.
$48.7 billion (2012 dollars).
$16 billion to $22 billion.
Insured Losses
Works Cited:

CNN Library, 2014 “Hurricane Sandy Fast Facts” retrieved on 1st Jan,2014
from:http://www.cnn.com/2013/07/13/world/americas/hurricane-sandy-fast-facts/

CNN Library, August 22, 2014 “Hurricane Katrina Statistics Fast Facts” retrieved on 1st
Jan,2014 from:http://www.cnn.com/2013/08/23/us/hurricane-katrina-statistics-fast-facts/

NASA, 2012, “Comparing the Winds of Sandy and Katrina” retrieved on 1st Jan, 2015
from: http://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/hurricanes/archives/2012/h2012_Sandy.html
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
NEWMAN ANDY, 2012, “Hurricane Sandy vs. Hurricane Katrina” retrieved on 1st Jan,
2015 from: http://cityroom.blogs.nytimes.com/2012/11/27/hurricane-sandy-vs-hurricanekatrina/?_r=0