Katrina

Part of speech: noun

Definitions

1. A major hurricane that impacted the Gulf Coast of the United States in 2005, particularly devastating New Orleans
2. A significant weather event known for causing catastrophic flooding and severe damage
3. A name associated with extensive humanitarian efforts and discussions on climate change and disaster preparedness following its occurrence

Etymology: Katrina is a personal name, and the hurricane took it in the ordinary way: the National Hurricane Center's naming lists rotate through first names, and the 2005 Atlantic season used a list that included "Katrina." The storm's name therefore carries no meaning beyond being a common given name, and the same list had already supplied names for many earlier storms. Its significance comes from what happened after it made landfall in late August 2005. Katrina struck the Gulf Coast, and its surge breached levees protecting New Orleans, flooding most of the city and killing well over a thousand people in Louisiana alone. Because of the disaster, the name became a shorthand for the storm itself and for its aftermath, including debates over evacuation, levee engineering, and federal response. Hurricane names were retired from the Atlantic lists after major damage, and Katrina was among those retired. Its name was removed from the rotation, so no later Atlantic storm has carried it.