Hurricane Katrina lasted from August 23, 2005, when it formed as a tropical depression over the southeastern Bahamas, until August 31, 2005, when its remnants were absorbed by a cold front in the eastern Great Lakes region. This means the hurricane lasted about 9 days in total. Key timeline highlights:
- August 23: Formation of tropical depression
- August 24: Became Tropical Storm Katrina
- August 25: Initial landfall on southeast Florida coast as a Category 1 hurricane
- August 28: Reached Category 5 status in the Gulf of Mexico
- August 29: Made landfall as a Category 3 hurricane in Louisiana and Mississippi
- August 31: Weakened to tropical depression and absorbed by cold front
The damage and impact were largely concentrated in the last few days, particularly August 28-31, during the major landfalls and subsequent flooding. Thus, Katrina's lifespan as a tropical system was approximately 9 days, with the most destructive impact occurring over about 3-4 days near the U.S. Gulf Coast.
