It's not your imagination. Hurricanes are getting more severe.
It's not your imagination. Hurricanes are getting more severe.  
Podcast: Consider This from NPR
Published On: Thu Aug 21 2025
Description: In August of 2005, Hurricane Katrina devastated the Gulf Coast, leaving more than 1300 people dead and becoming the most expensive hurricane in history with overall economic losses estimated at $125 billion. It was also a harbinger of what would happen to hurricanes in the years to follow, as climate change would make them an increasingly powerful and a regular threat.NPR Alejandra Borunda explains how the devastation wrought by Hurricane Katrina spurred a better understanding of these intensifying storms and a improved storm preparedness.For sponsor-free episodes of Consider This, sign up for Consider This+ via Apple Podcasts or at plus.npr.org. Email us at considerthis@npr.org.This episode was produced by  Michael Levitt. It was edited by Courtney Dorning, Patrick Jarenwattananon and Sadie Babits. Our executive producer is Sami Yenigun.Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoicesNPR Privacy Policy