Ten years ago, when Hurricane Katrina reached its peak intensity in the Gulf of Mexico, its maximum sustained winds reached an astonishing 175 mph. Views of the Category 5 storm from space were downright frightening.

It was difficult to come to grips with the fact that this storm could strike a highly populated U.S. city. And then, the sum of all fears was realized.

Ten years after the catastrophe, here are 10 images of the beastly storm as it bore down on New Orleans:

1. Animated infrared satellite gif of Katrina making landfall, August 28-29

Satellite image of Katrina making landfall (NWS)
Satellite image of Katrina making landfall (National Weather Service)

2. Animated radar gif of Katrina making landfall, August 29


(National Weather Service)

3. Still color infrared image of Katrina near peak intensity in the Gulf, August 28

Still image of Hurricane Katrina near peak intensity in the Gulf - color infrared image (NOAA)
(NOAA)

4. High resolution still image of Katrina near peak intensity in the Gulf, August 28


(NOAA/NASA/SSEC)

5. Wide view of Katrina near peak intensity in the Gulf, August 28


(NOAA)

6. Hurricane hunter (P3) fuselage radar view of Katrina as plane flew through eye, August 28

( )
Radar view 1:53 p.m. August 28, 2005. (University at Albany)

7. Three dimensional structure of Katrina visualized by NASA, August 28


From data from Tropical Rainfall Measurement Mission satellite (NASA)

8. Water vapor image of Katrina making landfall, August 29

This water vapor band image shows Katrina's weakened eyewall being further disrupted by interaction with the land surface at 5:45 a.m. on Monday, August 29, 2005. Jeff Weber, UCAR scientist, generated this image using GEMPAK software and data from the water vapor and infrared bands of NOAA's GOES-E satellite. (UCAR)
This water vapor band image shows Katrina’s weakened eyewall being further disrupted by interaction with the land surface at 5:45 a.m. on Monday, August 29, 2005. Jeff Weber, UCAR scientist, generated this image using GEMPAK software and data from the water vapor and infrared bands of NOAA’s GOES-E satellite. (Jeff Weber, UCAR)

9. NASA simulation of Katrina

(NASA)
Water vapor visualization. Simulation combines observational data every 6-hours with NASA’s high-resolution global model (GEOS-5) (NASA)

(Left simulation visualizes surface wind speeds, the right simulation portrays water vapor. More info.)

10. Visualization of Katrina used in “Dynamic Earth” film


Still from Katrina visualization which is part of a planetarium dome show called “Dynamic Earth” (Advanced Visualization Laboratory, National Center for Supercomputing Applications)

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