Katrina winds and damage were at least as wide as Milton, FL. NAS had Ivan repairs that were damanged. The winds blew for nearly 36 hours.
In more 'normal' times, Katrina would have been a major storm even in Florida.
But I know firsthand what MS and AL looked like since I worked on some relief projects as far as Stennis.
The winds south of I-10 were devastating, but the most awesome aspect of the storm was the surge. I saw places where cars where tossed and stacked up and other places where pavement was scoured from the roads.
I agree. The coastal communities were devastated...all the way into and including parts of Florida.
I'm worried about this year already, lol. Mobile is now the largest city on the central Gulf.