"Hurricane season" is a time period when most hurricanes form over the Atlantic Ocean. Hurricane season lasts from June 1 through November 30, peaking in late August and early September.

2005 was the most active hurricane season in recorded history. There were 28 or 29 storms and 15 hurricanes, resulting in more than 3,000 deaths and nearly $160 billion in damages.

The Gulf Coast of the U.S. (including the states of Louisiana, Texas, Mississippi, and Florida) and the Mexican states of Quintana Roo and Yucatan suffered the most damage.

The most powerful storm of the devastating 2005 season was, of course, Hurricane Katrina, which destroyed entire neighborhoods of New Orleans, Louisiana, and Biloxi, Mississippi. The path of Hurricane Katrina is represented in red in this map from the American Red Cross.