Fox News Media’s free streaming weather network Fox Weather will debut a multipart documentary on Hurricane Katrina later this month, timed to coincide with the 20-year anniversary of the storm.
The series, “Hurricane HQ: Katrina’s Wrath 20 Years Later,” will feature Fox Weather hurricane specialist Bryan Norcross, correspondent Robert Ray and Fox News senior meteorologist Janice Dean. It will include interviews with city officials, meteorologists and survivors, offering first-hand accounts of the disaster, the city’s recovery efforts and the infrastructure improvements designed to protect New Orleans today.
The first installment will air on August 25, and revists when Hurricane Katrina made landfall in New Orleans. Norcross and Ray will examine the chain of events that followed, including levee failures and critical decisions that turned a natural disaster into an urban catastrophe. Former New Orleans Police Superintendent Eddie Compass describes the desperate rescue efforts as floodwaters made streets impassable, forcing officers to commandeer boats. Journalist James Karst recalls how the Times-Picayune newspaper worked to debunk false reports of post-storm chaos, earning the newspaper a Pulitzer Prize.
The second episode explores the days after Katrina, when flooding gave way to a prolonged humanitarian crisis. Dean will reflect on covering one of her first major weather events. Nurse Cyntrel Janeau shares her account of delivering babies at Charity Hospital using only flashlights after generators failed. Marita Crandle recounts how Johnny White’s bar in the French Quarter remained open, becoming a local hub for exchanging accurate information amid the uncertainty.
The third chapter focuses on lessons learned in hurricane forecasting and infrastructure. Norcross and Ray speak with longtime local forecaster Bob Breck, who experienced the storm firsthand. U.S. Army Corps engineer René Poché outlines the $14.5 billion system of levees and floodwalls now protecting New Orleans. Former National Hurricane Center Director Max Mayfield places these improvements within a broader national effort to strengthen storm defenses.
The final episode looks at New Orleans’ recovery and future resilience. Norcross, Ray, and Dean reflect on the city’s progress over two decades and the determination of its residents. Levees.org founder Sandy Rosenthal offers a tour of her Flooded House Museum, a detailed recreation of a post-Katrina living room that captures the human impact of the disaster and preserves the memory of the storm’s toll.
Fox Weather is available on most popular free, ad-supported streaming TV (FAST) platforms, including Plex, Pluto TV, The Roku Channel, Xumo Play, Samsung TV Plus, Sling Freestream, Vizio WatchFree Plus and LG Channels. Some streaming cable-like providers also offer Fox Weather, including DirecTV Stream, Fubo and YouTube TV, and Fox Weather will be included in the forthcoming streaming service Fox One when it launches next week.
Fox Weather also streams within the smartphone app of the same name, which is available as a free download on Apple and Android-powered devices.
