The most powerful and destructive hurricane on record since we began tracking them is Hurricane Patricia, which occurred in 2015. Patricia holds the record for the strongest winds ever recorded in a hurricane, with sustained winds reaching 345 km/h (215 mph) and gusts of up to 400 km/h (250 mph). The storm rapidly intensified in the eastern Pacific Ocean off the coast of Mexico and reached its peak intensity in just 24 hours.
Though Patricia weakened before making landfall, it still caused significant flooding and damage in Mexico, though the loss of life was relatively low due to evacuation efforts.
In terms of sheer destruction and loss of life, however, Hurricane Katrina in 2005 stands out. Katrina struck the U.S. Gulf Coast and is one of the costliest natural disasters in U.S. history, causing over $125 billion in damage and leading to at least 1,800 deaths, particularly in New Orleans due to severe flooding from breached levees.
The "worst" hurricane can vary based on criteria, whether you're considering wind speed, size, or overall destruction.
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