Hurricane Ida hit the Gulf Coast with flooding rains, catastrophic winds, storm surge and the highest wind gust (170 mph) ever recorded in the United States.

The hurricane devastated Louisiana barrier islands and left at least 10 people dead and millions without electricity before it peeled off for a destructive jaunt up through the Mid-Atlantic region, where it joined with a slow-moving Northeastern warm front for what was truly the perfect storm.

Many forecasters, once again, said that climate change was largely responsible for the devastation that spanned the good part of a nation.

Record rain amounts were registered at both Central Park and Newark (New Jersey) airport.