World geography:
why is south islands west coast called the "wet cost"
1) it's terrain consists of mostly rainforest.
2) weather systems crossing the pacific from south america hit this coast first
3) the roaring forties bring strong west winds from the indian ocean
4) it sits in a climatic convergence zone

tropical storm katrina, and it made landfall between miami and fort lauder-dale, florida, as a category 1 hurricane (a storm that, on the saffir-simpson scale, exhibits winds in the range of 74–95 miles per hour [119–154 km per hour]). sustained winds of 70 miles per hour (115 km per hour) lashed the florida peninsula, and rainfall totals of 5 inches (13 cm) were reported in some areas. the storm spent less than eight hours over land. it quickly intensified when it reached the warm waters of the gulf of mexico.

this should answer you're question