This study examines the regional climate change resulting from forest damage along the U.S. Gulf Coast. Weather Research and Forecasting (WRF) model coupled with Noah Land-Surface model was initiated from North American Regional Reanalysis data for a 7-day study of a damage area in southern Mississippi roughly matching the damage pattern from Hurricane Katrina. Three simulations were run with the evergreen needleleaf forest changed to shrubland in the damage path. The second shrubland change returned the evergreen needleleaf forest albedo. The greatest changes were experienced by the first post-Katrina run with the shrubland albedo. The temperatures cool within the study area for the post-Katrina simulation. Ground heat flux decreased, latent heat decreased, winds increased and planetary boundary layer decreased for the post-Katrina run due to high albedo.