Billion-Dollar Weather and Climate Disasters

Cost of 200 disasters in the U.S. exceeds $1.1 trillion

Some 200 weather and climate disasters have occurred in the U.S. since 1980, each exceeding  $1 billion (including CPI adjustment to 2016) in overall damages/costs. The total cost of these 200 events exceeds $1.1 trillion, according to NCDC/NOAA.

Some 12 weather and climate disaster events with losses exceeding $1 billion each across the United States have occurred this year (as of  September), exceeding the 1980–2015 annual average of 5.2 events (CPI-adjusted); the annual average for the most recent 5 years (2011–2015) is 10.8 events (CPI-adjusted).

Four new billion-dollar disaster events have been added during the 3rd quarter, bringing the 2016 event total to 12. This represents the 2nd highest total number of events surpassing the 11 events observed in 2012. The record number of events in one year (since 1980) is 16, as observed in 2011.

The U.S. has also experienced 4 billion-dollar inland flood events during 2016, doubling the previous record, as no more than 2 inland flood events have occurred in a year since 1980. This is a notable record, further highlighted by the numerous other record flooding events that have impacted the U.S. in 2016.

NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information (NCEI) U.S. Billion-Dollar Weather and Climate Disasters (2016). https://www.ncdc.noaa.gov/billions/