The U.S. dealt with 28 disasters that each cost over $1 billion, according to NOAA’s National Centers for Environmental Information. That’s the most in one year since records began in 1980.
The average number of billion-dollar disasters since 1980 is 8.5 per year. However, from 2019 to 2023, the average was 20.4 events, including the previous record of 22 events in 2020.
NOAA adjusts for the Consumer Price Index to account for inflation.
Here’s when and where 2023’s billion-dollar disasters happened.
The majority were from severe storms and tornadoes, which made up 19 of them. The rest included four floods, two tropical cyclones (including Hurricane Idalia), one wildfire, one winter storm and one drought/heat wave.
The year may end up with one more, depending on the tally from the mid-December East Coast storm.
In total, NCEI estimates 2023’s billion-dollar disasters cost $93.0 billion, above the average of $60.5 billion. They also say these also contributed to at least 492 deaths.
NOAA’s information on 2023’s costly disasters came the same day that Europe’s climate agency reported the global average temperature last year set a record that was 2.66 degrees above pre-industrial levels. The Lower 48 had its fifth-hottest year on record, according to NOAA.
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