The Staggering Price Of US Hurricanes Since 2016: Over $800 Billion
- Beginning with Hurricane Matthew in 2016 and ending with Hurricane Milton in 2024, a siege of 29 tropical storms and hurricanes over nine years caused at least $1 billion in damage in the U.S., according to statistics compiled by NOAA's National Centers for Environmental Information.
- The total damage in the U.S. from these 29 storms was estimated at $820 billion, the costliest nine-year stretch for tropical cyclones in the U.S. dating to 1980. That's more than the 2023 gross domestic product of Poland.
- These 29 storms claimed 4,026 lives in the U.S. from elements directly related to each storm's flooding and winds. The large majority of those deaths were in Puerto Rico from 2017's Hurricane Maria (2,981), though two recent hurricanes - Helene (219 killed) and Ian (152 killed) - also claimed over 100 lives each.
(MORE: Helene, Milton Among Most Recent Hurricane Names Retired)
- In that same nine-year stretch, six of the 10 costliest U.S. hurricanes have occurred.
- Three of those - Ida ($85 billion), Ian ($120 billion) and Helene ($79 billion) - have occurred in the past four years. The other three - Harvey ($160 billion), Irma ($64 billion) and Maria ($115 billion) each occurred in 2017.
- NOAA's database lists 67 U.S. billion-dollar-plus tropical storms and hurricanes since 1980.
- But these events don't happen every year. Before 2016, the U.S. went three straight years without a billion-dollar tropical storm or hurricane following Superstorm Sandy. There were also two-year stretches without these particularly costly storms after the 2008 and historic 2005 hurricane seasons.
(MORE: When Was The Last 'Quiet' Hurricane Season?)
- Outlooks from Colorado State University, The Weather Company/Atmospheric G2 and NOAA are each calling for a more active than average 2025 hurricane season, but not as active as 2024.
- "Since 1950, 23% of all North Atlantic hurricanes have made landfall in the U.S.," wrote Todd Crawford, Vice President of Meteorology at Atmospheric G2 in an earlier outlook. NOAA's Hurricane Research Division calculated an average of about one hurricane made landfall in the U.S. each year, based on data from 1851 through 2022.
- Crawford's team noted long-range computer models suggest the pattern of winds aloft that guide hurricanes could steer them more toward the U.S. again in 2025.
- It's too soon to tell whether that pattern will be in place while a hurricane is out there this season. For now, the AG2/TWC team is forecasting three hurricanes to make a U.S. landfall in 2025, two less than did so during the destructive 2024 hurricane season.
Now – not in the days before a hurricane strikes – is a good time to refresh or develop a plan.
That includes knowing if you live in an evacuation zone, assembling a disaster kit at home, making your home as resilient as possible, checking on your insurance policy and making an inventory of your belongings.
Jonathan Erdman is a senior meteorologist at weather.com and has been covering national and international weather since 1996. Extreme and bizarre weather are his favorite topics. Reach out to him on Bluesky, X (formerly Twitter) and Facebook.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
New York Times
an hour ago
- New York Times
How Climate Change Affects Hurricanes Like Erin
Hurricane Erin is whipping up the Atlantic Ocean at speeds over 100 miles per hour. The trajectory of the storm has it staying out to sea, though many effects will be felt close to shore and on land. And some of those effects are made worse by global warming. Overnight on Friday, Hurricane Erin ratcheted up to a Category 5 storm, from a Category 1, becoming one of the top five most quickly intensifying hurricanes on record. As the planet warms, scientists say that rapidly intensifying hurricanes are becoming ever more likely."It's a very easy set of dots to connect,' said Jim Kossin, who worked at the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration as a hurricane specialist and climate scientist before he retired. 'These rapid intensification events are linked pretty directly to that human fingerprint.' According to the National Hurricane Center, rapid intensification is an increase in a storm's sustained wind speeds of at least 35 miles per hour in a 24-hour period. Between Friday morning and Saturday morning, Hurricane Erin's wind speeds increased by nearly 85 miles per hour, peaking at 161 mph. Daniel Gilford, a climate scientist at Climate Central, a science communication nonprofit, likens hurricanes to the engine of a car. 'They need some fuel source in order to spin, and the fuel source is the ocean surface,' he said. 'So as the temperature of the ocean surface goes up, that adds more fuel that these storms can use to intensify.' For over a century, greenhouse gases emitted by human activity have trapped heat inside the planet's atmosphere. A recent streak of record-breaking temperatures crowned 2024 as the hottest year on record. Want all of The Times? Subscribe.
Yahoo
3 hours ago
- Yahoo
'Rough Surf, Dangerous Rip Currents': Hurricane Erin Boosts to Cat 5
Experts, swell-chasers, and wary coastal property owners continue to monitor the trajectory, and strength of Hurricane Erin, as it continues up the east coast. And one of the latest developments, Hurricane Erin has been upgraded to a Category 5 – the highest level on the Saffir-Simpson Hurricane Wind Scale. The storm is currently looming over the Caribbean, with a trajectory moving northward, with a path that curves away from the eastern seaboard, away from landfall, yet still sending stormy conditions (and potentially sizable swell) to the east coast. As Erin moves over warmer waters, intensifying the storm, it has been upgraded to Category 5. AccuWeather Lead Hurricane Expert Alex DaSilva, called the conditions 'near perfect,' when it comes to the storm strengthening on its path. "Erin is forecast to slowly curve to the north as it continues to strengthen over the weekend. At this time, the storm is forecast to remain hundreds of miles off the East Coast," DaSilva said. When it comes to the waves, he continued: "Beaches along the entire East Coast, from Florida to New England and Atlantic Canada, will likely experience rough surf and dangerous rip currents as Erin tracks north and eventually northeast.'No specific numbers on what the waves will actual look like – like the previous and absurd 100-foot estimate for the East Coast – as Hurricanes present a tricky and ever-changing forecast dilemma, but whatever develops, surfers are ready to rock. As mentioned, Erin has reached Category 5 status, the highest classification. According to NOAA that means: 'Winds 157 mph or higher (137 kt or higher or 252 km/hr or higher). Catastrophic damage will occur: A high percentage of framed homes will be destroyed, with total roof failure and wall collapse. Fallen trees and power poles will isolate residential areas. Power outages will last for weeks to possibly months. Most of the area will be uninhabitable for weeks or months. The Keys Hurricane of 1935 and Andrew of 1992 made landfall in South Florida as Category Five hurricanes.' The latest from Surfline, regarding the surf coming out of Erin, reads: 'We have high confidence that Erin will take a recurving track, sending widespread swell throughout the Caribbean and along the East Coast. Looking longer term, Erin is forecast to track into the North Atlantic, becoming a powerful extratropical cyclone and sending a very solid shot of long-period swell toward the U.K. and parts of Europe. We'll be keeping a close eye on that as well.' Stay tuned, and stay safe.'Rough Surf, Dangerous Rip Currents': Hurricane Erin Boosts to Cat 5 first appeared on Surfer on Aug 17, 2025
Yahoo
3 hours ago
- Yahoo
106,700 kJ of Wave Energy Produced by Hurricane Erin
Hurricane Erin continues to loom over the Atlantic Ocean, and with it, bringing the first signs of waves (and potential destruction) to the United States' East Coast. So far, some beaches along the eastern seaboard are seeing signs of Erin's power, with reports of over 60 ocean rescues from lifeguards due to rip currents in North Carolina. However, the majority of the swell is expected to show up in the next few days. And the folks over at Surfline, who are experts at monitoring these types of swell events, have released a new forecast from Erin – it's generating a whopping 106,700 kilojoules of wave energy as it hangs off the coast of the southeast. But…what does that mean? According to Surfline: 'Six digit kilojoules, you don't see that too often.'This is a Wave Energy chart on our app. It shows a function of swell height and period to help better understand how the deep water energy offshore is going to feel when it arrives at your beach.'To put 106,700 Kilojoules in perspective, a fun 2-3' Fair day of short period wind swell has a Wave Energy of 22 kJ.'Sounds massive. Almost absurdly so, sort of like what a previous meteorologist had said with the potential '100-foot' waves headed for the East Coast as a result of Erin. What will actually pan out? We'll have to wait and see. And what about kilojoules? What is it, exactly? For more on the obscure metric, and how to assess it, here's Surfline again: 'It helps you see how swell size, period and direction come together to create the waves you'll surf. Comparing the Wave Energy on multiple days with the same surf height (e.g. 3-4ft) can highlight the effects of different underlying swells. Comparing different surf heights, you'll notice that doubling the surf height will increase energy exponentially, which is a reminder of the power of large surf.' Whatever the case, something big is brewing. And NOAA, in their latest update, is warning as such: 'Erin is expected to produce life-threatening surf and rip currents along the beaches of the Bahamas, much of the east coast of the U.S., Bermuda, and Atlantic Canada during the next several days. Beachgoers in those areas should follow advice from lifeguards, local authorities, and beach warning flags.' Stay tuned.106,700 kJ of Wave Energy Produced by Hurricane Erin first appeared on Surfer on Aug 19, 2025
