A billion-dollar disaster is a weather or climate event that causes at least $1 billion in direct damages. This threshold, adjusted for inflation using the Consumer Price Index (CPI), helps identify the most impactful events affecting the United States.

These disasters include events such as:

• Tropical Cyclones – Hurricanes and tropical storms
• Severe Storms – Tornadoes, hail, and damaging winds
• Flooding – Inland and coastal flooding events
• Drought – Prolonged dry conditions affecting agriculture
• Wildfires – Large-scale forest and brush fires
• Winter Storms – Blizzards, ice storms, and extreme cold
• Freeze Events – Crop-damaging cold snaps

The $1 billion threshold was established by NOAA to identify disasters with significant economic and societal impacts. This threshold:

• Focuses attention on the most impactful events that affect large portions of the population
• Creates a consistent benchmark for comparing events across different years
• Helps policymakers and emergency managers prioritize resources
• Allows for meaningful trend analysis over time when adjusted for inflation

The year 1980 was chosen as the starting point for several important reasons:

• Data Availability: Comprehensive, consistent economic loss data became widely available around this time
• Satellite Era: Modern weather satellite coverage began in the late 1970s, improving disaster detection and documentation
• Reporting Standards: Insurance industry and federal disaster reporting became more standardized
• Statistical Significance: 45+ years of data provides a meaningful baseline for trend analysis

Prior to 1980, damage estimates for many disasters were incomplete or inconsistent, making reliable comparisons difficult.

Yes. Since 1980, every U.S. state has been affected by at least one billion-dollar weather and climate disaster. However, the frequency and types of disasters vary significantly by region:

• Coastal Gulf States: Most affected by tropical cyclones (TX, LA, FL)
• Great Plains: Frequent severe storm and tornado damage (OK, KS, TX)
• Western States: Wildfires and drought (CA, CO, OR)
• Midwest: Flooding and severe storms (IA, IL, MO)
• Northeast: Winter storms and occasional hurricanes (NY, NJ, MA)

The data in Climate Intel is derived from NOAA's National Centers for Environmental Information (NCEI) Billion-Dollar Weather and Climate Disasters database. This comprehensive dataset draws from multiple authoritative sources:

• Insurance Industry Data: Property Claims Services (PCS), reinsurance reports
• Federal Agencies: FEMA disaster declarations, USDA crop loss data
• State & Local Sources: Emergency management agencies, utility companies
• Academic Research: Peer-reviewed damage assessments
• Media Reports: Verified news coverage for event documentation

The Consumer Price Index (CPI) is used to adjust disaster costs to current-year dollars for several reasons:

• Standardization: CPI is a widely recognized and consistently calculated measure
• Comparability: Allows meaningful comparison of events across different decades
• Transparency: CPI data is publicly available from the Bureau of Labor Statistics
• Comprehensiveness: Reflects general price changes affecting rebuilding costs

Without inflation adjustment, a $1 billion disaster in 1980 would appear equivalent to one in 2024, despite the significant difference in purchasing power.

Some historical events that originally exceeded $1 billion may fall below the threshold when adjusted to current dollars, and vice versa. The methodology maintains consistency by:

• Including events that met the $1 billion threshold at the time they occurred
• Adjusting all costs to current-year dollars for accurate trend analysis
• Documenting both original and inflation-adjusted costs for transparency

For academic or professional use, please cite the original NOAA source:

Climate Intel provides visualizations and analysis based on this authoritative dataset.

Disaster cost estimates include direct damages only:

• Physical Assets: Homes, businesses, vehicles, infrastructure
• Agriculture: Crop losses, livestock deaths, farm equipment
• Time Element Losses: Business interruption, temporary housing
• Emergency Response: Immediate response and cleanup costs

Not included:

• Indirect economic losses (supply chain disruptions, lost productivity)
• Long-term health costs
• Environmental remediation
• Social or psychological impacts

State-level costs are presented as ranges to reflect the inherent uncertainty in damage estimation:

• Multi-state Events: Apportioning costs across states affected by a single disaster involves estimation
• Evolving Assessments: Final damage tallies may take months or years to compile
• Data Limitations: Not all losses are reported or captured in official statistics
• Methodology Differences: Various sources may use different valuation approaches

Ranges provide a more honest representation of the uncertainty inherent in disaster cost estimation.

Disaster cost estimates are refined over time as more complete information becomes available:

• Initial Estimates: Based on preliminary surveys and early damage reports (often within days)
• Intermediate Updates: Incorporate insurance claims data and government assessments (weeks to months)
• Final Tallies: Include all verified losses, litigation settlements, and complete rebuilding costs (months to years)

For major hurricanes like Katrina or Ian, final cost estimates may take 2-3 years to stabilize as all claims are processed and reconstruction is completed.

Yes. The data shows clear upward trends in both the frequency and total cost of billion-dollar disasters:

• 1980s Average: ~3 events per year
• 2010s Average: ~12 events per year
• 2020s Average: ~20+ events per year

Several factors contribute to this trend:

• Climate Change: More intense precipitation, stronger hurricanes, longer wildfire seasons
• Population Growth: More people and assets in disaster-prone areas
• Development Patterns: Increased coastal and wildland-urban interface development
• Asset Values: Higher property values mean greater potential losses
• Improved Detection: Better monitoring may identify more events

Flooding events have indeed become more frequent and more costly:

• Heavy Precipitation: Climate change has increased the intensity of rainfall events across the U.S.
• Tropical Cyclones: Hurricanes are producing more rainfall and moving more slowly, increasing flood risk
• Urban Development: Increased impervious surfaces lead to more runoff and flash flooding
• Sea Level Rise: Coastal flooding has become more frequent even during minor storms

The data shows a significant increase in billion-dollar inland flooding events since 2015 compared to earlier decades.

Tropical Cyclones cause the highest total and per-event damage, accounting for over 50% of all billion-dollar disaster costs since 1980.

However, Severe Storms (tornadoes, hail, wind) are the most frequent disaster type by number of events.

Recent trends show increasing costs from:

• Wildfires: Western states have seen record-breaking fire seasons
• Winter Storms: Events like the 2021 Texas freeze caused unprecedented damage
• Drought: Multi-year droughts affecting agriculture across large regions

County risk maps are designed to help communities understand their relative exposure to weather and climate hazards. Appropriate uses include:

• Emergency Planning: Identifying which hazards pose the greatest threat to your area
• Resource Allocation: Helping local governments prioritize mitigation investments
• Public Awareness: Educating residents about local risks
• Research: Understanding geographic patterns of hazard exposure

While often used interchangeably, these terms have distinct meanings in disaster research:

Risk refers to the probability and potential magnitude of a hazard occurring in a location. It considers:

• Historical frequency of events
• Geographic exposure to hazards
• Physical characteristics that influence hazard intensity

Vulnerability refers to the susceptibility of a community to harm from hazards. It includes:

• Socioeconomic factors (poverty, housing quality, access to resources)
• Demographic characteristics (age, disability, language barriers)
• Infrastructure resilience (building codes, emergency services)
• Community capacity to prepare for and recover from disasters

A high-risk area with strong resources may be less vulnerable than a moderate-risk area with limited capacity.

The county-level hazard risk mapping integrates data from FEMA's National Risk Index (NRI) to provide:

• Multi-Hazard Assessment: Combined risk scores across all major weather hazards
• Individual Hazard Layers: Separate views for drought, flooding, hurricanes, tornadoes, wildfires, and more
• Expected Annual Loss: Estimated yearly damage from each hazard type
• Social Vulnerability Index: Understanding of community resilience factors
• Comparative Rankings: How counties compare to state and national averages

Yes, Climate Intel incorporates social vulnerability data from the CDC's Social Vulnerability Index (SVI) and FEMA's NRI. You can explore:

• Socioeconomic Status: Income levels, unemployment, poverty rates
• Household Composition: Elderly populations, single-parent households, disability status
• Minority Status & Language: Racial/ethnic composition, English proficiency
• Housing & Transportation: Multi-unit housing, mobile homes, vehicle access

These factors help identify communities that may need additional support before, during, and after disasters.