Over the last several decades, various types of natural disasters have wreaked havoc around the U.S., but which cataclysms have cost the most?
The National Centers for Environmental Information (NCEI) under the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) has documented numerous costly disasters that took place between 1980 and 2024.
According to the NCEI, the United States has faced 403 weather and climate disasters since 1980, each causing damages exceeding $1 billion, with the total cost of all these events surpassing $2.915 trillion.
AccuWeather has provided a preliminary estimate for the economic loss and damage caused by the ongoing wildfires in California, ranging from $135 billion to $150 billion.
AccuWeather estimates $13 billion to $16 billion for the 2023 Maui wildfires and $225 billion to $250 billion for 2024 Hurricane Helene. The NCEI lists the 2023 Maui fire as “Hawaii Firestorm” and indicates an estimated CPI-adjusted cost of $5.7 billion.
