Severe Storms, Destructive Fires, and Extreme Heat: 16 Billion-Dollar Disasters Have Hit the U.S. Already in 2020

As of yesterday, the U.S. has experienced 16 weather/climate disaster events in 2020 with losses exceeding $1 billion each, according to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA). Eleven were due to severe storms – which occurred across more than 30 states – and the remaining five consisted of three tropical cyclones, one wildfire, and one drought. The drought has affected the western and central U.S. According to the U.S. Drought Monitor report, 42.6 percent of the contiguous U.S. was in drought. And of course, the year isn’t over yet. But already, the first 9 months of 2020 tie the annual record of 16 events that occurred in 2011 and 2017. 2020 is the sixth consecutive year (2015-2020) in which 10 or more billion-dollar weather and climate disaster events have impacted the U.S. Read more at NOAA.