WASHINGTON, D.C. (CNN) – The United States has already seen more billion-dollar weather and climate disasters in 2023 than ever before.
So far this year, the US has been hit with 23 disasters that each cost at least a billion dollars.
That’s according to new data from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.
The previous annual record was 22 events in 2020.
NOAA data shows this year’s disasters have caused nearly $58 billion in damage with four months left to go.
And NOAA is still analyzing Hurricane Idalia and whether other events, including drought in the South and Midwest.
And Tropical Storm Hilary, which hit Southern California this summer, may have surpassed the billion-dollar mark.
America’s costliest disaster year on record was 2017, coming in at $383 billion.
That’s when the combination of destructive California wildfires and three major hurricanes — Harvey, Irma and Maria — struck.
© 2024 KOBI-TV NBC5. All rights reserved unless otherwise stated.