List_of_natural_disasters_in_the_United_States
This list of United States natural disasters is a list of notable natural disasters that occurred in the United States after 1816. Due to inflation, the monetary damage estimates are not comparable. Unless otherwise noted, the year given is the year in which the currency's valuation was calculated. References can be found in the associated articles noted.
More information Year, Disaster ...
| Year | Disaster | Death toll | Damage cost US$ |
Main article | Location | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2023 | Hurricane | 7 (+3 indirect) | $2.2-5 billion | Hurricane Idalia | Florida | |
| 2023 | Tornado outbreak | 33 | $4.3 billion | Tornado outbreak of March 31 – April 1, 2023 | Southern United States, Midwestern United States | |
| 2023 | Wildfire | 110 | ~$6 billion (as of August 12) | 2023 Hawaii wildfires | Hawaii | |
| 2023 | Tornado outbreak | 33 | $4.3 billion | Tornado outbreak of March 31 – April 1, 2023 | Southern United States, Midwestern United States | |
| 2023 | Tornado outbreak | 25 | $1.9 billion | Tornado outbreak of March 24–27, 2023 | Southern United States | Includes the 2023 Rolling Fork—Silver City tornado. |
| 2023 | Flooding and Tornado outbreak | 13 | $4.5 billion | Early-March 2023 North American storm complex | Southwestern United States, Southeastern United States | |
| 2023 | Derecho, Tornado outbreak and Winter storm | 14 | February 2023 North American storm complex | Western United States, Southern United States and Midwestern United States | ||
| 2022 | Winter storm | 106 | $5.4 billion | December 2022 North American winter storm | Western United States, Midwestern United States, Great Lakes region (especially the Buffalo-Niagara Falls metropolitan area), Canada | |
| 2022 | Earthquake | 2 | 2022 Ferndale earthquake | North Coast, California, United States | ||
| 2022 | Winter storm | 4 | November 2022 Great Lakes winter storm | Great Lakes region (especially the Buffalo-Niagara Falls metropolitan area) | ||
| 2022 | Hurricane | 11 | ≥ $1 billion | Hurricane Nicole | Dominican Republic, Puerto Rico, The Bahamas, Southeastern United States | Nicole became only the third November hurricane on record to make landfall in Florida, along with the 1935 Yankee hurricane and Hurricane Kate in 1985. |
| 2022 | Hurricane | 157+ | ≥ $113.1 billion | Hurricane Ian | Trinidad and Tobago, Venezuela, Colombia, ABC islands, Jamaica, Cayman Islands, Cuba, Southeast United States (especially Florida and The Carolinas) | Hurricane Ian was the deadliest hurricane to strike the state of Florida since the 1935 Labor Day hurricane. |
| 2022 | Hurricane | 25 | ≥$5.88 billion | Hurricane Fiona | Puerto Rico | |
| 2022 | Flood | 44 | $1.2 billion (Kentucky and Missouri only)[3] | July–August 2022 United States floods | Greater St. Louis, Central Appalachia, Southern and Southwestern United States | |
| 2022 | Flood | 1 | $29 million | 2022 Montana floods | Montana | |
| 2022 | Tornado outbreak | 3 | $1.3 billion | Tornado outbreak of April 4–7, 2022 | Southern United States, Midwestern United States, Eastern United States | |
| 2022 | Tornado outbreak | 3 | $1.3 billion | Tornado outbreak of March 29–31, 2022 | Southern United States, Midwestern United States, Eastern United States | |
| 2022 | Tornado outbreak | 7 | $48.943 million | Tornado outbreak of March 21–23, 2022 | Southern United States, Eastern United States | |
| 2022 | Tornado outbreak | 9 | $1 billion | Tornado outbreak of March 5–7, 2022 | Midwestern United States, Mississippi Valley | |
| 2022 | Winter storm | 8 | $350 million | February 2022 North American winter storm | Central, Southeastern, Northeastern, and Midwestern United States, Northern Mexico, Nova Scotia | |
| 2022 | Blizzard | 4 | $50 million | January 2022 North American blizzard | Northeastern United States, New England, Maritime Provinces of Canada | |
| 2021 | Derecho and tornado outbreak | 7 | $1.8 billion | December 2021 Midwest derecho and tornado outbreak | Western United States, Midwestern United States, Canada | |
| 2021 | Wildfire | 2 | $2.3 million | 2021 Kansas wildfire outbreak | Kansas | On December 15, 2021, a wildfire siege began in Western and Central Kansas due to blustering winds and drought. More than 10 wildfires were reported with an estimated burned area of more than 163,000+ acres. The wildfire outbreak resulted in the deaths of two individuals and the injuries of 3 others. More than 42 structures were destroyed during the outbreak, mainly in the cities of Paradise and Waldo.[4][5] |
| 2021 | Tornado | 90 | $3.9 billion | Tornado outbreak of December 10–11, 2021 | Kentucky, Illinois, Tennessee, Missouri, Arkansas | A rare late-season tornado outbreak devastated states across the mid-south midwest, causing widespread damage and fatalities. Kentucky was particularly hard hit, with 75 fatalities occurring in the state. There were also 3 non-tornadic fatalities.[6][7] |
| 2021 | Tornado | 57 (+1 indirect) | 2021 Western Kentucky tornado | Western Kentucky, United States | ||
| 2021 | Flood | 5+ | $7.5 billion | November 2021 Pacific Northwest floods | Southern British Columbia, Canada
Northwestern Washington, United States |
|
| 2021 | Bomb cyclone | 2 | $400 million | October 2021 Northeast Pacific bomb cyclone | Russian Far East, Japan,Alaska, Western United States, Western Canada | |
| 2021 | Hurricane | 107 | $75.25 billion | Hurricane Ida | United States (especially in Louisiana, New Jersey, Gulf Coast of the United States, Northeastern United States), Cuba, Venezuela, Colombia, Jamaica | After causing widespread destruction along the Gulf Coast, (specifically Louisiana), Ida moved north, spawned a destructive tornado outbreak, and caused massive flooding in many Northeastern states such as New York, New Jersey and Pennsylvania. Ida is now the sixth-costliest tropical cyclone on record.[8] |
| 2021 | Heat wave | 229 | ≥$8.9 billion | 2021 Western North America heat wave | Western North America | Around 600 excess deaths in the United States |
| 2021 | Floods and tornado outbreak | 3 | $1.56 million (tornadoes), $51.7 million (floods) | Midwestern U.S. floods and tornado outbreak of June 2021 | Midwestern United States | |
| 2021 | Winter storm | 29 | $2 billion | February 15–20, 2021 North American winter storm | Western United States, Southern Plains, Deep South, Northeastern United States, Atlantic Canada, British Isles, Iceland, Faroe Islands | |
| 2021 | Winter storm | 276 | ≥ $196.5 billion[9][8] | February 13–17, 2021 North American winter storm | United States (especially in Texas, northern Mexico) | While the storm was widespread across the U.S., Mexico, and parts of Canada, the worst was in Texas, causing the 2021 Texas power crisis, as the energy infrastructure was unprepared for the freezing temperatures. 237 deaths (as of July 14, 2021[update]), including 223 in the United States and 14 in Mexico.[10][11][12][13] |
| 2021 | Nor'easter | 7 | > $1.85 billion | January 31 – February 3, 2021 nor'easter | Western United States, Central United States, Mid-Atlantic states, Northeastern United States, Southeastern United States, Eastern Canada | |
| 2020 | Wildfire | 47 | ≥$19.884 billion | 2020 Western United States wildfire season | Western United States | One of the most destructive wildfire seasons recorded in the Western United States.[14][15] |
| 2020 | Wildfire | 31 | ≥$12.079 billion | 2020 California wildfires | California | The largest and the third-most destructive wildfire season on record in California.[16][15] |
| 2020 | Derecho | 4 | $11 billion | August 2020 Midwest derecho | Midwestern United States | The severe derecho affected the states of Iowa, Illinois, Nebraska, Indiana, and Wisconsin. The derecho caused high winds and spawned an outbreak of a couple tornadoes. The derecho also caused the state of Iowa to lose approximately 550,000 acres of corn harvest. The highest winds recorded from the derecho was about 140 mph in Cedar Rapids, Iowa.[17] |
| 2020 | Hurricane | ≥211 killed, 120 missing | $7.9 billion | Hurricane Eta | Colombia, Jamaica, Central America, Cayman Islands, Cuba, The Bahamas, Southeastern United States | Long-lived tropical cyclone that made four landfalls. Caused significant amounts of destruction, especially in Central America.[18][14] |
| 2020 | Hurricane | 8 | $3.6 billion | Hurricane Zeta | Cayman Islands, Jamaica, Central America, Yucatán Peninsula, Gulf Coast of the United States, Southeastern United States, Mid-Atlantic, New England, Ireland, United Kingdom | [14][19] |
| 2020 | Hurricane | 6 | $3.086 billion | Hurricane Delta | Jamaica, Nicaragua, Cayman Islands, Yucatán Peninsula, Gulf Coast of the United States, Southeastern United States, Northeastern United States | [14][19] |
| 2020 | Hurricane | 8 | $7.3 billion | Hurricane Sally | The Bahamas, Cuba, U.S. Gulf Coast, Southeastern United States, Norway | Sally did not have its name retired, making it the costliest tropical cyclone on record in the North Atlantic that did not have its name retired.[14][20][21] |
| 2020 | Hurricane | 77 | $19.1 billion | Hurricane Laura | Lesser Antilles, Greater Antilles, The Bahamas, Gulf Coast of the United States, Midwestern United States, Eastern United States | Tied with the 1856 Last Island hurricane as the strongest hurricane to make landfall in the state of Louisiana, in terms of maximum sustained winds.[14][18] |
| 2020 | Hurricane | 18 | $4.725 billion | Hurricane Isaias | West Africa, Lesser Antilles, Greater Antilles, The Bahamas, East Coast of the United States, Eastern Canada | Caused the worst tropical cyclone-spawned tornado outbreak since Hurricane Rita in 2005.[22][14][23] Isaias did not have its name retired following the season, making Isaias the third-costliest Atlantic hurricane that didn't have its name retired.[24][20][21] |
| 2020 | Hurricane | 9 | $1.2 billion | Hurricane Hanna | Cuba, Hispaniola, Gulf Coast (mainly Texas), Mexico | [14] |
| 2019 | Tropical storm | 7 | $5 billion | Tropical Storm Imelda | Texas, Louisiana, Oklahoma, Arkansas | The fifth-wettest tropical cyclone recorded in the Contiguous United States.[25] Imelda's name was not retired, making it the second-costliest Atlantic tropical cyclone name on record to not be retired.[20][26][27] |
| 2019 | Earthquake | 1 killed, 25 injured | $5.3 billion | 2019 Ridgecrest earthquakes | California, Nevada, Arizona | Three earthquakes struck California between July 4 and July 5. The main earthquake was a 7.1 magnitude, as two others were 5.4 and 6.4 magnitudes. At least one was killed and several others were injured. The main earthquake was the strongest earthquake to hit the region in 20 years.[28] |
| 2019 | Hurricane | 84 killed, 245 missing | $5.1 billion | Hurricane Dorian | Lesser Antilles, Puerto Rico, The Bahamas (especially the Abaco Islands and Grand Bahama), Eastern United States (especially Florida, Georgia, South Carolina, and North Carolina), Eastern Canada | The costliest tropical cyclone recorded in the Bahamas. The storm stalled over Grand Bahama for a day.[29] |
| 2018 | Wildfire | 97 | ≥$26.347 billion | 2018 California wildfires | California | The deadliest and most destructive wildfire season on record in California.[30][31][32][33][34] |
| 2018 | Wildfire | 85 | $16.5 billion | Camp Fire | California | The worst fire in California history destroyed more than 18,000 structures in Northern California. It was fueled by large dry national forests and was started by electrical transmission lines. |
| 2018 | Hurricane | 74 | $25.5 billion | Hurricane Michael | Central America, Yucatán Peninsula, Cayman Islands, Cuba, Southeastern United States (especially the Florida Panhandle and Georgia), Eastern United States, Eastern Canada, Iberian Peninsula | The third-most intense landfalling tropical cyclone recorded in the United States.[35] |
| 2018 | Hurricane | 54 | $24.23 billion | Hurricane Florence | West Africa, Cape Verde, Bermuda, East Coast of the United States (especially the Carolinas), Atlantic Canada | Wettest tropical cyclone recorded in the Carolinas.[36] |
| 2018 | Hurricane | 1 | >$250 million | Hurricane Lane | Hawaii | Wettest tropical cyclone recorded in Hawaii.[37] |
| 2017 | Wildfire | 47 | ≥$18 billion | 2017 California wildfires | California | The second-most destructive wildfire season on record in California (behind only 2018).[38][39] |
| 2017 | Wildfire | 0 | $15 million | Goodwin Fire | Arizona | Started in the Bradshaw Mountains near Mayer, Arizona. The fire caused the Yavapai County Sheriff's Office and the Mayer Fire Department to close parts of Highway 69 between Mayer and Dewey-Humboldt. 100+ people had to be evacuated from Mayer and other close communities outside of Mayer also had to be evacuated such as Spring Valley and Cordes Lakes. The fire started on June 24, 2017 and it reached 100% containment on July 10.[40] 5 homes were destroyed and 2 others were damaged.[41] |
| 2017 | Hurricane | 3,059 | $91.619 billion | Hurricane Maria | Florida and Puerto Rico | Maria struck Puerto Rico as a high-end Category 4 hurricane, causing catastrophic damage to the US island due to extremely powerful winds and devastating floods. The hurricane also knocked out the entire power grid, triggering a near total island blackout. The lack of aid after the disaster caused a humanitarian crisis, the worst in the US since Hurricane Katrina, which lasted several months and had a dramatic effect on Puerto Rico's population. |
| 2017 | Hurricane | 134 | $77.16 billion | Hurricane Irma | Florida, South Carolina, Georgia, Puerto Rico | Irma ravaged the northern Leeward Islands as an extremely powerful Category 5 hurricane before making landfall in the Florida Keys as a Category 4 hurricane, and in the mainland as a Category 3 hurricane. Irma caused widespread damage in Florida due to high winds and destructive floods. The Florida Keys were hit the hardest, with the vast majority of infrastructure there receiving some degree of damage, and at least 25% receiving major damage. Hurricane Irma also knocked out power to 73% of the state, or 7.7 million homes and businesses. |
| 2017 | Hurricane and Flood | 107 | $125 billion | Hurricane Harvey | Texas, Louisiana, Alabama | Harvey made landfall in Southwestern Texas as a Category 4 hurricane. Most of the damage from Harvey occurred after it had weakened, due to extreme prolonged rains dropping several feet of water that triggered unprecedented floods in a large swath of Southeastern Texas, with the worst of the flooding occurring in Houston. |
| 2017 | Winter storm and flood | 5 | $1.55 billion | 2017 California floods | California | Caused by a series of storms that led to California's wettest rainy season on record, in modern history.[42][43][44] |
| 2017 | Flood | 10 | 2017 Payson flash floods | Arizona | One of the deadliest floods to ever hit Gila County, Arizona | |
| 2016 | Wildfire | 14 | $990 million | 2016 Great Smoky Mountains wildfires | Tennessee | Destroyed nearly 2,000 structures; burned nearly 18,000 acres. |
| 2016 | Hurricane | 49 | $15.090 billion | Hurricane Matthew | Florida, Georgia, The Carolinas | |
| 2016 | Flood | 13 | 2016 Louisiana floods | Louisiana | ||
| 2016 | Flood | 23 | 2016 West Virginia flood | West Virginia | ||
| 2016 | Blizzard | 55 | ≥$500 million – $3 billion | January 2016 United States blizzard | Southeast through the Mid-Atlantic to the Northeast | Snowfall totals in excess of two feet (61 cm) |
| 2015 | Flood | 25 | $2 billion | October 2015 North American storm complex | Carolinas | Channeled moisture from Hurricane Joaquin into the Mid-Atlantic states. Caused the worst flooding recorded in the Carolinas prior to Hurricane Florence in 2018.[14] |
| 2015 | Flood | 20 | 2015 Utah floods | Utah | ||
| 2015 | Wildfire | 3 | $8 billion | Okanogan Complex fire | Okanogan County, Washington | Damage figure includes costs involved in the fighting of the fire. |
| 2015 | Flood | 46 | 2015 Texas–Oklahoma floods | Texas, Kansas, Oklahoma | ||
| 2014 | Snow storm | 24 | November 2014 North American winter storm | Buffalo, New York, Great Lakes region | ||
| 2014 | Tornado | 35 | $1 billion | April 2014 tornado outbreak | Nebraska, Louisiana, Oklahoma, Illinois, Florida, North Carolina | |
| 2014 | Mudflow | 43 | 2014 Oso mudslide | Oso, Washington | ||
| 2013 / 2014 | Cold wave | 21 | Early 2014 North American cold wave | Eastern US | ||
| 2013 | Wildfire | 19 | Yarnell Hill Fire | Yarnell, Arizona | ||
| 2013 | Flood | 8 | $1.9 billion | 2013 Colorado floods | Colorado | |
| 2013 | Tornado | 24 | $2 billion | 2013 Moore tornado | Moore, Oklahoma | |
| 2013 | Blizzard | 18 | February 2013 nor'easter | Eastern US | ||
| 2012 | Wildfire | 6 | 2012 Colorado wildfires | Colorado | ||
| 2012 | Hurricane | 147 | $75 billion | Hurricane Sandy | Eastern US | |
| 2011 | Tornado | 158 | $2.8 billion (2011 USD) | 2011 Joplin tornado | Joplin, Missouri | part of the tornado outbreak sequence of May 21–26, 2011 |
| 2011 | Hurricane | 58 | $14.2 billion (2011 USD) | Hurricane Irene | North Carolina, New York, New Jersey, Vermont, Florida, East Coast of the United States | |
| 2011 | Tornado | 346 | $11 billion (2011 USD) | 2011 Super Outbreak | Alabama, Tennessee, Mississippi, Georgia, Arkansas and Virginia | 336 tornadoes |
| 2011 | Flood | 20 | $2–4 billion[45][46] | 2011 Mississippi River floods | Mississippi River Valley | |
| 2010 | Blizzard | 13 | $150 million | February 5–6, 2010 North American blizzard | 16 states in Eastern US | |
| 2010 | Flood | 20 | June 2010 Arkansas floods | near Langley, Arkansas | Albert Pike Recreational Area | |
| 2009 | Snow storm | 7 | $2 billion | December 2009 North American blizzard | East Coast of the United States, New York, New Jersey, New England, Virginia, North Carolina, Atlantic Canada | December 16–20, 2009 |
| 2009 | Tsunami | 31 | 2009 Samoa earthquake and tsunami | American Samoa and nearby islands | 189 total deaths, with 31 in American Samoa. | |
| 2008 | Hurricane | 113 | $38 billion (2008 USD) | Hurricane Ike | Southeast Texas, Texas, Louisiana, Southern United States | At the time, Ike was the costliest natural disaster in Texas history, after leaving behind $38 billion in damages in Texas alone. |
| 2008 | Hurricane | 53 | $8.31 billion (2008 USD) | Hurricane Gustav | Louisiana, Mississippi, Alabama, Texas, Arkansas, Oklahoma | |
| 2008 | Tornado | 59 | $1.2 billion | 2008 Super Tuesday tornado outbreak | Tennessee, Arkansas, Kentucky, Alabama, and Illinois | |
| 2007 | Wildfire | 14 | ≥$2.393 billion | October 2007 California wildfires | California | Large fires burned out of control across southern California, fueled by unusually strong Santa Ana winds; worst around San Diego; caused evacuation of over one million people. Most fires accidental; some suspected arson.[47][48][49] |
| 2006 | Wildfires | 9 | $226.6 million (2006 USD) | 2006 California wildfires | Southern California | |
| 2006 | Snow storm | 19 | $530 million (2006 USD) | Lake Storm "Aphid" | Buffalo, New York | |
| 2005 | Hurricane | 30 | $21 billion (2005 USD) | Hurricane Wilma | Florida, East Coast of the United States | |
| 2005 | Hurricane | 1,836 | $125 billion (2005 USD) | Hurricane Katrina | Florida, Louisiana, Mississippi, Alabama | |
| 2005 | Hurricane | 120 | $10 billion (2005 USD) | Hurricane Rita | Louisiana, Texas | |
| 2005 | Hurricane | 15 | $2.5 billion (2005 USD) | Hurricane Dennis | Florida, Southeastern U.S | |
| 2005 | Tornado | 25 | $92 million | Evansville Tornado of November 2005 | Missouri, Indiana, Kentucky, Ohio | 7 tornadoes |
| 2004 | Hurricane | 124 | $19 billion (2005 USD) | Hurricane Ivan | Texas, Florida, East Coast | |
| 2004 | Hurricane | 5 | $7.5 billion | Hurricane Jeanne | Florida | |
| 2004 | Hurricane | 49 | $9 billion | Hurricane Frances | Florida | |
| 2004 | Hurricane | 10 | $15 billion | Hurricane Charley | Florida | |
| 2003 | Hurricane | 51 | $3.6 billion | Hurricane Isabel | East Coast of the United States, Virginia, Maryland, Pennsylvania | |
| 2003 | Wildfire | 15 | $1.331 billion | Cedar Fire | California | The largest and most destructive wildfire recorded in the modern history of San Diego County.[47][50] |
| 2001 | Hurricane | 41 | $5.5 billion | Tropical Storm Allison | Texas, Louisiana, Pennsylvania | |
| 1999 | Hurricane | 85 | $6.5 billion | Hurricane Floyd | East Coast of the United States, Atlantic Canada | |
| 1999 | Heat wave | 271 | Midwest and Northeast | |||
| 1999 | Tornado | 48 | $1.5 billion (2005 USD) | 1999 Oklahoma tornado outbreak | Oklahoma, Kansas, Texas, Tennessee | 74 tornadoes |
| 1998 / 1999 | Landslide | 0 | $70 million | Aldercrest-Banyon landslide | Kelso, Washington | |
| 1998 | Blizzard | 30 | $5 million | North American ice storm of 1998 | Canada and Northeast | |
| 1997 | Flood | 0 | $2 billion | 1997 Red River flood | North Dakota, Minnesota, Southern Manitoba | |
| 1996 | Flood | 8 | $500 million | Willamette Valley flood of 1996 | Washington, Oregon, Idaho, California | |
| 1995 | Heat wave | 739 | Chicago heat wave of 1995 | Chicago, Illinois | ||
| 1995 | Flood | 6 | $1.36 billion | May 8, 1995 Louisiana flood | New Orleans, Louisiana, area | |
| 1994 | Earthquake | 57 | $23 billion | Northridge earthquake | Greater Los Angeles area | |
| 1993 | Blizzard | 79–300 | $6.6 billion | Storm of the Century | East Coast of North and Central America | |
| 1993 | Flood | 50 | $15 billion | Great Flood of 1993 | Midwest | |
| 1992 | Hurricane | 6 | $3.1 billion | Hurricane Iniki | Hawaii | |
| 1992 | Hurricane | 26 | $25 billion | Hurricane Andrew | Florida and Louisiana | |
| 1991 | Wildfire | 25 | $1.5 billion | Oakland Hills fire | San Francisco Bay Area, California | |
| 1990 | Tornado | 29 | $160 million | 1990 Plainfield tornado | Plainfield, Illinois Crest Hill, Illinois | |
| 1989 | Earthquake | 69 | $6 billion | Loma Prieta earthquake | San Francisco Bay Area, California | |
| 1989 | Hurricane | 49 | $7 billion (1989 USD) | Hurricane Hugo | Caribbean and Eastern North America. | Damage figure for U.S. only. At least 111 total deaths, with 37 in the continental U.S. and 12 in the U.S. possession of Puerto Rico. |
| 1988 | Heat wave and Drought | 5,000 – 10,000 | $120 billion (2014 USD) | 1988-89 North American drought | Widespread; 45% of the nation affected | Costliest natural disaster in the United States prior to Hurricane Katrina. |
| 1988 | Wildfire | 2 | $240 million | Yellowstone fires of 1988 | Yellowstone National Park, Wyoming | 793,880 acres (36% of the park) was burned in the fires started by lightning. |
| 1985 | Hurricane | 9 | $1.3 billion | Hurricane Elena | Florida, Alabama, Mississippi, Louisiana, Arkansas, Kentucky | |
| 1985 | Hurricane | 14 | $900 million | Hurricane Gloria | New York, New Jersey, North Carolina, New England | |
| 1983 | Hurricane | 21 | $3 billion | Hurricane Alicia | Texas | |
| 1980 | Hurricane | 6 | $630 million (1980 USD) | Hurricane Allen | South Texas | |
| 1980 | Heat wave | 1,700 | $20 billion | 1980 United States heat wave | Central and southern states | Official death toll, may have been higher; damage figure not adjusted for inflation. |
| 1980 | Volcano | 57 | $1.1 billion | 1980 eruption of Mount St. Helens | Washington state | Damage figure not adjusted for inflation; figure in 2015 dollars is 2,890. |
| 1977 | Blizzard | 23 | $56.25 billion (1977 USD) | Great Lakes Blizzard of 1977 | New York and Ontario (esp. Buffalo, New York) | |
| 1976 | Flood | 145 | Big Thompson Canyon Flood of 1976 | Colorado | ||
| 1974 | Tornado | 315 | 1974 Super Outbreak | Ontario, Illinois, Indiana, Michigan, Ohio, Kentucky, Tennessee, Alabama, Mississippi, Georgia, North Carolina, Virginia, West Virginia and New York | 148 tornadoes | |
| 1972 | Flood | 238 | $160 million (1972 USD); $664 million (2002 USD) | 1972 Rapid City Flood | Rapid City, South Dakota | Average rainfall over area of 60 mi2 measured at 10-15 inches (380 mm), over 6 hours in middle of night June 9–10, 1972. |
| 1971 | Earthquake | 65 | $500 million | Sylmar earthquake | Greater Los Angeles area | |
| 1970 | Tornado | 26 | $1.412 billion (2008 USD) | Lubbock Tornado | Lubbock, Texas | F5 tornado killed 26 and wounded approximately 500 |
| 1969 | Hurricane | 256 | $1.42 billion | Hurricane Camille | Mississippi, Alabama and Virginia | |
| 1965 | Tornado | 271 | Palm Sunday Tornado Outbreak | Iowa, Ohio, Michigan, Indiana | 78 tornadoes | |
| 1964 | Tsunami and Earthquake | 115 | $1.8 billion (2006 USD) | Good Friday earthquake | Alaska, Hawaii, Oregon, California, British Columbia | |
| 1960 | Tsunami | 61 | $500 million (2005 USD) | Great Chilean earthquake | Hawaii, Alaska | 2,290 to 6,600 killed and $3,500 M (2005) in damage worldwide. 61 killed in Hilo, Hawaii. $500 M in U.S. property damage |
| 1957 | Tornado | 10 | $26 million | 1957 Fargo tornado | Fargo, ND | |
| 1953 | Tornado | 114 | $41 million[51] | Waco Tornado of 1953 | Waco, TX | Deadliest Tornado in Texas since 1900 |
| 1951 | Flood | 28 | $935 million ($9.21 billion in 2019) | Great Flood of 1951 | Kansas and Missouri | |
| 1950 | Blizzard | 353 | $67 million (1950 USD) | Great Appalachian Storm of November 1950 | Eastern US states | |
| 1946 | Tsunami and Earthquake | 165 | Aleutian Island earthquake | Alaska and Hawaii | ||
| 1946 | Tornado outbreak | 47 | >$3.1 million | Tornado outbreak of January 4–6, 1946 | South–Central United States | Damage in 1946 United States dollars. |
| 1945 | Tornado outbreak | 43 | $1.972 million | Tornado outbreak of February 12, 1945 | Alabama and Mississippi | Damage in 1945 United States dollars. This outbreak included a devastating tornado that struck Montgomery, Alabama, killing 26 people. The U.S. Weather Bureau would describe this tornado as "the most officially observed one in history".[52] |
| 1940 | Blizzard | 154 | $2 million | Armistice Day Blizzard | North and Central Midwest | Damage total not adjusted for inflation. |
| 1938 | Hurricane | 600 | Great New England Hurricane | |||
| 1938 | Flood | 115 | Los Angeles Flood of 1938 | Los Angeles | ||
| 1937 | Flood | 385 | $500 thousand | Ohio River flood of 1937 | Ohio, Kentucky, Indiana, Illinois | |
| 1936 | Flood | 69 | $250 million ($4.66 billion in 2020) | Pittsburgh Flood 1936 | Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, area | |
| 1935 | Hurricane | 423 | Labor Day Hurricane of 1935 | Florida | ||
| 1931 to 1939 | Drought | Unknown | $1 million (2017 USD) | Dust Bowl | Great Plains | Compounded by unsustainable agricultural techniques |
| 1928 | Hurricane | 3,000 | $800 million (2005 USD) | 1928 Okeechobee Hurricane | Leeward Islands, Puerto Rico, the Bahamas, and Florida | 4,078+ believed dead total. About 2,500 died in Florida and 500 in the U.S. possession of Puerto Rico. |
| 1927 | Flood | 246 | $400 million | Great Mississippi Flood of 1927 | Arkansas, Illinois, Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi, and Tennessee | |
| 1926 | Tornado | 16 | La Plata Tornado of 1926 | La Plata, Maryland | 13 killed in La Plata Elementary School | |
| 1925 | Tornado | 695–727 | $16.5 million; $1.4 billion (1997 USD) | Tri-State Tornado | Missouri, Illinois and Indiana (Kentucky, Tennessee) | Lower number for single 3-state tornado; higher for 5-state outbreak |
| 1919 | Hurricane | 600 | 1919 Florida Keys Hurricane | Florida, Texas | ||
| 1918 | Wildfire | 453 | $73 million ($1.145 billion in 2015) | 1918 Cloquet fire | Minnesota | Largest disaster in Minnesota history |
| 1913 | Flood | 428 | 1913 (Ohio) Statewide Flood | Southwest, Central, and Eastern Ohio | ||
| 1913 | Flood | 361 | Great Dayton Flood | Dayton, Ohio | Flood was created by a series of three winter storms that hit the region in March, 1913 | |
| 1913 | Blizzard | 250 | Great Lakes Storm of 1913 | Fatalities estimated | ||
| 1913 | Storm | 250 | $5 million (1913 USD) | Great Lakes Storm of 1913 | Great Lakes area | Financial impact for lost vessels and cargo only |
| 1910 | Avalanche | 96 | Wellington avalanche | Wellington, Washington | ||
| 1906 | Earthquake and fire (urban conflagration) | 3,000 – 6,000 | 1906 San Francisco earthquake | California | Conflagration followed quake; fatalities estimated | |
| 1900 | Hurricane | 6,000 – 12,000 | $35.4 million; 1.097 billion (2020 USD) | Galveston Hurricane of 1900 | Texas | Fatalities estimated – remains deadliest natural disaster in North American history. |
| 1896 | Tornado | 255–400 | $10 million ($307 million in 2019) | St. Louis-East St. Louis tornado | Missouri | |
| 1894 | Wildfire | 418 | $73 million | Great Hinckley Fire | Minnesota | Actual death toll likely higher than official death toll of 418. |
| 1893 | Hurricane | 2,000 | 1893 Cheniere Caminada Hurricane | Louisiana | Fatalities estimated | |
| 1893 | Hurricane | 1,000 – 2,000 | 1893 Sea Islands Hurricane | Georgia, South Carolina | Fatalities estimated | |
| 1889 | Flood | 2,209 | $17 million ($425 million in 2012) | Johnstown Flood | Johnstown, Pennsylvania | A dam failure caused 20 million tons of water to be unleashed, devastating Johnstown, PA and the surrounding area. |
| 1888 | Blizzard | 400 | Great Blizzard of 1888 | Northeast | Fatalities estimated | |
| 1888 | Cold wave | Unknown | 1888 Northwest Cold Wave | Northwest | ||
| 1871 | Wildfire | 1,500 – 2,500 | Peshtigo fire | Wisconsin | Deadliest firestorm in United States history | |
| 1862 | Flood | >5,000 | $100 million (1862 USD); $262.2 billion (2020 USD) | Great Flood of 1862 | California, Oregon, Utah, and the territories that now make up Arizona and Nevada | An atmospheric river led to 43 continuous days of rain, lasting from December 1861 until January 1862. When it was over, much of California's Central Valley was covered with inland seas that remained for months; the state's government had to move to San Francisco as Sacramento was under 10 feet of water. California nearly went bankrupt due to the costs of the damages and the loss of tax revenues from so many farms and mines; it is considered to be the worst disaster in the state's history.[53] |
| 1816 | Famine (caused by volcano) | 100,000+ | Year Without a Summer | Volcanic dust from a massive eruption by Mount Tambora in the Dutch East Indies (present Indonesia) in 1815 led to an abnormally cold summer in 1816 in the northeastern United States and eastern Canada. Cold weather inhibited crops, and frosts and snowstorms killed what did grow, leading to a localized famine. |
Close
 | This article needs to be updated. (July 2018) |
 |
- Annual data: "Billion-Dollar Weather and Climate Disasters / United States Billion-Dollar Disaster Events 1980- (CPI-Adjusted)". National Centers for Environmental Information (NCEI), part of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA). Archived from the original on January 13, 2024. Click "Access data".
- Smith, Adam B.; NOAA National Centers For Environmental Information (December 2020). "Billion-Dollar Weather and Climate Disasters: Overview / 2020 in Progress". NCDC.NOAA. National Centers for Environmental Information (NCDC, part of NOAA). doi:10.25921/stkw-7w73. Archived from the original on December 10, 2020. Retrieved December 11, 2020. and "Contiguous U.S. ranked fifth warmest during 2020; Alaska experienced its coldest year since 2012 / 2020 Billion Dollar Disasters and Other Notable Extremes". NCEI.NOAA.gov. NOAA. January 2021. Archived from the original on January 8, 2021. For 2021 data: "Calculating the Cost of Weather and Climate Disasters / Seven things to know about NCEI's U.S. billion-dollar disasters data". ncei.noaa.gov. October 6, 2017. Archived from the original on January 11, 2022.
- "Events: Kentucky and Missouri Flooding". Billion-Dollar Weather and Climate Disasters. National Centers for Environmental Information. Retrieved October 11, 2022.
- "2 dead in Kansas wildfires fueled by windy, dry weather". ABC News. Margaret Stafford. Retrieved January 3, 2022.
- "Kansas community previously devastated by fires helps out those currently struggling". KSNW. Jessica Watson. December 28, 2021. Retrieved December 29, 2021.
- "Kentucky tornadoes: Desperate search for survivors as death toll rises". BBC. December 12, 2021. Archived from the original on December 11, 2021. Retrieved December 12, 2021.
- Jamie McGee; Laura Faith Kebede; Campbell Robertson (December 11, 2021). "Tornadoes Tear Through South and Midwest, With at Least 70 Dead in Kentucky". The New York Times. Mayfield, Kentucky. The New York Times. Archived from the original on December 12, 2021. Retrieved December 13, 2021.
- Global Catastrophe Recap September 2021 (PDF) (Report). Aon Benfield. October 12, 2021. pp. 11, 13. Retrieved October 12, 2021.
- 2021 Winter Storm Uri After-Action Review: Findings Report (PDF) (Report). City of Austin & Travis County. November 4, 2021. Archived (PDF) from the original on November 5, 2021. Retrieved November 5, 2021.
- Andrew Weber (July 14, 2021). "Texas Winter Storm Death Toll Goes Up To 210, Including 43 Deaths In Harris County". Houston Public Media. Retrieved September 8, 2021.
- Jan Wesner Childs (February 18, 2021). "Houston Faces Dire Water Issues as Power Outages, Cold Push Texans To Their Limits". weather.com. The Weather Company. Retrieved September 8, 2021.
- "Man killed in crash involving semi-truck in northern Oklahoma". KOCO News. February 15, 2021. Retrieved February 15, 2021.
- "20 deaths blamed on cold weather in north as another front moves in". Mexico News Daily. February 19, 2021. Retrieved April 27, 2021.
- "Billion-Dollar Weather and Climate Disasters: Table of Events". NOAA. December 2020. Retrieved March 26, 2021.
- 2020 National Large Incident Year-to-Date Report (PDF). Geographic Area Coordination Center (Report). National Interagency Fire Center. December 21, 2020. Archived from the original (PDF) on December 29, 2020. Retrieved January 13, 2021.
- David Louie (October 9, 2020). "Damage from California's wildfires estimated at $10 billion, experts say". abc7news.com. ABC, Inc. Retrieved January 14, 2021.
- "Midwest Derecho - August 10, 2020, Updated: 10/8/20 12 pm". weather.gov. National Weather Servic & NOAA. Retrieved June 10, 2021.
- "Global Catastrophe Recap November 2020" (PDF). Aon. December 10, 2020. Archived from the original (PDF) on October 9, 2022. Retrieved December 10, 2020.
- "Global Catastrophe Recap – October 2020" (PDF). Aon Benfield. November 11, 2021. p. 4. Retrieved March 19, 2021.
- Jeff Masters (March 19, 2021). "WMO: Atlantic hurricanes no longer to receive names from Greek alphabet". Yale Climate Connections. Retrieved March 19, 2021.
- "These 2019 and 2020 Atlantic Hurricane Names Were Not Retired, But Were Strong Candidates | The Weather Channel - Articles from The Weather Channel | weather.com". The Weather Channel. Retrieved March 21, 2021.
- "At least 2 people dead, 3 missing after tornado touches down in Bertie County". ABC11 Raleigh-Durham. August 4, 2020. Archived from the original on August 7, 2020. Retrieved August 4, 2020.
- AON (September 2020). "Global Catastrophe Report 2020" (PDF). AON. Archived (PDF) from the original on September 14, 2020. Retrieved September 14, 2020.
- "Greek alphabet retired for hurricane names; 'Isaias' still available". WPRI.com. March 17, 2021. Retrieved March 17, 2021.
- Latto, Andy; Berg, Robbie (February 7, 2020). Tropical Storm Imelda (PDF) (Tropical Cyclone Report). Miami, Florida: National Hurricane Center. Retrieved February 1, 2021.
- Amanda Cochran; Frank Billingsly (March 19, 2021). "No Retirement for "Imelda"". Click2Houston. Retrieved March 20, 2021.
- "These 2019 and 2020 Atlantic Hurricane Names Were Not Retired, But Were Strong Candidates | The Weather Channel - Articles from The Weather Channel | weather.com". The Weather Channel. Retrieved March 21, 2021.
- California had its largest earthquake in years — then an even bigger one hit. Washington Post (Report). July 6, 2019. Retrieved July 8, 2021.
- Lixion Avila, Stacy Stewart, Robbie Berg, and Andrew Hagen (April 20, 2020). Hurricane Dorian (AL052019) (PDF) (Report). Tropical Cyclone Report. National Hurricane Center. Retrieved April 29, 2020.
{{cite report}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link) - Nic Querolo; Brian K. Sullivan (October 29, 2019). "California Fire Damage Estimated at $25.4 Billion". Bloomberg. Retrieved September 11, 2020.
- Reyes-Velarde, Alejandra (January 11, 2019). "California's Camp fire was the costliest global disaster last year, insurance report shows". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved January 15, 2019.
- Emily Holland (November 28, 2018). "$6 Billion In Real Estate Destroyed In Woolsey Fire: Report". patch.com. Patch Media. Retrieved September 1, 2020.
- "2018 National Large Incident Year-to-Date Report" (PDF). National Interagency Fire Center. November 9, 2018. Archived (PDF) from the original on July 25, 2018. Retrieved November 9, 2018.
- J. R. Reed (November 12, 2019). "A rising number of US companies are flagging wildfire risk as suppression costs climb". CNBC. Retrieved September 1, 2020.
- Beven, John; Berg, Robbie; Hagen, Andrew (May 17, 2019). Tropical Cyclone Report: Hurricane Michael (PDF) (Report). National Hurricane Center. Archived (PDF) from the original on July 29, 2020. Retrieved August 17, 2020.
- Stacy Stewart and Robbie Berg (May 30, 2019). Hurricane Florence (AL062018) (PDF) (Report). Tropical Cyclone Report. National Hurricane Center. Archived (PDF) from the original on October 2, 2019. Retrieved September 18, 2019.
- Global Catastrophe Recap: December 2018 (PDF) (Report). AON Benfield. December 2018. p. 9. Archived (PDF) from the original on February 1, 2019. Retrieved March 28, 2020.
- "California wildfire industry losses put at $13.2bn by Aon Benfield". Artemis.bm. January 25, 2018. Retrieved August 30, 2018.
- "California spent nearly $1.8 billion last year fighting major wildfires". Los Angeles Times. March 1, 2018. Retrieved August 30, 2018.
- "Goodwin Fire now 100% contained". dailymotion.com. ABC15. July 11, 2017. Retrieved June 6, 2021.
- "One year anniversary of Goodwin Fire". fox10phoenix.com. FOX10. June 21, 2018. Retrieved June 6, 2021.
- Doyle Rice; Jim Sergent; George Petras; Janet Loehrke (October 18, 2017). "2017 could tie record for billion-dollar disasters in a year. Here's why". USA Today Weather. Retrieved November 7, 2017.
- Linda Lam (October 31, 2017). "16 Billion-Dollar Disasters Have Impacted the U.S. This Year, Tying an All-Time Record, Thanks to the California Wildfires". The Weather Company, LLC. Retrieved November 4, 2017.
- "California's Big Sur's $54 Million 'Catastrophic Landslide' a Result of Drought Followed by Deluge, Scientists Say". The Weather Company. February 19, 2019. Retrieved February 20, 2019.
- Masters, Jeffrey. "Mississippi River flood of 2011 already a $2 billion disaster". Weather Underground. Jeff Masters' WunderBlog. Retrieved May 12, 2011.
- Strauss, Gary; Marisol Bello (May 11, 2011). "Mississippi flood damages could reach billions". Tucson Citizen. Retrieved May 12, 2011.[permanent dead link]
- Dr. Tomas Girnius; Tyler Hauteniemi; Scott Stransky (August 2008). "California Wildfire: How Large Can The Losses Be?" (PDF). AIRCurrents. Archived from the original (PDF) on December 12, 2017. Retrieved December 11, 2017.
- Walker F. Ekard (February 2008). "2007 San Diego County Firestorms After Action Report" (PDF). County of San Diego. Retrieved November 13, 2017.
- "California Fire Siege 2007: An Overview" (PDF). January 8, 2009. Archived from the original (PDF) on November 19, 2018. Retrieved August 21, 2015.
- "Cedar Fire Memorial". www.lakesidehistory.org. Archived from the original on June 23, 2016. Retrieved September 5, 2016.
- F. C. Pate (United States Weather Bureau) (October 1946). "The Tornado at Montgomery, Alabama, February 12, 1945". Bulletin of the American Meteorological Society. 27 (8). American Meteorological Society: 462–464. JSTOR 26257954. Retrieved May 27, 2023.