Texas Has The Most Billion-Dollar Disasters Nationwide
Number of Sever Weather Events
According to data by the NCEI, the frequency and cost of billion-dollar climate events have increased nationwide since 1980. In the last 44 years, the U.S. has experienced 377 weather and climate disasters, with total costs exceeding $2.66 trillion.
By using a variety of U.S. agency data sources such as the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) and the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), the NCEI can quantify the number of assets lost such as physical damage to buildings, material losses, time lost for residential and commercial facilities, energy platforms, damage to public infrastructure, agricultural/forestry losses, disaster restoration, and wildfire suppression costs. However, all estimates should be seen as conservative since not all losses are accounted for.
Texas leads the nation in both the most frequent severe weather events and the most expensive, accounting for 15% of all U.S. billion-dollar disasters. From 1980-2024, Texas experienced 171 billion-dollar weather and climate disaster events. Compared to its closest rival, Louisiana, Texas had 77% more billion-dollar weather events. Comparatively since 1980, Louisiana had 97 severe weather events and Florida was third with 84.
What are Billion-Dollar Weather Events?
By using a variety of U.S. agency data sources such as the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) and the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), the NCEI can quantify the number of assets lost such as physical damage to buildings, material losses, time lost for residential and commercial facilities, energy platforms, damage to public infrastructure, agricultural/forestry losses, disaster restoration, and wildfire suppression costs. However, all estimates should be seen as conservative since not all losses are accounted for.
.According to data by the NCEI, the frequency and cost of billion-dollar climate events have increased nationwide since 1980. In the last 44 years, the U.S. has experienced 377 weather and climate disasters, with total costs exceeding $2.66 trillion.
Extreme Weather Patterns in Texas
Severe storms were most common in spring months such as April, May, March, and June (in order of frequency). Droughts and heat-wave events dominated summer and fall seasons such as July, August, September, October, and November. However, droughts and heat waves were not exclusive to hot months. Droughts affect Texas every month, regardless of season. Flooding occurred between March and June and also in October. Winter storms only occurred in December through March. Unsurprisingly, wildfires occurred most frequently in the months where droughts and heat waves were the highest: June through November.
Disasters also have a devastating social cost to the state. Droughts and heat waves are not the most expensive or frequent billion-dollar disaster, but they are the most deadly. Between 1980-2023, Texas had 7,160 cumulative fatalities from severe weather events. Droughts and heat waves claimed over 50% of all deaths related to climate events, or 3,625 lives. Deaths associated with droughts are the result of heat waves and heat stress. In contrast, tropical cyclones — which are the most frequent and most costly weather events in Texas — only accounted for 6.5% of all weather fatalities.
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