9 Billion Dollar Disasters in 2022 So Far

The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration has issued their midpoint report for the Billion Dollar Disasters of 2022. As of July 11, there have been 9 events so far this year with costs totaling over one billion dollars to include 8 severe weather events and ongoing drought in the Western and Southern Plains. Right now that ranks 2022 as #5 on the list of most disasters per date.

The frequency of billion dollar disasters has been rising in the past decade. In the last five years the U.S. Has seen an average of 17.8 billion dollar disasters per year. With 6 more months of 2022 left to go and an above average Atlantic hurricane season predicted, we could have another expensive year.

The longest and still ongoing billion dollar disaster is the drought in the Western plains of the United States. Lake Mead in Nevada is at its lowest levels since being filled in the 1930s. The drought is adding to already high wildfire risk across the Four Corners and Western United States. Drought was also a billion dollar disaster last year in the Western U.S. causing $9.4 billion in damages. 

We have seen 8 severe weather events that have each been a billion dollar disaster. Most recently, on June 13 with the derecho that tore through Michigan, Illinois, Indiana and Ohio. The final cost of that event is still being calculated.  Three separate severe events impacted the high plains in May: on the 9th, 11th and 19th of the month bringing damaging winds and hail to Minnesota, Wisconsin South Dakota and Nebraska. The total from these three events alone was 3.8 billion dollars. Our earliest event of 2022 was the southeast tornado outbreak in march where 83 tornadoes occurred on March 30th, killing one person. Just 5 days later another tornado outbreak in the south caused three deaths and 1.3 billion dollars in damage. 

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