Most Catastrophic Weather Disasters Of Last 50 Years

Climate Central’s dataset, updated through last month, tracks 426 events that each caused at least $1 billion in damage between 1980 and 2025. Combined, these disasters have a total CPI-adjusted cost exceeding $3.1 trillion. The methodology continues NOAA’s former approach, focusing on direct damages. After this government project was shut down last year, Climate Central continued the work.

Detailed per-event rankings are available in Climate Central’s interactive database, and public summaries highlight the costliest individual events. The January 2025 Los Angeles-area wildfires recently reached the top ranks with their $61 billion price tag, though Hurricane Katrina remains the all-time most expensive disaster.

Direct damages include physical damage to residential, commercial, and municipal buildings; material assets; time element losses such as business interruption or loss of living quarters; damage to vehicles, boats, roads, bridges, levees, electrical infrastructure, and offshore energy platforms; agricultural assets including crops, livestock, and commercial timber; and wildfire suppression costs.

Public sector data sources include FEMA Public Assistance, FEMA Individual Assistance, USDA Risk Management Agency Crop Indemnity, the USDA National Agricultural Statistics Service, the National Interagency Fire Center wildfire data, the National Flood Insurance Program claims data and the NOAA Storm Events Database.

Among the top 10 most costly climate disasters, eight were hurricanes. Interestingly, not all occurred in the Southeast around Florida. Hurricane Sandy, among the most destructive storms, caused severe damage as far north as New England.

All but one of these disasters was short-lived. The Western/Southern Drought stands out as one of the most severe on record for centuries. Advancing Earth and Space Sciences reported: “The California drought of 2012–2016 was a record-breaking event with extensive social, political, and economic repercussions. The impacts were widespread and exposed the difficulty in preparing for the effects of prolonged dry conditions.”

The effects of the most expensive weather event are staggering. According to New Orleans City Business, “New Orleans population fell from 460,000 to 209,000 after Katrina.” In response, the Army Corps of Engineers made massive infrastructure changes. KWTX reports, “In the aftermath, the Corps spent nearly $15 billion installing 150 miles of improved levees and flood walls.” Experts say cities like Miami will need to make similar changes in areas below sea level.

Top 10 Costliest Disasters:

Hurricane Katrina (2005): Gulf Coast (LA, MS, AL): $206 billion, 1,833 fatalities. Most expensive on record; levee failures devastated New Orleans.

Hurricane Harvey (2017): Texas, especially Houston area: $150–$160 billion. Record rainfall and catastrophic flooding.

Hurricane Maria (2017): Puerto Rico: $100–$110 billion, ~3,000 fatalities. Complete power grid destruction.

Hurricane Sandy (2012): Northeast (NY/NJ): $90–$100 billion, ~150 fatalities. Massive storm surge in densely populated urban areas.

Hurricane Ian (2022): Florida (SW coast): $80–$90 billion, ~150 fatalities. Rapid intensification hindered preparation efforts.

Los Angeles-area Wildfires (Palisades/Eaton Fires) (2025): Southern California: $61 billion, >400 fatalities. Costliest wildfire on record.

Hurricane Ida (2021): Northeast/Louisiana: $75–$85 billion, ~100 fatalities. Severe flooding in the Northeast.

Hurricane Helene (2024):Southeast (NC, FL): $60–$70 billion, >200 fatalities. Devastating inland flooding.

Hurricane Irma (2017): Florida/Caribbean: $60–$70 billion, ~130 fatalities. Unusually wide path of destruction.

Western/Southern Drought & Heat Wave (2012–2015): Central/Western U.S.: $50–$60 billion, varying fatalities. Multi-year event with severe agricultural impacts.

Additional Notes:

Costs are approximate ranges based on the data sources mentioned earlier; exact figures vary slightly depending on CPI adjustments to 2025/2026. Recent events from 2022–2025 dominate the rankings, likely due to population growth in vulnerable areas, intensified weather extremes, and inflation adjustments. The 2025 LA wildfires rank as the highest-cost wildfire ever recorded.

For the most current, precise rankings and sortable data, visit Climate Central’s interactive database, which offers specific information about the cost and magnitude of each event. Climate Central plans to expand these data sections. “In the soon-to-be-updated Risk Mapping section of this site, Climate Central also incorporates socioeconomic risk information from the Census American Community Surveys, the CDC Social Vulnerability Index, and other sources.”