The 9 Most Destructive Hurricanes In Recent US History

By Sam Stebbins  •  May 5, 2026
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Experts have linked the size and strength of last year’s Hurricane Erin, which was in the 90th percentile of the largest hurricanes recorded in the Western Atlantic, to human-caused climate change. According to analysis conducted by Climate Central, a non-profit research organization, warmer ocean and atmospheric conditions made the hurricane’s rapid growth up to 100 times more likely – and increased the storm’s wind speed by an estimated 9 mph, pushing it from a Category 4 hurricane to a Category 5, and making it as much as 50% for destructive.

Several months remain in this year’s hurricane season, and the same conditions helped fuel Erin’s historic size last year will continue to apply to future storms.

Using data from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Climate Crisis 247 identified the most destructive hurricanes in recent U.S. history. We reviewed data for each of the 67 hurricanes to have caused at least $1 billion in damage, adjusted for inflation, between 1980 and 2024. The nine storms on this list are ranked by the total, inflation-adjusted damage they caused. Only storms that resulted in at least $50 billion in damage were considered. All supplemental data is also from NOAA.

9. Hurricane Andrew

  • Damage caused by hurricane: $60.5 billion
  • Deaths attributed to hurricane: 61
  • Hurricane start and end date: August 23, 1992 – August 27, 1992
  • Impacted states and territories include: Florida, Louisiana

8. Hurricane Irma

  • Damage caused by hurricane: $64.0 billion
  • Deaths attributed to hurricane: 97
  • Hurricane start and end date: September 06, 2017 – September 12, 2017
  • Impacted states and territories include: Florida

7. Hurricane Helene

  • Damage caused by hurricane: $78.7 billion
  • Deaths attributed to hurricane: 219
  • Hurricane start and end date: September 24, 2024 – September 29, 2024
  • Impacted states and territories include: Florida, Georgia, North Carolina, Tennessee, Virginia

6. Hurricane Ida

  • Damage caused by hurricane: $84.6 billion
  • Deaths attributed to hurricane: 96
  • Hurricane start and end date: August 29, 2021 – September 01, 2021
  • Impacted states and territories include: Louisiana
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5. Hurricane Sandy

  • Damage caused by hurricane: $88.5 billion
  • Deaths attributed to hurricane: 159
  • Hurricane start and end date: October 30, 2012 – October 31, 2012
  • Impacted states and territories include: Connecticut, Delaware, Massachusetts, Maryland, New Jersey, New York, Rhode Island

4. Hurricane Maria

  • Damage caused by hurricane: $115.2 billion
  • Deaths attributed to hurricane: 2981
  • Hurricane start and end date: September 19, 2017 – September 21, 2017
  • Impacted states and territories include: Puerto Rico

3. Hurricane Ian

  • Damage caused by hurricane: $119.6 billion
  • Deaths attributed to hurricane: 152
  • Hurricane start and end date: September 28, 2022 – September 30, 2022
  • Impacted states and territories include: Florida

2. Hurricane Harvey

  • Damage caused by hurricane: $160.0 billion
  • Deaths attributed to hurricane: 89
  • Hurricane start and end date: August 25, 2017 – August 31, 2017
  • Impacted states and territories include: Texas

1. Hurricane Katrina

  • Damage caused by hurricane: $201.3 billion
  • Deaths attributed to hurricane: 1833
  • Hurricane start and end date: August 25, 2005 – August 30, 2005
  • Impacted states and territories include: Louisiana


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