NOAA's National Centers for Environmental Information
Minnesota Summary
From 1980–2024 (as of June 10, 2024), there have been 58 confirmed weather/climate disaster events with losses exceeding $1 billion each to affect Minnesota. These events included 12 drought events, 5 flooding events, 1 freeze event, 35 severe storm events, 2 wildfire events, and 3 winter storm events. The 1980–2023 annual average is 1.3 events (CPI-adjusted); the annual average for the most recent 5 years (2019–2023) is 4.0 events (CPI-adjusted).
| Disaster Type | Events | Events/Year | Percent Frequency | Total Costs | Percent of Total Costs |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Drought | 12 | 0.3 | 20.7% | $10.0B-$20.0B | 25.2% |
| Flooding | 5 | 0.1 | 8.6% | $5.0B-$10.0B | 15.1% |
| Freeze | 1 | 0.0 | 1.7% | $5M-$100M | 0.1% |
| Severe Storm | 35 | 0.8 | 60.3% | $20.0B-$50.0B | 58.9% |
| Tropical Cyclone | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- |
| Wildfire | 2 | 0.0 | 3.4% | $5M-$100M | 0.2% |
| Winter Storm | 3 | 0.1 | 5.2% | $100M-$250M | 0.6% |
| All Disasters | 58 | 1.3 | 100.0% | $20.0B-$50.0B | 100.0% |
| Drought | 12 | 0.3 | 25.5% | $5.0B-$10.0B | 21.6% |
| Flooding | 5 | 0.1 | 10.6% | $2.0B-$5.0B | 13.5% |
| Freeze | 1 | 0.0 | 2.1% | $5M-$100M | 0.1% |
| Severe Storm | 26 | 0.6 | 55.3% | $10.0B-$20.0B | 64.4% |
| Tropical Cyclone | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- |
| Wildfire | 2 | 0.0 | 4.3% | $5M-$100M | 0.2% |
| Winter Storm | 1 | 0.0 | 2.1% | $5M-$100M | 0.2% |
| All Disasters | 47 | 1.0 | 100.0% | $20.0B-$50.0B | 100.0% |
| Time Period | Billion-Dollar Disasters | Events/ | Cost | Percent of Total Cost |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1980s (1980-1989) | 6 | 0.6 | $2.0B-$5.0B | 11.6% |
| 1990s (1990-1999) | 8 | 0.8 | $5.0B-$10.0B | 21.1% |
| 2000s (2000-2009) | 14 | 1.4 | $5.0B-$10.0B | 16.8% |
| 2010s (2010-2019) | 11 | 1.1 | $5.0B-$10.0B | 19.7% |
| Last 5 Years (2019-2023) | 20 | 4.0 | $10.0B-$20.0B | 33.0% |
| Last 3 Years (2021-2023) | 17 | 5.7 | $10.0B-$20.0B | 27.7% |
| Last Year (2023) | 7 | 7.0 | $2.0B-$5.0B | 8.3% |
| All Years (1980-2024)* | 58 | 1.3 | $20.0B-$50.0B | 100.0% |
| 1980s (1980-1989) | 3 | 0.3 | $1.0B-$2.0B | 5.3% |
| 1990s (1990-1999) | 6 | 0.6 | $2.0B-$5.0B | 15.9% |
| 2000s (2000-2009) | 10 | 1.0 | $2.0B-$5.0B | 13.8% |
| 2010s (2010-2019) | 9 | 0.9 | $5.0B-$10.0B | 20.7% |
| Last 5 Years (2019-2023) | 20 | 4.0 | $10.0B-$20.0B | 46.9% |
| Last 3 Years (2021-2023) | 17 | 5.7 | $10.0B-$20.0B | 40.3% |
| Last Year (2023) | 7 | 7.0 | $2.0B-$5.0B | 12.5% |
| All Years (1980-2024)* | 47 | 1.0 | $20.0B-$50.0B | 100.0% |
| Event | Type | Begin Date |
End Date |
Summary |
CPI-AUnadjusted Estimated Cost (in Billions) |
Deaths |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Southern/ Spring-Fall 2023 | Drought | April 1, 2023 | September 30, 2023 | Drought conditions impacted numerous Southern and Midwestern states (TX, LA, OK, KS, IL, MO, NE) and surrounding states. The agriculture sector has been impacted across these affected states including damage to field crops from lack of rainfall. Ranchers have also been forced to sell-off livestock early in some regions due to high feeding costs. For the second straight year, portions of the Mississippi River have experienced low water levels impacting river commerce. This low flow has also allowed salt water from the Gulf of Mexico to migrate northward, along the bottom of the Mississippi River, impacting water quality in southern Louisiana. Several Northwestern states including Washington, Oregon and Montana have also been impacted by increasing drought effects. | $14.8 CI | 247 |
Minnesota Hail Storms August 2023 | Severe Storm | August 11, 2023 | August 11, 2023 | Numerous hail storms caused extensive damage across south-central Minnesota. Golf ball to baseball-sized hail caused damage to the windows, siding and roofs of many homes, vehicles and businesses. | $1.8 CI | 0 |
North Central and Eastern Severe Weather July 2023 | Severe Storm | July 28, 2023 | July 29, 2023 | Severe storms caused damage across several North Central and Eastern states. The state most impacted were Nebraska, Missouri, Illinois, Indiana and Wisconsin. High wind, severe hail and tornadoes caused damage to many homes, vehicles, businesses and agriculture assets. | $1.5 CI | 2 |
North Central and Southeastern Severe Weather July 2023 | Severe Storm | July 19, 2023 | July 21, 2023 | Severe storms caused damage across several North Central and Southeastern states. The states most impacted were Michigan, Wisconsin, Ohio, Tennessee and Georgia. Ping pong to golf ball-sized hail and high winds damaged many homes, vehicles, businesses and other infrastructure. | $1.9 CI | 1 |
Northeastern Flooding and North Central Severe Weather July 2023 | Flooding | July 9, 2023 | July 15, 2023 | Severe storms brought devastation and flooding to portions of the Northeast, as areas reported up to eight inches of rain within a 24-hour period. Montpelier, Vermont received a record-breaking 5.28 inches of rain, flooding the city and damaging thousands of homes and businesses. The wide scale flooding in Vermont was similar to the flood impacts from Hurricane Irene in 2011. Early estimates put the flood damage in West Point, New York at more than $100 ($103.0) million. There was also considerable damage to roads, bridges and agriculture across the Northeast. Severe storms also caused high wind and hail impacts across Wisconsin, Minnesota and Illinois. | $2.2 CI | 10 |
Central Severe Weather April 2023 | Severe Storm | April 19, 2023 | April 20, 2023 | Severe hail, scattered tornadoes and high winds caused damage across numerous central states. Central Oklahoma was impacted by a cluster of tornadoes. Texas, Missouri, Nebraska, Kansas, Iowa, Illinois and Wisconsin was impacted by hail and high wind damage from severe storms. | $3.1 CI | 1 |
Central Tornado Outbreak and Eastern Severe Weather March 2023 | Severe Storm | March 31, 2023 | April 1, 2023 | A historic tornado outbreak across numerous central states caused widespread damage from at least 145 tornadoes. States most impacted were Illinois, Indiana, Ohio, Missouri, Iowa, Arkansas, Tennessee and Pennsylvania where there was severe damage to homes, businesses, vehicles, agriculture and other infrastructure. | $5.9 CI | 33 |
Western/ 2022 | Drought | January 1, 2022 | December 31, 2022 | Severe drought conditions impacted many Western and Central states. Large reservoirs across the West including Lake Mead, Lake Powell, Lake Oroville, and Shasta Lake, among others continue to be depleted. Lake Mead, the Nation's largest reservoir, is nearing dead pool status and is at the lowest level since it was filled in the 1930s. The Great Salt Lake is also near record-low levels. The impacts of the drought affected crop production across may states and sharply increased feeding costs for livestock. Many segments of the Mississippi River also experienced low water levels causing delays and reductions in river commerce. Extreme heat also developed for many days across Western and Central states. These excess heat conditions caused more than one hundred heat-related fatalities focused across Arizona, Nevada, California, Oregon and Texas. The 2022 drought was one of the costlier droughts on record, with a diverse array of direct impacts across different regions and industries. | $23.5 CI | 136 |
Central and Eastern Winter Storm and Cold Wave December 2022 | Winter Storm | December 21, 2022 | December 26, 2022 | Historic winter storm and powerful arctic front caused significant impact across much of the nation, bringing heavy rains, snow, ice and high winds that sent temperatures plummeting. More than 200 million people were under a winter weather advisory or warning and more than a million customers, from Texas to Maine, were left without power. Buffalo, New York was paralyzed by near hurricane force winds and continuous snow squalls, which contributed to dozens of fatalities in the region. Additional impacts were widespread frozen water pipes that led to extensive water damage in many homes, businesses and to other critical infrastructure. | $8.9 CI | 87 |
North Central and Eastern Severe Weather July 2022 | Severe Storm | July 22, 2022 | July 24, 2022 | Severe weather with high winds and 19 tornadoes impact numerous states including North Dakota, Minnesota, Wisconsin, Michigan, Illinois, Indiana, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Virginia, Maryland and New York. Many homes, businesses, vehicles, agriculture and other infrastructure were damaged. | $1.4 CI | 1 |
North Central Hail Storms May 2022 | Severe Storm | May 19, 2022 | May 19, 2022 | Severe hail storms with numerous reports of golf-balled sized hail causing damage across southeastern Minnesota and western Wisconsin. These hail storms were south of the hail storms that damaged many homes, vehicles and businesses just 10 days earlier on May 9. | $2.6 CI | 0 |
North Central Severe Weather May 2022 | Severe Storm | May 11, 2022 | May 12, 2022 | Severe weather causes tornado, hail and high wind damage across several states including South Dakota, Nebraska, Minnesota and Wisconsin. Hail and high winds impacted southern Minnesota including the cities of St. Cloud and the Minneapolis metro area. In addition, numerous reports of high wind damage occurred across eastern Nebraska. There were also more than two dozen tornadoes that impacted eastern South Dakota and central Minnesota causing damage to homes, vehicles, businesses, agriculture and other infrastructure. | $2.9 CI | 1 |
North Central Hail Storms May 2022 | Severe Storm | May 9, 2022 | May 9, 2022 | Numerous hail storms caused extensive damage across south-central Minnesota and into western Wisconsin. There were many reports of golf ball to baseball-sized hail damaging homes, vehicles, businesses and other infrastructure. | $2.3 CI | 0 |
Southern Severe Weather April 2022 | Severe Storm | April 11, 2022 | April 13, 2022 | Severe weather including hundreds of damaging wind reports and dozens of tornadoes occurred across Arkansas, Louisiana, Mississippi, Alabama, Texas, Tennessee and Kentucky. On April 11, tornadoes and damaging hail was focused across central Arkansas causing damage to homes, vehicles, outbuildings and farms and vegetation. April 12 and 13 produced widespread high wind reports and dozens of tornadoes across central Mississippi, northeast Arkansas and west-central Kentucky. These tornadoes produced damage to homes, businesses, farms, outbuildings and other infrastructure. There was also considerable hail damage across Wisconsin and Minnesota. | $2.9 CI | 1 |
Western Drought and Heat Wave 2021 | Drought | January 1, 2021 | December 31, 2021 | Western drought conditions were persistent throughout 2021, as the drought expanded and intensified across many Western states. A historic heat wave also developed for many days across the Pacific Northwest shattering numerous all-time high temperature records across the region. This prolonged heat dome was maximized over the states of Oregon and Washington and extended well into Canada. These extreme temperatures impacted several major cities and millions of people. For example, Portland reached a high of 116 degrees F while Seattle reached 108 degrees F. These extreme temperatures caused hundreds of direct and indirect heat-related fatalities across Oregon and Washington, not including excess mortality that may be hundreds of additional deaths. This combined drought and heat rapidly dried out vegetation across the West, impacting agriculture. Low water levels also forced the hydroelectric power plant at Lake Oroville in California to shut down for the first time since it opened in 1967. | $10.1 CI | 229 |
Midwest Derecho and Tornado Outbreak December 2021 | Severe Storm | December 15, 2021 | December 15, 2021 | A rare, record-breaking December derecho and tornado outbreak caused widespread damage that was focused across Kansas, Nebraska, Iowa, Minnesota and Wisconsin. There were many reports of hurricane-force thunderstorm wind gusts and more than 50 tornadoes causing widespread damage to homes, vehicles, businesses and infrastructure. This was the first December derecho on record to occur within the United States. This event also produced the first December tornado on record in Minnesota since 1950, with 17 tornadoes reported across southeast Minnesota. | $2.0 CI | 1 |
Ohio Valley Hail Storms June 2021 | Severe Storm | June 17, 2021 | June 18, 2021 | Damaging hail storm and high wind impacts across several states including Ohio, Illinois, Indiana, Michigan, Wisconsin, Minnesota, Iowa and Missouri. The hail impacts were most severe in southeastern Minnesota, southern Iowa, southeastern Indiana and southwestern Ohio, with damage to many homes, vehicles and businesses. | $2.0 CI | 0 |
Central Severe Weather - Derecho August 2020 | Severe Storm | August 10, 2020 | August 10, 2020 | A powerful derecho traveled from southeast South Dakota to Ohio, a path of 770 miles in 14 hours producing widespread winds greater than 100 mph. The states most affected included Iowa, Illinois, Minnesota, Indiana and Ohio. This derecho caused widespread damage to millions of acres of corn and soybean crops across central Iowa. There was also severe damage to homes, businesses and vehicles particularly in Cedar Rapids, Iowa. In addition, there were 15 tornadoes across northeastern Illinois several affecting the Chicago metropolitan area. This is the third severe weather event (since 1980) with inflation-adjusted costs over $10.0 ($12.1) billion joining the late-April and May 2011 tornado outbreaks across the Southeastern and Central states, respectively. | $13.3 CI | 4 |
Central Severe Weather July 2020 | Severe Storm | July 10, 2020 | July 11, 2020 | Central severe weather producing hundreds of severe hail and high wind reports across numerous states including Nebraska, South Dakota, Minnesota, Kansas, Oklahoma, Iowa, Illinois and Indiana. These storms caused impacts to many homes, vehicles and businesses. | $1.4 CI | 0 |
Missouri River and North Central Flooding March 2019 | Flooding | March 14, 2019 | March 31, 2019 | Historic Midwest flooding inundated millions of acres of agriculture, numerous cities and towns, and caused widespread damage to roads, bridges, levees, and dams. The states most affected were Nebraska, Iowa, Missouri, South Dakota, Minnesota, North Dakota, Wisconsin and Michigan. This flood was triggered by a powerful storm with heavy precipitation that intensified snow melt and flooding. Of note, the Offutt Air Force Base in Nebraska was also severely flooded - the third U.S. military base to be damaged by a billion-dollar disaster event over a 6-month period (Sept 2018-Feb 2019). This historic flooding was one of the costliest U.S. inland flooding events on record. | $13.4 CI | 3 |
Minnesota Hail Storm and Upper Midwest Severe Weather June 2017 | Severe Storm | June 9, 2017 | June 11, 2017 | Severe hail and high winds cause considerable damage across Minnesota and Wisconsin. The Minneapolis metro area in particular was damaged from large, destructive hail impacting many buildings and vehicles. This damage is comparable to the May 15, 1998 Minnesota hail storm that was also very costly. | $3.0 CI | 0 |
North Central Severe Weather and Tornadoes May 2017 | Severe Storm | May 15, 2017 | May 18, 2017 | Severe weather and tornadoes cause impacts across numerous north central states. The states most impacted were Iowa, Illinois, Minnesota, and Wisconsin. | $1.2* CI | 1 |
Midwest Tornado Outbreak March 2017 | Severe Storm | March 6, 2017 | March 8, 2017 | Tornado outbreak and wind damage across many Midwestern states (AR, IA, IL, KS, MI, MN, MO, NE, NY, OH, WI). Missouri and Illinois were impacted by numerous tornadoes while Michigan and New York were affected by destructive, straight-line winds following the storm system. Nearly one million customers lost power in Michigan alone due to sustained high winds, which affected several states from Illinois to New York. | $2.8 CI | 2 |
Western/ Spring-Fall 2013 | Drought | March 1, 2013 | November 30, 2013 | The 2013 drought slowly dissipated from the historic levels of the 2012 drought, as conditions improved across many Midwestern and Plains states. However, moderate to extreme drought did remain or expand into western states (AZ, CA, CO, IA, ID, IL, KS, MI, MN, MO, ND, NE, NM, NV, OK, OR, SD, TX, UT, WA, WI, WY). In comparison to 2011 and 2012 drought conditions the US experienced only moderate crop losses across the central agriculture states. | $14.2 CI | 53 |
Midwest Severe Weather August 2013 | Severe Storm | August 6, 2013 | August 7, 2013 | Severe weather and large hail causes considerable damage across Minnesota and Wisconsin. | $1.4 CI | 0 |
U.S. Drought/ 2012 | Drought | January 1, 2012 | December 31, 2012 | The 2012 drought is the most extensive drought to affect the U.S. since the 1930s. Moderate to extreme drought conditions affected more than half the country for a majority of 2012. The following states were affected: CA, NV, ID, MT, WY, UT, CO, AZ, NM, TX, ND, SD, NE, KS, OK, AR, MO, IA, MN, IL, IN, GA. Costly drought impacts occurred across the central agriculture states resulting in widespread harvest failure for corn, sorghum and soybean crops, among others. The associated summer heat wave also caused 123 direct deaths, but an estimate of the excess mortality due to heat stress is still unknown. | $41.4 CI | 123 |
Southern Plains/ May 2012 | Severe Storm | May 25, 2012 | May 30, 2012 | Severe storms over the southern plains, midwest and northeast (TX, OK, KS, MN, PA, NY) with 27 confirmed tornadoes. Significant damage also from severe hail and straight-line winds. | $3.1 CI | 1 |
Rockies and Midwest Derecho July 10-11, 2011 | Severe Storm | July 10, 2011 | July 11, 2011 | A derecho produced a wide swatch of high wind damage beginning east of the Rockies and across the central plains (CO, IA, IL, MI, MN, OH). | $1.7 CI | 2 |
North Central Severe Weather July 1, 2011 | Severe Storm | July 1, 2011 | July 1, 2011 | Severe weather causes damage across several north central states. The regions most impacted were southern Minnesota, western Wisconsin and northern Illinois. | $1.2* CI | 0 |
Midwest/ May 2011 | Severe Storm | May 22, 2011 | May 27, 2011 | Outbreak of tornadoes over central and southern states (MO, TX, OK, KS, AR, GA, TN, VA, KY, IN, IL, OH, WI, MN, PA) with an estimated 180 tornadoes. Notably, an EF-5 tornado struck Joplin, MO resulting in at least 160 deaths, making it the deadliest single tornado to strike the U.S. since modern tornado record keeping began in 1950. | $12.6 CI | 177 |
U.S. Drought 2008 | Drought | January 1, 2008 | December 31, 2008 | Severe drought and heat caused agricultural losses across a large portion of the U.S. Record low lake levels also occurred in areas of the southeast. The states impacted include AL, AR, CA, CO, GA, ID, IN, KS, KY, MD, MN, MS, MT, NC, ND, NJ, NM, OH, OK, OR, SC, TN, TX, UT, VA, WA and WI. | $10.4 CI | 0 |
Midwest Flooding Summer 2008 | Flooding | April 1, 2008 | June 30, 2008 | Heavy rain and flooding caused significant agricultural loss and property damage in IA, IL, IN, MO, MN, NE, and WI with IA being hardest hit with widespread rainfall totals ranging from 4 to over 16 inches. | $14.8 CI | 24 |
Midwest/ June 2008 | Severe Storm | June 6, 2008 | June 12, 2008 | An outbreak of tornadoes and thunderstorms over the Midwest/Mid-Atlantic states (IA, IL, IN, KS, NE, MI, MN, MO, OK, WI, MD, VA, WV). | $2.3 CI | 18 |
Midwest Tornadoes and Severe Weather May 2008 | Severe Storm | May 22, 2008 | May 27, 2008 | Outbreak of tornadoes over the Midwest/Ohio Valley regions (IL, IN, IA, KS, MN, NE, OK, WY, CO) with 235 tornadoes confirmed. | $4.4 CI | 13 |
Western/ Summer-Fall 2007 | Drought | June 1, 2007 | November 30, 2007 | Severe drought with periods of extreme heat over most of the southeast and portions of the Great Plains, Ohio Valley, and Great Lakes area, resulting in major reductions in crop yields, along with very low stream-flows and lake levels. Includes states of ND, SD, NE, KS, OK, TX, MN, WI, IA, MO, AR, LA, MS, AL, GA, NC, SC, FL, TN, VA, WV, KY, IN, IL, OH, MI, PA, NY. | $5.5 CI | 15 |
Western Wildfires Summer 2007 | Wildfire | June 1, 2007 | August 31, 2007 | Continued drought conditions and high winds over much of the western U.S. (AK, AZ, CA, ID, UT, MT, NV, OR, WA) resulting in numerous wildfires; with national acreage burned exceeding 8.9 million acres (mainly in the west) and over 3,000 homes and structures destroyed in southern California alone. | $4.1 CI | 12 |
Central Severe Weather October 2006 | Severe Storm | October 2, 2006 | October 5, 2006 | Severe storms cause high wind and hail damage across numerous states including OH, IL, IN, MI, MN and WI. | $1.4* CI | 1 |
Midwest/ Spring-Summer 2006 | Drought | March 1, 2006 | August 31, 2006 | Rather severe drought affected crops especially during the spring-summer, centered over the Great Plains region with other areas affected across portions of the south -- including states of ND, SD, NE, KS, OK, TX, MN, IA, MO, AR, LA, MS, AL, GA, FL, MT, WY, CO, NM. | $9.5 CI | 0 |
North Central Severe Weather and Tornadoes August 2006 | Severe Storm | August 23, 2006 | August 24, 2006 | Severe weather and tornadoes cause impacts across several north central states including Minnesota, Wisconsin, Indiana and Illinois. | $1.2* CI | 1 |
California Wildfires Fall 2003 | Wildfire | September 1, 2003 | November 30, 2003 | Dry weather, high winds, and resulting wildfires in Southern California burned over 3,700 homes. Nearly 4.0 million acres burned across numerous western states including Alaska. | $6.6 CI | 22 |
Western/ Spring-Fall 2003 | Drought | March 1, 2003 | November 30, 2003 | 2003 drought across western and central portions of the U.S. with losses to agriculture. The states most impacted include AZ, CO, IA, ID, IL, KS, MI, MN, MO, MT, ND, NE, NM, OR, SD, WA and WI. | $8.7 CI | 35 |
Midwest/ July 2003 | Severe Storm | July 4, 2003 | July 9, 2003 | Severe storms affect the states IA, IL, IN, MI, MN, OH, VA, WV across the Midwest and Plains. | $1.5* CI | 7 |
North Central Severe Weather May 2001 | Severe Storm | April 30, 2001 | May 1, 2001 | Severe weather produced impacts across several north central states including Minnesota, Wisconsin, Iowa and Nebraska. | $1.2* CI | 0 |
Midwest/ April 2001 | Severe Storm | April 6, 2001 | April 11, 2001 | Storms, tornadoes, and hail in the states of TX, OK, KS, NE, IA, MO, IL, IN, WI, MI, OH, KY, WV, and PA, over a 6-day period. | $5.5 CI | 3 |
Central and Eastern Severe Storms and Flooding June 1998 | Severe Storm | June 20, 1998 | June 24, 1998 | Severe storms and flooding impact numerous Central and Eastern states. In particular, these storms and floods affected many residences and businesses throughout north-central and eastern Ohio. More than 7,000 homes were affected and more than 1,000 structures were completely destroyed or declared uninhabitable. | $1.7* CI | 12 |
Northern Plains and Great Lakes Derecho, Tornadoes June 1998 | Severe Storm | May 30, 1998 | June 2, 1998 | Severe storms in late May through early June hit the Midwest, North, Northeast, and Southeast | $2.2 CI | 20 |
Minnesota Severe Storms/ May 1998 | Severe Storm | May 15, 1998 | May 15, 1998 | Very damaging severe thunderstorms with large hail over wide areas of Minnesota | $3.1 CI | 1 |
Northern Plains Flooding Spring 1997 | Flooding | February 3, 1997 | May 24, 1997 | Severe flooding in North Dakota, South Dakota and Minnesota due to heavy spring snow melt. This flooding caused widespread damage to agriculture, infrastructure, homes and businesses. | $7.2 CI | 11 |
Midwest/ April 1994 | Severe Storm | April 25, 1994 | April 27, 1994 | Tornadoes and severe storms cause damage in states across the South, Southeast and Midwest. The states impacted include TX, OK, AR, CO, KS, NE, IA, SD, IL, IN, MN and MO. | $2.1 CI | 3 |
Midwest Flooding Summer 1993 | Flooding | June 27, 1993 | August 15, 1993 | Severe, widespread flooding in central U.S. due to persistent heavy rains and thunderstorms. There was extensive damage to agriculture, infrastructure, homes and businesses in many areas across several states. Many river stations also established new records for historical flood heights. This is the most costly non-tropical, inland flood event to affect the United States on record. | $46.1 CI | 48 |
Northern Plains and Ohio Valley Severe Weather July 1993 | Severe Storm | July 8, 1993 | July 10, 1993 | Severe storms caused high wind, hail and tornado damage across many Northern/Central Plains (NE, KS, MO, IA, MN, ND) and Ohio Valley states (IL, IN). | $1.4* CI | 1 |
U.S. Drought Spring-Summer 1991 | Drought | March 1, 1991 | August 31, 1991 | Drought conditions over parts of the West, Central and eastern U.S. most affected the states IL, IN, KS, MN, OH, OR, PA, SD, and WA. | $7.0 CI | 0 |
U.S. Drought/ Summer 1988 | Drought | June 1, 1988 | August 31, 1988 | 1988 drought across a large portion of the U.S. with very severe losses to agriculture and related industries. Combined direct and indirect deaths (i.e., excess mortality) due to heat stress estimated at 5,000. | $54.2 CI | 454 |
Winter Storm, Cold Wave January 1985 | Winter Storm | January 19, 1985 | January 22, 1985 | Extreme cold and winter storms in the Southeast, South, Southwest, Northeast, Midwest, and North | $2.5* CI | 150 |
Freeze/ December 1983 | Freeze | December 15, 1983 | December 25, 1983 | Severe freeze damages citrus crops across central/northern Florida. Associated cold wave over much of the U.S. causes over 100 deaths and additional damages. | $6.4 CI | 151 |
Midwest/ April 1982 | Severe Storm | April 2, 1982 | April 4, 1982 | Tornadoes and severe weather affect the states (AL, AR, CO, IA, IL, IN, KS, KY, LA, MI, MN, MO, MS, NE, OH, OK, PA, TN, TX, WI, WV) across the Midwest, Plains and Southeast. | $1.6* CI | 33 |
Midwest/ January 1982 | Winter Storm | January 8, 1982 | January 16, 1982 | Winter storm and cold wave affect numerous states (AL, AR, CT, DE, FL, GA, IA, IL, IN, KS, KY, LA, MA, MD, ME, MI, MN, MO, MS, NC, ND, NH, NJ, NY, OH, OK, PA, RI, SC, TN, TX, VA, VT, WI, WV) across the Midwest, Southeast and Northeast. | $2.2* CI | 85 |
Central/ Summer-Fall 1980 | Drought | June 1, 1980 | November 30, 1980 | Central and eastern U.S. drought/heat wave caused damage to agriculture and other related industries. Combined direct and indirect deaths (i.e., excess mortality) due to heat stress estimated at 10,000. | $40.4 CI | 1,260 |
†Deaths associated with drought are the result of heat waves. (Not all droughts are accompanied by extreme heat waves.)
Flooding events (river basin or urban flooding from excessive rainfall) are separate from inland flood damage caused by tropical cyclone events.
*Statistics valid as of June 10, 2024
Citing this information:
- NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information (NCEI) U.S. Billion-Dollar Weather and Climate Disasters (2024). https://www.ncei.noaa.gov/access/billions/, DOI: 10.25921/stkw-7w73