Nevada Summary

From 1980-2024, there were 27 confirmed weather/climate disaster events with losses exceeding $1 billion each to affect Nevada. These events included 13 drought events, 1 flooding event, 1 severe storm event, 11 wildfire events, and 1 winter storm event. The 1980โ€“2024 annual average is 0.6 events (CPI-adjusted); the annual average for the most recent 5 years (2020โ€“2024) is 1.2 events (CPI-adjusted).

Billion-dollar events to affect Nevada from 1980 to 2024 (CPI-Adjusted)
Disaster TypeEventsEvents/โ€‹YearPercent FrequencyTotal CostsPercent of Total Costs
Drought130.348.1%$250M-$500M15.4%
Flooding10.03.7%$1.0B-$2.0B37.7%
Freeze----------
Severe Storm10.03.7%$5M-$100M2.2%
Tropical Cyclone----------
Wildfire110.240.7%$1.0B-$2.0B43.2%
Winter Storm10.03.7%$5M-$100M1.6%
All Disasters270.6100.0%$2.0B-$5.0B100.0%
Select Time Period Comparisons of Nevada Billion-Dollar Drought, Flooding, Freeze, Severe Storm, Tropical Cyclone, Wildfire, and Winter Storm Statistics (CPI-Adjusted)
Time PeriodBillion-Dollar DisastersEvents/YearCostPercent of Total Cost
1980s (1980-1989)20.2$100M-$250M5.8%
1990s (1990-1999)20.2$1.0B-$2.0B39.5%
2000s (2000-2009)70.7$500M-$1.0B24.0%
2010s (2010-2019)101.0$500M-$1.0B19.7%
Last 5 Years (2020-2024)61.2$250M-$500M11.0%
Last 3 Years (2022-2024)10.3$5M-$100M0.7%
Last Year (2024)00.0$0M0%
All Years (1980-2024)270.6$2.0B-$5.0B100.0%
Billion-Dollar Events to affect Nevada
Event Type Begin
Date
End
Date
Summary CPI-Adjusted
Estimated
Cost
(in Billions)
Deaths
Southwest/Southern Plains Drought
Summer-Fall 2018
DroughtJune 1, 2018December 30, 2018Drought conditions were present across numerous Southwestern and Plains states (TX, OK, KS, MO, CO, NM, AZ, UT). The most extreme drought conditions continue to persist across the Four Corners region of the Southwest. The agriculture sector has been impacted across the affected states including damage to field crops from lack of rainfall. Ranchers have also be forced to sell-off livestock early in some regions due to high feeding costs.$3.8 CI0
West/Northeast/Southeast Drought
2016
DroughtJanuary 1, 2016December 31, 2016California's 5-year drought persisted during 2016 while new areas of extreme drought developed in states across the Northeast and Southeast. The long-term impacts of the drought in California have damaged forests where 100+ million trees have perished and are a public safety hazard. The agricultural impacts were reduced in California as water prices and crop fallowing declined. However, agricultural impacts developed in Northeast and Southeast due to stressed water supplies.$4.6 CI0
U.S. Drought/Heat Wave
2012
DroughtJanuary 1, 2012December 31, 2012The 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.$41.7 CI123
Texas, New Mexico, Arizona Wildfires
Summer-Fall 2011
WildfireJune 1, 2011November 30, 2011Continued drought conditions and periods of extreme heat provided conditions favorable for a series of historic wildfires across Texas, New Mexico and Arizona. The Bastrop Fire in Texas was the most destructive fire in Texas history destroying over 1,500 homes. The Wallow Fire consumed over 500,000 acres in Arizona making it the largest on record in Arizona. The Las Conchas Fire in New Mexico was also the state's largest wildfire on record scorching over 150,000 acres while threatening the Los Alamos National Laboratory. Over 3 million acres have burned across Texas this wildfire season.$2.5 CI5
Western/Eastern Drought/Heat Wave
Summer-Fall 2007
DroughtJune 1, 2007November 30, 2007Severe 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 CI15
Western Fire Season
Fall 2002
WildfireSeptember 1, 2002November 30, 2002Major wildfires over 11 western states from the Rockies to the west coast due to drought and periodic high winds, with over 7.1 million acres burned.$2.3 CI21
U.S. Drought
Spring-Fall 2002
DroughtMarch 1, 2002November 30, 2002Moderate to extreme drought over large portions of more than 30 states, including the western states, the Great Plains, and much of the eastern U.S.$16.0 CI0
Northern Plains Drought
Summer-Fall 1989
DroughtJune 1, 1989November 30, 1989Severe summer drought over much of the northern plains with significant losses to agriculture. The states impacted include CO, IA, IL, KS, MO, ND, NE, NV, SD, TX and UT.$7.8 CI0
Western Severe Storms and Flooding
February 1986
Severe StormFebruary 14, 1986February 16, 1986Severe storms and flooding affect the states CA, CO, NV, OR, WY across the West.$1.5* CI13

โ€ 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.

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