New York Ranks Seventh for Costly Weather Disasters

New York has faced almost $85 billion in damage from major weather and climate disasters since 1980. That puts the state seventh in the country for total losses through 2024, according to a new comparison of federal data.

Tropical Storms Caused Most New York Losses

Tropical cyclones caused about $68.7 billion of New York’s total. This category includes hurricanes and tropical storms. Flooding, winter storms, severe storms, drought, freezes, and wildfires were also included.

What Counts as a Billion Dollar Disaster?

The federal database includes disasters that caused at least $1 billion in damage across the United States. Costs were adjusted for inflation to make older and newer events easier to compare. The numbers do not include every storm, flood, fire, or drought.

Florida Had the Highest Total

Florida ranked first with $452.1 billion in losses. Texas followed with $436.1 billion, while Louisiana placed third with $314.6 billion. California and North Carolina completed the top five. Mississippi ranked sixth, just ahead of New York.

Ten States Carried Most of the Cost

The 10 highest loss states accounted for about $1.85 trillion. That was roughly 63 percent of the $2.92 trillion recorded nationwide from 1980 through 2024. Florida and Texas alone accounted for more than $888 billion.

The Ranking Does Not Predict the Future

A high place on this list does not mean New York will face the next major disaster. The ranking only compares damage that has already happened. A state can also have many disasters with smaller costs or fewer events that cause enormous damage.

The federal record includes 403 billion dollar disasters nationwide over those 45 years. Tropical cyclones were the most expensive category, causing more than $1.5 trillion in losses.