WEST MICHIGAN — Each year the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration releases the Billion-Dollar Weather and Climate disaster recap. The latest report for 2022 shows there were a total of 18 disasters that racked up over a billion dollars of damage.
According to NOAA, "In 2022, there were 18 weather/climate disaster events with losses exceeding $1 billion each to affect the United States. These events included 1 drought event, 1 flooding event, 11 severe storm events, 3 tropical cyclone events, 1 wildfire event, and 1 winter storm event. Overall, these events resulted in the deaths of 474 people and had significant economic effects on the areas impacted. The 1980–2022 annual average is 7.9 events (CPI-adjusted); the annual average for the most recent 5 years (2018–2022) is 17.8 events (CPI-adjusted)."
The climate disaster report includes our most recent Christmas Blizzard, which affected not only West Michigan, but also wreaked havoc in Buffalo, New York. The exact monetary impacts are still being determined by NOAA, but the impacts were enough to land the storm a spot on the list.
NOAA says, "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."
The death toll from the winter storm has increased to 87.
