The two deadly tornadoes that struck Tennessee in March are among the record-breaking billion-dollar natural disasters of 2020 in the United States, according to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s 2020 State of Climate report.
In 2020, there were 22 disasters across the nation where damage totaled more than $1 billion, according to NOAA. The previous annual record was 16 events in 2011 and 2017.
The powerful EF-3 and EF-4 tornadoes that devastated Nashville and Cookeville in the late night hours of March 2 into the morning of March 3 unleashed winds of up to 175 mph and left a 100-mile scar from west to east.
They caused about $2.5 billion in damage and killed at least 25 people, according to NOAA.
These were just two of the 35 tornadoes to strike Tennessee in 2020, according to a September National Weather Service report.
“2020 has been a very active and devastating year for tornadoes throughout Tennessee,” the report said. “These tornadoes combined have killed 28 people, injured hundreds more, and caused billions of dollars in damage.”
Nationwide, over $95 billion in damage was reported from the 22 billion-dollar disasters in 2020, according to NOAA. At least 262 people died as a result of these disasters, according to NOAA.
Hurricane Laura was the costliest disaster on record in 2020, totaling approximately $19 billion in damage. The wildfires in California, Oregon and Washington are next on the list, with about $16.5 billion in damage. Hurricane Katrina in 2005 tops the overall list at $170 billion in damage.
A look at the 22 billion-dollar disasters in 2020
Here is NOAA’s list of the 22 record-breaking weather and climate disasters to strike the U.S. in 2020 by date:
All estimated costs are CPI-adjusted for inflation.
Jan. 10-12: Southeast tornadoes and northern storms and flooding ($1.2 billion in damage/10 deaths)
Feb. 5-7: South, east and northeast severe weather ($1.4 billion in damage/3 deaths)
March 2-4: Tennessee tornadoes and southeast severe weather ($2.5 billion in damage/25 deaths)
March 27-28: Midwest and Ohio Valley severe weather ($2.6 billion in damage/0 deaths)
April 7-8: North central and Ohio Valley hail storms and severe weather ($2.9 billion in damage/0 deaths)
April 12-13: Southeast and eastern tornado outbreak ($3.6 billion in damage/35 deaths)
April 21-23: Southern severe weather ($1.4 billion in damage/3 deaths)
April 27-30: Central, southern and eastern severe weather ($1.0 billion in damage/1 death)
May 3-5: Central and eastern severe weather ($2.1 billion in damage/2 deaths)
May 20-23: South, central and eastern severe weather ($1.6 billion in damage/2 deaths)
May 27: South Texas hail storms ($1.4 billion in damage/0 deaths)
June 1-Dec. 30: Western/central drought and heatwave ($4.5 billion in damage/45 deaths)
July 10-11: Central severe weather ($1.2 billion in damage/0 deaths)
July 25-26: Hurricane Hanna ($1.1 billion in damage/0 deaths)
Aug. 1-Dec. 30: Western wildfires and firestorms in California, Oregon and Washington ($16.5 billion in damage/46 deaths)
Aug. 3-4: Hurricane Isaias ($4.8 billion in damage/16 deaths)
Aug. 10: Central severe weather derecho ($11.0 billion in damage/4 deaths)
Aug. 27-28: Hurricane Laura ($19.0 billion in damage/42 deaths)
Sept. 15-17: Hurricane Sally ($7.3 billion in damage/5 deaths)
Oct. 9-11: Hurricane Delta ($2.9 billion in damage/5 deaths)
Oct. 28-29: Hurricane Zeta ($3.5 billion in damage/6 deaths)
Nov. 8-12: Tropical Storm Eta ($1.5 billion in damage/12 deaths)
This is the sixth year in a row where 10 or more billion-dollar disasters have occurred in the U.S.
Since 1980, NOAA said there have been 285 billion-dollar disasters, exceeding nearly $1.9 trillion damage. There has also been at least one billion-dollar disaster in each of the 50 states.
by Daniella Medina (2021, Jan 9) Nashville Tennessean
