Go Back
  • For Business
  • |
  • Warnings
  • Data Suite
  • Newsletters
  • Advertising
  • Superior Accuracy™
President Trump visits flood-ravaged Kerrville as search continues Chevron right
New flash flood threat looms in Texas as heat scorches recovery zone. Chevron right

Columbus, OH

78°F
Location Chevron down
Location News Videos
Use Current Location
Recent

Columbus

Ohio

78°
No results found.
Try searching for a city, zip code or point of interest.
settings
Columbus, OH Weather
Today WinterCast Local {stormName} Tracker Hourly Daily Radar MinuteCast Monthly Air Quality Health & Activities

Around the Globe

Hurricane Tracker

Severe Weather

Radar & Maps

News

News & Features

Astronomy

Business

Climate

Health

Recreation

Sports

Travel

For Business

Warnings

Data Suite

Newsletters

Advertising

Superior Accuracy™

Video

Winter Center

AccuWeather Early Hurricane Center Top Stories Trending Today Astronomy Heat Climate Health Recreation In Memoriam Case Studies Blogs & Webinars

News / Weather News

What are the estimates for 2019 weather-related damages?

By John Roach, AccuWeather staff writer

Published Jan 13, 2020 5:37 PM EDT

Copied
jefferson city tornado damage may 2019

Jessica Rodgers and a neighbor, Ray Arellana, carry a stroller carrying Rodgers' sister Sophia Rodgers over downed power lines in Jefferson City, Missouri, Thursday, May 23, 2019.

(AP Photo/Charlie Riedel)

The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) and Munich Re insurance company recently released their 2019 damage estimates for weather-related causes. AccuWeather previously released its 2019 total U.S. damage and economic loss estimate of $142 billion for the specific, major events but has added an additional $4 billion – for a total of $146 billion – to include all damages and losses from weather events that totaled less than $1 billion individually. 

AccuWeather’s estimate includes damages and losses due to California wildfires ($80 billion), hurricanes ($22 billion), tornadoes and severe local storms ($19.5 billion), flooding ($12.5 billion), winter storms ($8 billion) and other events throughout the year ($4 billion) for a total of $146 billion.  

That estimate includes, among other factors, damage to homes and businesses, as well as their contents and cars, job and wage losses, farm and crop losses, infrastructure damage and auxiliary business losses. It also includes the long-term impacts unique to the particular weather events such as the lingering health effects resulting from flooding and the disease caused by standing water as well as health impacts from poor air quality from forest fires (which are expanded on below).

“Our decades of experience forecasting high-impact weather events and witnessing the damage left behind enable us to calculate damage and economic loss estimates that have proven to be the most accurate,” said AccuWeather Founder and CEO Dr. Joel N. Myers.

CLICK HERE FOR THE FREE ACCUWEATHER APP

NOAA estimated there were 14 weather and climate disaster events with losses exceeding $1 billion each across the U.S. that totaled $45 billion. Flooding events combined to total almost half of the estimate (three for $20 billion), with tornadoes and severe local storms (eight for $13.9 billion), hurricanes and tropical storms (two for $6.6 billion) and California and Alaska wildfires ($4.5 billion) accounting for the rest. 

According to NOAA, the total cost of U.S. billion-dollar disasters over the last five years (2015–2019) exceeds $525 billion, with a five-year, inflation-adjusted annual cost average of $106.3 billion, both of which are NOAA records.

Munich Re, which offers reinsurance, primary insurance and insurance-related risk solutions, estimated losses of $150 billion worldwide in 2019 as a result of natural catastrophes, of which approximately $52 billion was insured. Losses from weather events impacting the U.S. included among their estimates were severe storms and flooding in May ($4.7 billion) and October ($2.6 billion) and overall losses during the 2019 hurricane season of $3 billion. Also, California wildfire losses were estimated at $1.1 billion. 

However, losses covered by insurance are estimated to be roughly 25 percent to 50 percent of the true total damage and economic loss, according to insurance industry standards. 

Flames from a backfire consume a hillside as firefighters battle the Maria Fire in Santa Paula, Calif., on Friday, Nov. 1, 2019. (AP Photo/Noah Berger)

Flames from a backfire consume a hillside as firefighters battle the Maria Fire in Santa Paula, Calif., on Friday, Nov. 1, 2019. (AP Photo/Noah Berger)

A big variation among the estimates by AccuWeather, NOAA and Munich Re, in particular, exists regarding wildfire estimates. 

In addition to the factors noted above, AccuWeather’s wildfire damage and loss estimate includes economic losses because of school and highway closures, evacuations and increased insurance premiums throughout the affected areas, as well as reduced value of real estate, the costs of power outages to businesses and individuals, the destruction of wildlife, firefighting costs, flight cancellations and delays, and the current and long-term residual health effects -- including the medical costs of increased asthma, emphysema, heart attacks and possible bone mass loss -- on those impacted by dirty air. 

The Insurance Journal estimated that insured losses from California wildfires were $25.4 billion through just Oct. 29. It notes, however, “Damage estimates can vary because some only contain insured losses, while others take in everything that was destroyed. After disasters, many people will pay for repairs out of their own pocket, which often leads to under counting.”

Myers agrees there’s a likelihood of a substantial under-estimation of the wildfire damages. “The insurance costs through Oct. 29 were $25.4 billion and there were additional fires subsequently damaging roughly 17,000 acres,” he said. “So the total of insured losses is probably closer to $40 billion and insured losses usually represent only about half of the total loss, suggesting our $80 billion estimate is accurate.”

Keep checking back on AccuWeather.com and stay tuned to the AccuWeather Network on DirecTV, Frontier and Verizon Fios.

Report a Typo
Comments that don't add to the conversation may be automatically or manually removed by Facebook or AccuWeather. Profanity, personal attacks, and spam will not be tolerated.
Comments
Hide Comments

Weather News

Weather News

President Trump visits flood-ravaged Kerrville as search continues

Jul. 11, 2025
Severe Weather

Rounds of severe storms to rattle, drench central US

Jul. 11, 2025
Severe Weather

Is the US seeing worse flooding this summer? Here’s what’s happening

Jul. 11, 2025
video

Before-and-after pictures show devastation caused by Texas floods

Jul. 9, 2025
Severe Weather

Severe weather to rumble in the central US through the holiday weekend

Jul. 6, 2025
Weather News

Record sargassum seaweed piles up on Caribbean islands, Gulf

Jul. 2, 2025
Weather News

Alabama teen in ICU after lightning strike hits boat, causing burns an...

Jul. 2, 2025
Show more Show less Chevron down

Topics

AccuWeather Early

Hurricane Center

Top Stories

Trending Today

Astronomy

Heat

Climate

Health

Recreation

In Memoriam

Case Studies

Blogs & Webinars

Top Stories

Weather Forecasts

Thunderstorms to fuel flash flooding threat in Texas

9 hours ago

Weather News

President Trump visits flood-ravaged Kerrville as search continues

7 hours ago

Weather News

Camp Mystic’s owner warned of floods for decades

18 hours ago

AccuWeather Ready

Is your house in a flood zone? This map has the answer

12 hours ago

Severe Weather

Is the US seeing worse flooding this summer? Here’s what’s happening

16 hours ago

More Stories

Featured Stories

Health

How can families handle new anxieties around summer camp?

12 hours ago

Weather News

Viral pygmy hippo Moo Deng celebrates her first birthday

17 hours ago

Weather News

Orcas are bringing humans gifts of food – but why?

16 hours ago

Business

Samsung is looking into more AI devices potentially including earrings...

16 hours ago

Weather News

The US has a plan to breed millions of flies and drop them from planes

1 day ago

AccuWeather Weather News What are the estimates for 2019 weather-related damages?
Company
Proven Superior Accuracy About AccuWeather Digital Advertising Careers Press Contact Us
Products & Services
For Business For Partners For Advertising AccuWeather APIs AccuWeather Connect RealFeel® and RealFeel Shade™ Personal Weather Stations
Apps & Downloads
iPhone App Android App See all Apps & Downloads
Subscription Services
AccuWeather Premium AccuWeather Professional
More
AccuWeather Ready Business Health Hurricane Leisure and Recreation Severe Weather Space and Astronomy Sports Travel Weather News Winter Center
Company
Proven Superior Accuracy About AccuWeather Digital Advertising Careers Press Contact Us
Products & Services
For Business For Partners For Advertising AccuWeather APIs AccuWeather Connect RealFeel® and RealFeel Shade™ Personal Weather Stations
Apps & Downloads
iPhone App Android App See all Apps & Downloads
Subscription Services
AccuWeather Premium AccuWeather Professional
More
AccuWeather Ready Business Health Hurricane Leisure and Recreation Severe Weather Space and Astronomy Sports Travel Weather News Winter Center
© 2025 AccuWeather, Inc. "AccuWeather" and sun design are registered trademarks of AccuWeather, Inc. All Rights Reserved.
Terms of Use | Privacy Policy | Cookie Policy | About Your Privacy Do Not Sell or Share My Personal Information

...

...

...