"A record-warm December closes out the fifth warmest year in more than 120 years of U.S. recordkeeping."
"Led by a record-costly swarm of severe weather episodes, the contiguous United States suffered 28 billion-dollar weather disasters in 2023, the highest number in inflation-adjusted data going back to 1980, according to NOAA. The former record was 22, set in 2020.
"“For millions of Americans impacted by a seemingly endless onslaught of weather and climate disasters, 2023 has hit a new record for many extremes,” said NOAA Chief Scientist Sarah Kapnick. “Record warm U.S. temperatures in December, a record-setting number of U.S. billion-dollar disasters in 2023, and potentially the warmest year on record for the planet are just the latest examples of the extremes we now face that will continue to worsen due to climate change.
The total cost of 2023’s billion-dollar weather disasters, $92.9 billion, was the ninth-highest on record. NOAA’s 2023 billion-dollar weather disaster list included 19 severe storm events, two tropical cyclones, four floods, one winter weather event, one drought, and one wildfire event.”
Jeff Masters and Bob Henson report for Yale Climate Connections January 9, 2024.
SEE ALSO:
"US Saw Record 'Billion-Dollar' Climate Disasters, High Temps In 2023" (Reuters)
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