US Sets Record For Expensive Weather Disasters In A Year…With Four Months Yet To Go

(Associated Press) – The deadly firestorm in Hawaii and Hurricane Idalia’s watery storm surge helped push the United States to an annual record for the number of weather disasters that cost at least $1 billion.

And there’s still four months to go on what’s looking more like a calendar of calamities.

The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration said Monday  there have been 23 weather extreme events in America that cost at least $1 billion this year through August.

That breaks the annual record of 22 set in 2020.

So far disasters this year have cost more than $57.6 billion and claimed at least 253 lives.