2023: 5th-Hottest U.S. Year with Record Billion-Dollar Disasters

In 2023, the contiguous U.S. experienced its 5th-hottest year on record, with an annual average temperature 2.4°F above the 20th century average. The year saw a record 28 billion-dollar disasters, resulting in an estimated 492 lives lost and over $93 billion in damages. Severe storms were the primary driver, accounting for 68% of these events. The frequency of such disasters has increased significantly, with the average time between events dropping to 12 days in 2023, compared to 82 days in the 1980s.

• The contiguous U.S. recorded its 5th-hottest year in 2023, with an average temperature 2.4°F above the 20th century average. While the national ranking was 5th, 2023 was the hottest year on record for Texas, Mississippi, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, and Louisiana.
• The U.S. experienced a record 28 billion-dollar weather and climate disasters in 2023, surpassing the previous record of 22 set in 2020. These events caused an estimated $93 billion in damages and 492 deaths, affecting all U.S. states except Idaho, Nevada, Utah, and Alaska.
• The frequency of billion-dollar disasters has accelerated, with the average time between events falling to 12 days in 2023. This is a sharp decrease from the 82-day average seen in the 1980s and the 18-day average recorded between 2018 and 2022.
• Severe storms were the dominant cause of billion-dollar disasters in 2023, representing 68% (19 events) of the total. There is a long-term trend of increasing severe storms; the U.S. had 153 billion-dollar severe storms from 2004-2023, compared to 25 events from 1980-2000.
• Vulnerability to extreme events is disproportionately high for Tribes and Indigenous Peoples, communities of color, and low-income communities due to a lack of disaster management resources and infrastructure, as well as proximity to hazard-prone areas.

APA

Climate Central (2024). 2023: 5th-Hottest U.S. Year with Record Billion-Dollar Disasters. https://www.climatecentral.org/climate-matters/2023-5th-hottest-us-year-with-record-billion-dollar-disasters

Chicago

Climate Central. 2023: 5th-Hottest U.S. Year with Record Billion-Dollar Disasters. 2024. https://www.climatecentral.org/climate-matters/2023-5th-hottest-us-year-with-record-billion-dollar-disasters.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |author=Climate Central |title=2023: 5th-Hottest U.S. Year with Record Billion-Dollar Disasters |date=9 January 2024 |url=https://www.climatecentral.org/climate-matters/2023-5th-hottest-us-year-with-record-billion-dollar-disasters |access-date=23 October 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{climatecentral20242023, author = {{Climate Central}}, title = {{2023: 5th-Hottest U.S. Year with Record Billion-Dollar Disasters}}, institution = {Climate Central}, year = {2024}, month = jan, url = {https://www.climatecentral.org/climate-matters/2023-5th-hottest-us-year-with-record-billion-dollar-disasters}, urldate = {2026-10-23}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }