2022 U.S. Temperatures and Billion-Dollar Disasters

In 2022, the U.S. experienced 18 billion-dollar weather and climate disasters causing $165 billion in damages and 474 deaths, with Hurricane Ian being the costliest hurricane on record. The year was the 18th hottest on record for the U.S., with 73% of analyzed locations experiencing warmer-than-normal temperatures. These events are part of a longer warming trend, with 98% of analyzed U.S. locations showing increased average annual temperatures from 1970 to 2021. Meanwhile, U.S. fossil fuel emissions increased by 1.5% in 2022, though the Inflation Reduction Act is expected to help double annual wind and solar PV capacity additions by 2027 compared to 2021.

• The U.S. faced 18 billion-dollar weather and climate disasters in 2022, resulting in an estimated 474 deaths and $165 billion in damages. This frequency is significantly higher than the long-term average of 8 such disasters per year since 1980, with the average time between events dropping from 82 days in the 1980s to 18 days between 2018 and 2022.
• Specific high-impact events in 2022 included 10 severe storms between March and July causing nearly $19 billion in damage, and Hurricane Ian, which became the costliest hurricane on record with 152 fatalities and $112.9 billion in damage. Other significant events included flooding in Kentucky and Missouri, Hurricane Fiona in Puerto Rico, and wildfires across Alaska, Idaho, Montana, Washington, Oregon, California, and New Mexico.
• 2022 was the 18th hottest year on record for the U.S., with an annual average temperature 1.4°F above the 20th century average and the third-hottest summer on record (2.5°F above average). Analysis of 246 U.S. locations showed that 73% (180 locations) were warmer than the 1991-2020 normal period.
• Long-term data indicates a consistent warming trend in the U.S., with average annual temperatures increasing in 98% of 246 analyzed locations from 1970 to 2021; two-thirds of these locations warmed by more than 2°F. In 2022, U.S. fossil fuel emissions increased by 1.5% relative to 2021, exceeding the global increase rate of 1%.
• The Inflation Reduction Act is providing incentives for wind and solar energy in the U.S., and annual capacity additions for these sources are projected to double by 2027 compared to 2021 levels.

APA

Climate Central (2023). 2022 U.S. Temperatures and Billion-Dollar Disasters. https://www.climatecentral.org/climate-matters/2022-u-s-temperatures-and-billion-dollar-disasters

Chicago

Climate Central. 2022 U.S. Temperatures and Billion-Dollar Disasters. 2023. https://www.climatecentral.org/climate-matters/2022-u-s-temperatures-and-billion-dollar-disasters.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |author=Climate Central |title=2022 U.S. Temperatures and Billion-Dollar Disasters |date=10 January 2023 |url=https://www.climatecentral.org/climate-matters/2022-u-s-temperatures-and-billion-dollar-disasters |access-date=23 October 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{climatecentral20232022, author = {{Climate Central}}, title = {{2022 U.S. Temperatures and Billion-Dollar Disasters}}, institution = {Climate Central}, year = {2023}, month = jan, url = {https://www.climatecentral.org/climate-matters/2022-u-s-temperatures-and-billion-dollar-disasters}, urldate = {2026-10-23}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }