2024 in Review

The document reports that 2024 is on track to be the hottest year on record, with global temperatures exceeding 1.5°C above pre-industrial levels for the first time. In the U.S., 24 billion-dollar disasters occurred through November 2024, resulting in at least 418 deaths and $61 billion in damages, excluding the costs of Hurricanes Helene and Milton. The analysis highlights a shrinking interval between such disasters, falling to an average of 12 days in 2024 compared to 82 days in the early 1980s.

• 2024 is projected to be the hottest year on record, with the annual global average temperature anomaly expected to exceed 1.5°C above pre-industrial levels for the first time. Data from January through November 2024 shows a global surface temperature of 1.54°C (2.77°F) above the 1881-1910 baseline average.
• The United States experienced 24 billion-dollar weather and climate disasters between January and November 2024, causing an estimated 418 deaths and $61 billion in damages. This total excludes the costs of Hurricanes Helene and Milton, which are expected to add $100 billion or more, potentially pushing 2024's total damages beyond the $95 billion recorded in 2023.
• The average time between billion-dollar disasters in the U.S. has decreased significantly, dropping from 82 days in the early 1980s to 15 days between 2020 and 2024, and further shrinking to 12 days during the first 11 months of 2024.
• Severe storms were the most frequent billion-dollar disasters in 2024, accounting for 71% (17 events) of the total. Other significant events included five landfalling hurricanes, with Hurricane Helene being the deadliest U.S. mainland hurricane since 2005 and Hurricane Milton becoming the fifth most intense Atlantic Basin hurricane on record.

APA

Climate Central (2024). 2024 in Review. https://www.climatecentral.org/climate-matters/2024-in-review

Chicago

Climate Central. 2024 in Review. 2024. https://www.climatecentral.org/climate-matters/2024-in-review.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |author=Climate Central |title=2024 in Review |date=11 December 2024 |url=https://www.climatecentral.org/climate-matters/2024-in-review |access-date=23 October 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{climatecentral20242024, author = {{Climate Central}}, title = {{2024 in Review}}, institution = {Climate Central}, year = {2024}, month = dec, url = {https://www.climatecentral.org/climate-matters/2024-in-review}, urldate = {2026-10-23}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }