Climate Matters: NOAA will no longer track the most expensive disasters
It will be harder to know the cost of the most extreme weather disasters, as the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration announced it will stop monitoring billion-dollar disasters in the United States.
A message atop the website for Billion Dollar Weather and Climate Disasters reads, "In alignment with evolving priorities, statutory mandates, and staffing changes, NOAA’s National Centers for Environmental Information (NCEI) will no longer be updating the Billion Dollar Weather and Climate Disasters product."
The website is still active, and all data from 1980 to 2024 will remain archived; however, no further monitoring or updates will be made.
The pause in reporting comes as climate change is driving shifts in the frequency and severity of disasters.
Missouri State Climatologist Zachary Leasor says it was a shock to lose this tool as disaster costs are increasing. "Even adjusting for inflation, what we're seeing is that weather is becoming more costly for the state of Missouri," Zachary says.
Severe storms are the most common type of severe weather in Missouri, but Zachary says others cost more. "I always point out much less frequent events, such as combined drought and flooding. While they don't happen as much as severe weather, they're actually more costly to the state of Missouri than severe storms." He says.
The website for Billion Dollar Weather and Climate Disasters does not count the Los Angeles wildfires in January of this year, or several severe weather outbreaks in recent months. That makes it much more difficult for decision planners, meteorologists, insurers, and others to track these costs.
