2020 Sets Record for Billion-Dollar Disasters

Tropical storms, tornadoes, and wildfires, along with everything else.

1 minute read

January 10, 2021, 7:00 AM PST

By James Brasuell @CasualBrasuell


San Francisco, California

San Francisco, California, orange from wildfire smoke on September 09, 2020. | hkalkan / Shutterstock

"The nation endured an unprecedented 22 billion-dollar disasters in 2020," according to a new report from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA).  All totaled, those 22 disasters incurred $95 billion in damage.

"A record number of named tropical storms formed in the Atlantic, with a record 12 making landfall. The nation also had its most active wildfire year on record due to very dry conditions in the West and unusually warm temperatures that gripped much of the country."

There's more: "The seven billion-dollar tropical cyclones were the most in one year since NOAA started keeping track of billion-dollar disasters in 1980."

The report was created by scientists from NOAA's National Centers for Environmental Information.

Friday, January 8, 2021 in National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

Young Professional

I love the variety of courses, many practical, and all richly illustrated. They have inspired many ideas that I've applied in practice, and in my own teaching. Mary G., Urban and Environmental Planner

I love the variety of courses, many practical, and all richly illustrated. They have inspired many ideas that I've applied in practice, and in my own teaching.

Mary G., Urban and Environmental Planner

Get top-rated, practical training for planners

"Planetizen federal action tracker" logo superimposed over black and white image of US Capitol dome.

Planetizen Federal Action Tracker

A weekly monitor of how Trump’s orders and actions are impacting planners and planning in America.

September 23, 2026 - Zachary Whalen

Passengers board an Amtrak train under a cloudy sky.

Amtrak, CN end decades-long dispute with eight-year agreement

The new operating agreement establishes an updated framework for the companies to work together, including processes to resolve disputes.

September 18, 2026 - Mass Transit

An Airo train driving towards the camera on a track. There is a forest behind it.

Northwest rail fans eager for Sept. 30 debut of Amtrak’s Airo fleet

Get ready for that new train smell and more seats. But they won’t go faster or run more frequently on the Cascades route in Washington and Oregon.

September 22, 2026 - Washington State Standard

Four cars of the LAX SkyLink. They are white, and there is no clear front or back. They have black windows.

LAX SkyLink opening delayed again, contractor won’t commit to new deadline

The project was supposed to open its doors to the public in 2023.

September 27 - LA Times

A Caltrain train picks up a large crowd of people at a station.

Caltrain may slash over one-third of its stations

If Bay Area voters reject two transit tax measures, Caltrain, BART and AC Transit will see steep service cuts.

September 27 - Mercury News

An aerial view of Interstate 77 crossing a body of water.

A 'dangerous' precedent: North Carolina successfully pressures communities into voting for toll roads

Two mayors resigned from the Charlotte Regional Transportation Planning Organization after it voted in favor of the toll roads.

September 27 - Spectrum Local News

FREE Course: Walkable City 1: Why Walkability?

After describing his path towards focusing on walkability as the essence of good planning, Jeff Speck marches through his five principal reasons for making more walkable places.

Reinventing Malls: Planning Alchemy—Turning Gray Fields Into Gold

The course focuses on the opportunities and imperatives that shape reinvention of mall sites.

Senior Planner

City of Thousand Oaks

Community Development Director

City of Wisconsin Rapids

Professor of Urban Planning

Harvard University Graduate School of Design