US sets record for billion-dollar weather disasters in a year — and there’s still 4 months to go

By SETH BORENSTEIN
AP Science Writer

The deadly firestorm in Hawaii and Hurricane Idalia’s watery storm surge helped push the United States to an annual record for the number of weather disasters that cost at least $1 billion. And there’s still four months to go on what’s looking more like a calendar of calamities. The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration said Monday  there have been 23 weather extreme events in America that cost at least $1 billion this year through August. That breaks the annual record of 22 set in 2020. So far disasters this year have cost more than $57.6 billion and claimed at least 253 lives.