2011 Sets U.S. Record For The Most Billion Dollar Disasters in One Year (Feature Story)

2011 has set new records, with having the most disasters each costing at least $1 billion in damage. And that's just in the U.S. Earthquakes, Floods, Tornadoes, Blizzards, Droughts, Hurricanes, and Volcanic eruptions... The United States is home to more violent weather located in one country than anywhere else on earth. This year, it's been droughts, tornadoes, flooding, wildfires, and hurricanes so far.

The estimated total, not including hurricane Irene, is $35 billion. Are these the effects of global warming that some still say does not exist? A look back says no, the earth in general has gone through cyclical years of having little problems to years with numerous natural disasters. But, this is just a statistical count, that does not account for anything other than a count.

THE 2011 COUNT:
Hurricane Irene - $15 billion (estimated)
Upper Midwest Flooding - $2 billion
Mississippi River Flooding - $2 billion, $800 million in damages, $3 billion in economic loss.
Southern Plains Drought - $1 billion
Southwest Wild Fires - $5 billion
Midwest/Southeast Tornados, May 22-27 - $7 billion
Southeast/Ohio Valley/Midwest Tornados, April 25-30 - $9 billion
Midwest/Southeast Tornados, April 14-16 - $2 billion
Midwest/Southeast Tornados, April 8-11 - $1 billion
Midwest/Southeast Tornados, April 4-6 - $2.3 billion
Groundhogs Day Blizzard, Jan 29 - Feb 3 - $2 billion
TOTAL = $50.3 billion (estimated)

Compare that to 2010 which has a mere $6.5 billion in damages from natural disasters. (Adjusted for 2011 prices).
2009 - $8 billion
2008 - $57 billion
2007 - $10 billion
2006 - $11.5 billion
2005 - $160 billion (hurricanes Katrina, Wilma, Rita)
2004 - $45 billion (hurricanes Charley, Frances, Ivan, Jeanne)
2003 - $13.5 billion
2002 - $15 billion
2001 - $8 billion
2000 - $7 billion
1999 - $11.5 billion
1998 - $23.1 bilion
1997 - $6.2 billion
1996 - $16 billion
1995 - $14.5 billion
1994 - $7 billion
1993 - $31.5 billion
1992 - $31.8 (hurricane Andrew)
1991 - $4.9 billion
1990 - $$8.4 billion
1989 - $30 billion (hurricane Hugo)
1988 - $40 billion ( heat wave and drought)
1987 - N/A
1986 - $2 billion
1985 - $8 billion
1984 -
1983 - $15 billion
1982 - N/A

From a purely statical point of view, years with major damage happens on average every 9-11 years. However the quantity of disasters for each year has risen from an average of 3 in the 1970's to 6 in the 2000's and 10 so far this year, 2011.
Source: NOAA

Some experts say the weather has not changed significantly because of global warming, but that there are simply more humans now living in disaster-prone areas, causing greater damage and more attention. Others argue yes, there are more humans living in disaster prone areas, but that while the 100 year trend does in fact show we are experiencing the same types of disasters, we are also experiencing them more frequently when comparing decade to decade and they attribute it to global warming.

Both groups do agree on the need for more renewable energy sources, and the need to build better and educate the public more about disasters.