Weather events from tornadoes to severe thunderstorms have caused billions of dollars in damage around the world.

However, a report is showing that thunderstorms are the costliest when it comes to insured damage. 


What You Need To Know

  • Severe thunderstorms caused $35 billion in damage around the world in the first six months of 2023

  • This is twice as high as any six month period in the past decade

  • Severe thunderstorms produces lightning, heavy rain, hail, tornadoes and strong winds

A report in August from a Switzerland insurance group called Swiss Re Group showed how stormy it’s been around the globe in the first six months of 2023.

Swiss Re says over $35 billion insured damage has occurred around the world from January through June of this year from thunderstorms.

Plus, 10 events caused more than a billion in damage compared to average of six events for the last 10 years.

Many severe weather events occurred in the United States during that time.

Tornado damage in Rolling Fork, Mississippi on March 25, 2023. (AP Photo/Rogelio Solis)

Spring storm season was very active across the Midwest with many severe weather outbreaks, including severe thunderstorm outbreaks in April, May and June.

Parts of the Rocky Mountain region saw hailstorms in late June. The Tennessee Valley had an outbreak of severe storms in March. The Southeast dealt with a round of severe thunderstorms in late March.

Texas has been the hardest hit state with these weather disasters. From March to June, Texas saw several severe weather outbreaks which caused tornadoes, hailstorms and flooding.

Buildings and vehicles show damage after a tornado struck Perryton, Texas, Thursday, June 15, 2023. (AP Photo/David Erickson)
Buildings and vehicles show damage after a tornado struck Perryton, Texas, Thursday, June 15, 2023. (AP Photo/David Erickson)

As of early September, NOAA says there have been a record 23 confirmed weather disaster events that caused over a billion dollars in damage.

Most of those events were from severe thunderstorms. Two are attributed to flooding, while one was from a winter storm, plus Hurricane Idalia and the Hawaii firestorm.

The agency says these events produced nearly $60 billion in damage. 

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