NOAA Retires Billion-Dollar Disaster Database After 403 Events, $2.9 Trillion in Damages, Amid Staff Cuts

25 posts • GPT (4.1)

Updated May 9, 2025, 05:24 PM

The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), part of the Department of Commerce, will retire its Billion-Dollar Weather and Climate Disasters database, ceasing updates beyond 2024. The database, which has tracked the costs of major weather and climate disasters in the United States from 1980 to 2024, will be archived but not updated further.

NOAA cited staffing reductions, evolving priorities, and statutory mandates as reasons for the decision. The move follows workforce cuts of over 10%, including actions by the Department of Government Efficiency led by Elon Musk, and plans to eliminate NOAA's research division and climate labs. Four potential billion-dollar disasters from 2025, including the Los Angeles wildfires, will not be included in the database.

The database has provided standardized loss estimates for events such as floods, heat waves, wildfires, hurricanes, and tornadoes, drawing on proprietary and non-public data from insurance companies, FEMA, and state agencies. Since 1980, it has recorded 403 disasters costing at least $1 billion each, with a cumulative total of $2.945 trillion in damages. The past five years saw an annual average of 24 such events, with a record 28 in 2023.

The discontinuation is expected to affect researchers, policymakers, and insurers, as the database's unique access to private data made it difficult to replicate. Experts note the loss comes as climate change is linked to more frequent and severe weather events, while the ability to track the economic impact of these disasters is reduced.

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#NOAA #Department of Commerce #United States #Department of Government Efficiency #Elon Musk #Los Angeles #FEMA

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Sources

cnn.com(3)abcnews.go.com(2)washingtontimes.com(2)washingtonpost.com

Paul Mooney 慕亦仁

@pjmooney

US stops tracking costs of extreme weather fueled by climate change. Crockett Not only are they ignoring climate change, they’re trying to cover up the cost. Shutting disaster tracking so we can’t see the blns it’s costing us? This ain’t solving the crisis https://t.co/2BdUy6QVjk

Congressman Jared Moskowitz

@RepMoskowitz

Since 1980, the US has faced more than 400 disasters costing $1 billion+. Failing to track those will hurt our preparedness and cost both money and safety. Hurricane season begins in less than a month. We need NOAA’s data to assess the trends and plan for future emergencies. https://t.co/v6Af244a8w

Senator Chris Van Hollen

@ChrisVanHollen

This is just another example of Trump trying to hide the impact of his polices & the corrupt bargain he struck with Big Oil companies. Ignoring disaster data only puts more Americans in harm’s way & drags us backwards in the fight against climate change. https://t.co/PBlaQ1GlPA