This Is What Extreme Weather Really Means For Taxpayers

Cost of Hurricane Disasters

The 2005 Atlantic hurricane season was one of the most devastating in U.S. history with five hurricanes and two tropical storms making landfall in the United States. And some states, like Florida, required billions of dollars in aid.

For example, the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) provided $2.7 billion in aid between 2005 and 2015 to Florida alone, according to a report from the Center for American Progress Action Fund. Experts predict that rising sea levels in the Southeast will trigger even more hurricanes and violent storms as climate change takes its toll on planet Earth, making the state of Florida more vulnerable to natural disasters as time goes by.

Other costly hurricanes to hit the U.S. in recent years include:

Hurricane Harvey: Accuweather estimates Harvey to be the costliest weather disaster in the United States to date. Costs are expected to be approximately $190 billion as of 2017.

Hurricane Matthew: Hurricane Matthew, which barreled along the Southeast coast in October 2016, caused widespread damage along the coast of Florida all the way to North Carolina. Eastern North Carolina experienced the most impact as 100,000 homes, businesses and other structures sustained damage. The total cost of Matthew’s visit was approximately $10.4 billion, according to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA).

Hurricane Wilma: FEMA responded to 17 extreme weather events in Florida between 2005 and 2015, with Hurricane Wilma requiring $1.8 billion in FEMA aid alone.