Hurricane Recovery Statistics: Weathering the Costs

Blog > Hurricane Recovery Statistics: Weathering the Costs

If you’re running a business along the Gulf or Atlantic coast, you should be familiar with hurricane recovery statistics. These numbers will show you the costs inflicted by these powerful storms.

Published: December 6, 2023

Last Modified:
December 28, 2023

Author: Jacob Lee

Key takeaways of our hurricane recovery statistics include:

The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Association predicts an increase in hurricanes on an average of 1% to 10%.
Hurricanes have caused a total of 1.3 trillion in damages.
Atlantic and Gulf Coast states are most at risk of hurricanes, with Florida experiencing the most.

We’re going to give you hurricane recovery statistics and other data to show the devastating impact these storms can inflict.

Hurricane Recovery Statistics: What Is A Hurricane?

Hurricanes are a rotating low-pressure weather system that contain organized thunderstorms. These storms have a sustained wind speed of 74 miles per hour (MPH) or higher. Hurricanes are organized in severity from category one to five.

In some cases, hurricanes are referred to as tropical cyclones. These are essentially the same weather phenomenon. Tropical cyclones are referred to as hurricanes when they occur in the North Atlantic, North Pacific, and Northeastern Pacific Oceans.

Hurricane recovery statistics are the result of the storms depicted from this satellite image

Amount of Hurricanes In the Past Five Years

There have been a considerable amount of hurricanes that have ravaged the U.S. and its territories over the past five years. While each one has spanned a variety of categories, with many of them caused devastating amounts of damage to the areas they made landfall.

Number of Hurricanes That Hit the U.S. and Its Territories (2018-2022)

Year	Number of Hurricanes
2018	8
2019	6
2020	14
2021	7
2022	9

NOAA Hurricane Seasons

The amount of hurricanes that have occurred over the past five years has roughly floated around the same number, with there being a huge uptick in 2020.

Statistics on Hurricane Frequency and Severity

Hurricanes have increased in occurrence and intensity in the past few years. Unfortunately, NOAA predicts the frequency and power of these storms will continue to rise in the years to come.

Global hurricane rainfall rates are projected to increase 10-15%
Global hurricane intensity (maximum winds) is projected to grow on average by 1 to 10%
Intensity (maximum winds) for hurricanes occurring in the Atlantic are projected to grow 3%
The number of intense hurricanes (Category 4 and 5) are projected to increase in the Atlantic by 10%
Rainfall rates caused by hurricanes occurring in the Atlantic is projected to increase by 15%

An increase in rainfall can mean an increase in flash flooding for areas affected by hurricanes. Since maximum winds will rise, damage to buildings and infrastructure will be more severe.

Businesses operating in coastal regions should expect higher levels of damage to their properties and severe disruptions to their supply chain when a hurricane lands.

A city in ruins following landfall of a powerful hurricane

Statistics on the Financial Impact of Hurricanes

Hurricanes can cause immense amounts of damage to businesses and residential property. As a result, this has inflicted tremendous costs on the U.S. populace.

Hurricanes have resulted in a total of $1.3 trillion in damages
Each hurricane causes an average of $22.8 billion per event
Expected annual costs in the residential sector due to hurricanes is $34 billion
Expected annual costs in the commercial sector due to hurricanes is $9 billion
Expected annual costs in the public sector due to hurricanes $12 billion
The expected economic losses to the residential sector due to wind damage is $14 billion
The expected economic losses in the residential sector due to flood damage is $20 billion
Hurricane Sandy negatively impacted 60,000 to 100,000 small businesses, which is 5 percent of all small businesses in New York City
Businesses in Texas that were impacted by hurricane Harvey had $10 billion in outstanding payables, which is the money owed to vendors
Insurance losses in Florida following hurricane Ian topped $12.6 billion
10 months after hurricane Katrina, 95,000 people lost their jobs in New Orleans.

These statistics show the catastrophic financial impact that hurricanes can have on U.S. infrastructure. Business owners operating in areas that are prone to these storms can prepare for these economic impacts by searching for alternate suppliers when disaster strikes.

Hurricane Recovery Statistics On Expenses

Recovery and reconstruction following a hurricane can be a complex process. Depending on the severity of the storm and the extent of the damage, it can take months or even years for infrastructure to be repaired.

Predicting the expenses of these efforts for future hurricanes is difficult. However, we can look at the recovery and reconstruction costs following the five most severe hurricanes in the past 20 years to get an idea of what they could be in years to come.

We’ve included data on the costliest U.S. hurricanes and the states or territories where the storms made landfall.

Costliest U.S. Hurricanes (2005-2022)

Hurricane	Damages	State
Katrina	$196.3 Billion	Louisiana
Harvey	$156.3 Billion	Texas
Ian	$116.3 Billion	Florida
Maria	$112.5 Billion	Puerto Rico
Sandy	$86.5 Billion	New Jersey

Provided by NOAA

Recovery and reconstruction expenses following these devastating storms were extremely high.

$120 billion in federal funds were spent on hurricane Katrina recovery efforts
$4.3 billion in federal funds has been spent on hurricane Harvey recovery efforts
$8.7 billion in federal support has been spent on hurricane Ian recovery efforts
$19 billion in federal support has been spent on hurricane Sandy recovery efforts

When hurricanes Maria and Irma struck in 2017, affecting both the continental U.S. and Puerto Rico, the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) provided $32.2 billion and $304.8 million on two recovery and reconstruction grants for both storms.

Florida is still receiving federal assistance in the aftermath of hurricane Ian, which only made landfall in 2022. Therefore, it’s likely that funding for recovery efforts are likely to grow over time.

Read our article on hurricane cargo insurance to protect your business from the dangers posed by these powerful weather events.

Semis and cars traveling on a highway after heavy showers

What Regions of the U.S. Are Most Susceptible To Hurricane Damage?

Certain parts of the U.S. are more likely to experience the devastating effects of hurricanes than others. This makes businesses in these regions more prone to the dangers and financial repercussions that occur when these storms make landfall. In the U.S., states along the Gulf and Atlantic Coasts are at the highest risk of experiencing hurricanes.

We’ve created data of the top 10 states in these regions that have received the most hurricanes from 1851 to 2022.

Top 10 Hurricanes To Hit the U.S. (1851-2022)

State	Number of Hurricanes
Florida	120
Texas	64
Louisiana	63
North Carolina	58
South Carolina	32
Alabama	23
Georgia	21
New York	15
Virginia	13
Massachusetts	12

Provided by NOAA Hurricane Records & Ranks

Because of the risk posed by hurricanes, many properties in these states have windstorm insurance. This policy is used to protect against wind damage from storms like tornadoes, hurricanes, and gales. Numerous properties located in these five states have flood insurance as well. For example, all insurance companies in Florida offer deductible options of $500, 2 percent, 5 percent, or 10 percent.

Neither windstorm nor flood insurance are required by law in these five states. That said, many banks and lenders will require property owners to obtain this level of protection, especially for those residing in coastal areas.

Secure Your Future with Emergency Management Logistics

As we’ve explored throughout this article, the statistics surrounding hurricane recovery highlight not only the challenges, but also the critical need for expert support and planning. At Emergency Management Logistics, we understand the complexities of post-hurricane recovery and are committed to providing comprehensive solutions tailored to each unique situation.

Our services include:

Healthcare Crisis Management: Expert handling of medical and healthcare needs during emergencies.
Disaster Relief Coordination: Efficient mobilization of resources and support for affected communities.
Consulting Services: Strategic advice and planning to mitigate the impact of future disasters.

At Emergency Management Logistics, we’re not just a service provider; we’re your partner in ensuring safety and resilience in the face of natural disasters. Call us today at (855) 420-9447 or contact us through the site to get the help of a trusted emergency logistics provider.