StoryMap: May 2024 Severe Weather Becomes a $20 Billion-Dollar Disaster

Dark clouds swirl together at the top of the frame and a tornado cone begins to form below the clouds above a cornfield. Flat farmland extends as far as the eye can see; on the horizon, the sun is showing through lighter clouds.

A tornado forms in Garden County, Nebraska, May 23, 2024. (Image credit: Photo courtesy of Justin Gantz, Soil Conservationist intern, NRCS Nebraska )

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A new Storymap explores the May 2024 Storms, which marked the second-highest monthly cost of severe storm events on record for the U.S.

A record-breaking month of storms in May 2024 produced tornadoes, hail, and strong winds that devastated communities, destroyed hundreds of homes, and resulted in over $20 billion in estimated damages. These severe weather outbreaks are summarized in an interactive multimedia journey in the new StoryMap available from the National Centers for Environmental Information’s (NCEI) Industry Proving Grounds (IPG) initiative. This innovative effort is connecting American industries, scientific communities, and the public to actionable environmental information products and services, thereby supporting a prosperous economy and increasing resilience. 

StoryMaps Featuring May 2024 Storm Outbreaks

The new StoryMap features satellite imagery and interactive maps illustrating two major storm outbreaks in May 2024, when the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s (NOAA) Storm Prediction Center documented more than 570 tornado reports across 30 states. Seven outbreaks during this time exceeded the billion-dollar threshold required to be captured by NCEI’s Billion-Dollar Weather and Climate Disasters (BDD) product. 

BDD Aids in Risk Mapping

By combining weather disaster and economic data, the BDD quantifies disasters on a national scale and provides risk metrics based on disaster exposure, imparting an understanding of the past and a means to forecast the cost and impact of future weather disturbances. This database aids the insurance and reinsurance industry in policy risk mapping, and offers risk assessments at the county level for the retail sector along with regional weather extremes for the architecture and engineering sectors. Through the IPG, NCEI is expanding BDD to include sub-billion-dollar disasters down to $100 million, providing further insight into small-medium-sized events, which still have significant local or regional economic impact.

Follow our page for more news on the IPG’s exciting efforts, product developments, and new StoryMaps on a regular basis! 

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