The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) has released data showing the U.S experienced 14 natural catastrophes each causing over $1 billion in damages in 2018; both the number of events and their cumulative cost ranked fourth highest since records began in 1980.
Hurricane Michael topped the list, inflicting over $25 billion in damages after making landfall along the central Florida panhandle in October as a Category 4 storm with wind speeds of up to 250 km/h (155mph), making it the fourth-strongest storm to ever hit the U.S mainland.
Following closely behind Michael was the California wildfires and hurricane Florence, which the NOAA says each caused $24 billion in damages.
2018 was the globes’ fourth hottest year in the NOAA’s 139-year climate record, with nine of the 10 warmest years having occurred since 2005.
In separate analysis of global temperatures, scientists from NASA, the UK Met Office and the World Meteorological Organisation also reached the same heat ranking.
The NOAA adds that the average temperature for the contiguous U.S was 53.5 Degrees Fahrenheit, making 2018 the 14th warmest year on record; the 22nd consecutive warmer-than-average year for the U.S.
Much of Europe, New Zealand and parts of the Middle East and Russia also had record high land temperatures, with parts of the southern Pacific Ocean and areas of the north and south Atlantic Ocean tallying record-high sea-surface temperatures.
