Weather & Disasters News

Climate change intensifies extreme weather events like heatwaves and floods. While overall weather-related disaster deaths have decreased due to improved coping mechanisms, heatwaves are becoming deadlier, particularly affecting vulnerable populations in low-income nations. Data shows a significant rise in heat-related mortality in recent years, though reporting challenges persist.

Artificial intelligence can enhance power grid resilience against extreme weather events like floods and hurricanes. Research suggests AI can predict disasters, detect faults, and optimize restoration efforts. However, challenges remain regarding data quality, model generalization, interpretability, and cybersecurity. Addressing these limitations is crucial for AI's effective deployment in protecting power systems.

Climate change intensifies extreme weather events like heat waves, wildfires, and floods. While overall mortality from weather disasters has declined due to improved preparedness, heat waves are becoming deadlier, particularly affecting low-income nations. Despite increasing disaster intensity, global death tolls have not proportionally risen, attributed to better warning systems and infrastructure.

Climate change intensifies extreme weather events like heatwaves, wildfires, and floods. Despite this, overall mortality from weather-related disasters has decreased due to improved preparedness and early warning systems. However, heatwaves are becoming deadlier, disproportionately affecting vulnerable populations and low-income nations. The frequency and intensity of extreme weather events continue to rise.

Climate change intensifies extreme weather events like heatwaves, floods, and storms. While overall deaths from weather disasters have fallen due to improved preparedness and early warning systems, heatwaves are becoming deadlier, particularly in low-income nations. Experts warn that the increasing frequency and intensity of events may eventually overwhelm current coping mechanisms.

Climate change intensifies extreme weather, but overall deaths from disasters have decreased due to improved preparedness. While heatwaves are becoming deadlier, particularly in lower-income nations, early warning systems and infrastructure have reduced fatalities from floods and storms. However, the increasing frequency and intensity of events pose future risks.

Recent extreme weather events, like Australian wildfires and Asian floods, are linked to climate change. Oscar-winning filmmaker Adam McKay emphasizes that these disasters are intensified by human activity, not just routine events. He advocates for honest communication and urgent action, rejecting vague hope in favor of alarm and proactive measures to combat climate disinformation and slow global emissions.

Global insured losses from natural disasters totaled $108 billion in 2025, a decrease from the previous year, according to Munich Re. Floods, wildfires, and severe storms were the primary drivers of these costs, reaching $98 billion. The US avoided hurricane landfalls, contributing to the overall reduction, though wildfires in Los Angeles were the year's costliest insured disaster.

Frozen pipes can cause extensive damage. Home technology offers solutions to prevent this, including temperature sensors that alert users to dangerously low temperatures before pipes freeze. Leak detectors provide early warnings of water presence, while smart thermostats and satellite sensors maintain optimal temperatures in vulnerable areas. Smart water valves can automatically shut off water flow during emergencies. Heat tape offers direct pipe heating for maximum protection.

Indonesia has initiated weather modification operations in Jakarta to mitigate flood risks. The five-day operation, managed by the National Disaster Management Agency, follows recent flooding in multiple city areas. This effort aims to reduce the impact of hydrometeorological disasters, with continued operations dependent on weather forecasts.

Natural disasters in 2025 caused $224 billion in worldwide losses, with weather events comprising 92% of the total. The Asia-Pacific region experienced the most fatalities. Intensifying storms, floods, and wildfires, driven by climate change, are increasingly becoming primary loss drivers for insurers. Insured losses reached $108 billion globally.

Global insured losses from natural disasters fell to $108 billion in the past year, a significant decrease from $147 billion in 2024. This reduction is primarily attributed to the U.S. mainland being spared hurricanes. However, the U.S. still experienced substantial losses from wildfires and thunderstorms. Munich Re highlighted that climate change persists in increasing extreme weather event risks.

In 2025, 23 weather disasters in America each exceeded $1 billion in damages, resulting in 276 deaths and $115 billion in total costs. Experts warn that climate change is increasing the frequency and severity of such events, suggesting 2026 and future years could see continued costly weather disasters.

In 2025, the US experienced 23 billion-dollar weather and climate disasters, costing $115 billion. This near-record total was driven by severe weather, including costly wildfires, despite no landfalling hurricanes. This trend reflects increasing exposure, vulnerability, and the growing influence of climate change on extreme weather events.

A private nonprofit, Climate Central, has launched a Billion-Dollar Disasters Database, reviving a dataset previously tracked by NOAA until halted by the Trump administration. This initiative allows public access to track costly natural disaster impacts, like last year's $115 billion in damages from 23 billion-dollar events. The database continues the work of a former NOAA analyst, providing crucial data on extreme weather and climate event costs.

Climate Central has revived a government climate disaster database halted by the Trump administration. The private nonprofit now tracks billion-dollar weather and climate events, detailing their significant costs and increasing frequency. This initiative provides crucial data for researchers and the public, continuing work previously performed by NOAA. Last year saw 23 such disasters totaling $115 billion in damages.

In 2025, the US faced 23 billion-dollar weather and climate disasters, causing 276 deaths and $115 billion in damages. The analysis, previously from NOAA, is now maintained by Climate Central. Severe thunderstorms and tornadoes comprised 91% of these events. This marks the third-highest annual total, with 2025 being the 15th consecutive year of at least 10 such disasters.

Extreme weather events in 2025 cost the U.S. an estimated $115 billion. This marks the fifteenth consecutive year with an above-average number of billion-dollar disasters, reflecting an escalating long-term trend of increased frequency and intensity. Climate change and expanded development in vulnerable areas contribute to these rising costs, making data on these impacts crucial for future adaptation planning.

2025 was marked by extreme weather events. January saw wildfires in California and a historic Gulf Coast blizzard. February brought severe flooding to the Tennessee Valley. A massive tornado outbreak struck the South and Midwest in March and April, causing billions in damage. July featured deadly flash floods in Texas, while August saw Hurricane Erin and a Phoenix dust storm. October's Hurricane Melissa devastated Jamaica. The year concluded with a Christmas Eve flood in Los Angeles and heavy snow in the Northeast.

A World Weather Attribution report analyzed 22 climate disasters, highlighting extreme heat as a deadly silent killer and identifying that marginalized groups, especially women and the poorest, are disproportionately affected. The study links fossil fuel burning to hotter, more frequent events and calls for an urgent transition away from these fuels, alongside increased adaptation investment.