The evolution of "The List"

[Cookiely]

Interesting how over the years the costliest storms move from the 100 millions to the 10 billions. What if this year brings us a 100 billion dollar storm!?

Aside from the human and emotional toll this would bring, can you imagine the insurance rate hikes for next year if we got three majors in various large metro areas this year?

[Derek Ortt]

one must normalize to accurately assess the effects of damage back then to determine just how destructive things were.

If one does not normalize for wealth, etc, one has no clue how destructive a modern hurricane will be

[jimvb]

What is interesting about the list is that it says that in 1985, Hurricane Juan (Louisiana) caused $1.5 billion in damage, yet the NHC or other PTB did not retire the storm name! As a result, we now have two destructive memorable hurricanes named Juan, and you can't say Juan any more - you have to say Juan 1985 or Juan 2003. Juan 1985 didn't just cause damage in Louisiana - it, together with an army of other low pressure systems, caused floods in Richmond, where I live, third only to those caused by Agnes and Camille.

[CrazyC83]

Last time i checked, wasn't Wilma around 20-25 Billion?

That figure is TOTAL damage, including Mexico and other areas.

[Jim Cantore]

A preliminary amount of total insured damage compiled by the Property Claims Service is $6.1 billion. Using a doubling of insured losses to obtain the total damage gives a current estimate of Wilma’s U.S. damage to be $12.2 billion.

Why is Wilma in your list, listed as $16.8 Billion

I heard recently it was upped to 16.8

[Audrey2Katrina]

Interesting how over the years the costliest storms move from the 100 millions to the 10 billions. What if this year brings us a 100 billion dollar storm!?

Jury's still out, we just may have already reached that plateau when all is said and done.

A2K

[benny]

Interesting how over the years the costliest storms move from the 100 millions to the 10 billions. What if this year brings us a 100 billion dollar storm!?

"best" way to get that is to have a large Cat 4 hit the Miami/Ft. Lauderdale area or a major hurricane up the E Coast of the USA.. or Cat 4 in the Tampa area. I think those are the areas with the largest amount of risk. (property-wise)

[Jim Cantore]

Interesting how over the years the costliest storms move from the 100 millions to the 10 billions. What if this year brings us a 100 billion dollar storm!?

Jury's still out, we just may have already reached that plateau when all is said and done.

A2K

I honestly think Katrina may be about 100 billion

[Audrey2Katrina]

I honestly think Katrina may be about 100 billion

I agree.

A2K

[Jim Cantore]

We can only estimate the death toll