By Emmy Powell
Communications Specialist

Texas saw a record-setting year in 2023 for weather and climate disasters in the nation.

A recent report from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) shows Texas led the nation with the most billion-dollar weather and climate disasters last year.

The report shows a total of 28 disasters hit the nation in 2023, 16 of which hit Texas.

The Lone Star State is seeing more than $20 billion in shared losses.

Among the 16 disasters that hit the state, the drought caused the most damage.

“Record heat waves, drought, wildfires and floods are a sobering reminder of the consequences of the long-term warming trend we’re seeing across our country,” Deke Arndt, NOAA’s director of the National Centers for Environmental Information, said.

Texas farmers and ranchers were forced to make changes because of drought and extreme heat, and more than 200 Texas counties were under burn bans during the dry and hot summer.

Additional severe events included hail, high winds and a record-breaking summer heat resulted in billions of dollars in combined losses.

“For millions of Americans impacted by a seemingly endless onslaught of weather and climate disasters, 2023 has hit a new record for many extremes,” NOAA Chief Scientist Sarah Kapnick said.

Hailstorms in May and June resulted in billions in losses to Texas. The storm in May affected 62,000 Texans and brought $1.6 billion in losses.

High winds in late June caused damage across the state, and devastating tornados hit Matador and Perryton.

National severe weather events that also affected Texas in 2023 caused $47.2 billion in losses.

Along with four other states, Texas had the warmest year on record in 2023. June 20 set the heat record for Del Rio and Rio Grande at 113 degrees and San Angelo at 114 degrees.

Along with the highest number of billion-dollar disasters experienced, the report noted Texas also leads the U.S. in total cumulative costs, almost $402 billion, from billion-dollar disasters since 1980.