NOAA Discontinues Billion-Dollar Disaster Database Amid Budget Cuts and Shifting Priorities
A widely-used database that meticulously tracked the growing financial toll of billion-dollar weather and climate disasters in the United States is being discontinued by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA). This decision marks another significant change within the agency, which has faced budget cuts and staff reductions in recent years.
The Billion-Dollar Weather and Climate Disasters project, which meticulously documented 403 events between 1980 and 2024, representing an estimated cumulative cost exceeding $2.9 trillion, will no longer be updated. In 2024 alone, the project tallied 27 disasters exceeding $1 billion each, encompassing events such as Hurricane Helene, several other landfalling hurricanes, severe winter storms, and destructive tornado outbreaks.
A notice posted on the project’s website on May 8 stated that, "In alignment with evolving priorities, statutory mandates, and staffing changes, NOAA’s National Centers for Environmental Information (NCEI) will no longer be updating…" This announcement has triggered concerns among experts in the disaster and climate change research communities, who lament the loss of this valuable resource.
Jeremy Porter, head of climate implications research at First Street, a climate change and risk research organization, described the database as "a tremendous service." He emphasized that the database was a rare publicly accessible source for integrated data, encompassing losses, damages, business interruption costs, and federal disaster relief estimates, all organized into a cohesive, event-level damage assessment.
Porter highlighted the unique value of the database, noting its standardized methodology across decades and its reliance on proprietary and non-public data sources that are often inaccessible to many researchers. This comprehensive data collection allowed for a more complete and accurate assessment of the financial impacts of disasters.
Daniel Swain, a climate scientist with the University of California Agriculture and Natural Resources, echoed Porter’s concerns, stating that the data compiled was "incredibly important." He emphasized that regardless of the underlying causes of these disasters, it is crucial to understand their total costs. Swain described the program as "kind of a unique program" that will be "very difficult, if not impossible, to replace."
The database has been widely utilized by insurers, reinsurers, and federal organizations involved in disaster planning, preparation, and response. These entities rely on accurate and comprehensive data to assess risks, allocate resources, and develop effective mitigation strategies.
The discontinuation of the project coincides with broader changes within NOAA, including staff reductions stemming from early retirements and voluntary separations under the previous administration’s efforts to reduce the size of the federal government. Adam Smith, the climate scientist who served as NOAA’s lead scientist for the disaster program before his departure, attributed the project’s discontinuation to staff departures and a reduction in the scope of data products and services.
Former agency officials estimate that NOAA has experienced an 18% to 20% reduction in its workforce of approximately 12,000 employees, leading to restructuring and reconfiguring throughout the agency. For example, staff shortages at the National Weather Service have resulted in reduced or halted daily weather balloon launches, altered schedules for some forecast advisories, and fewer social media updates about weather conditions.
The current administration’s budget proposal for the upcoming year proposes further cuts to NOAA’s budget, trimming more than $1.3 billion from its roughly $6.4 billion allocation for 2025. The budget document reportedly downplays climate change, referring to "climate scam programs" and "woke climate research."
Despite the discontinuation of the active database, NOAA has stated that all past reports from the project and its underlying data will remain archived and accessible. The agency has also invited public comments on the changes via email.
The disaster database has not been without its critics. Some have expressed concerns that the data was being used to justify efforts to combat climate change, while acknowledging that the rising costs of weather disasters are influenced by factors beyond global warming, such as rising real estate values and increasing development in vulnerable areas.
Roger Pielke Jr., a political scientist and professor at the University of Colorado Boulder, argued that the database was "given more scientific credence" than warranted and suggested that it should be compiled by an agency like the Bureau of Economic Analysis rather than NOAA.
Swain acknowledged that the list was not a "primary indicator of climate change" but maintained that it was a valuable science tool for demonstrating change and providing a best estimate of disaster losses over time, as they are influenced by a wide range of forces, including climate change.
Swain emphasized the importance of NOAA’s ability to incorporate proprietary information from sources willing to share their data with the agency, highlighting this as a key factor that will make the database difficult, if not impossible, to replicate.
The discontinuation of the disaster project coincides with a recent announcement by World Weather Attribution, a nonprofit organization, that the extreme rainfall that caused massive flooding in Kentucky and seven other states in early April was made 9% more likely by warming temperatures. This underscores the ongoing need for robust data and analysis to understand the impacts of climate change on extreme weather events.
Furthermore, preliminary temperature data suggests that 2025 could be one of the hottest years on record, potentially surpassing the record set in 2024, according to Berkeley Earth. This emphasizes the urgency of addressing climate change and its potential consequences for extreme weather and climate-related disasters.
The termination of NOAA’s Billion-Dollar Weather and Climate Disasters project raises concerns about the availability of comprehensive, publicly accessible data on the financial impacts of extreme weather events. While archived data will remain available, the lack of ongoing updates will limit the ability of researchers, policymakers, and other stakeholders to track current trends and assess the evolving risks associated with climate change and extreme weather. The loss of this valuable resource underscores the importance of continued investment in climate research and data collection efforts to inform effective adaptation and mitigation strategies.
