Severe winter storms are now occurring more than twice as often as the 40-year average — and the federal database that tracked them has been suspended.
Severe winter storms now occur at more than double the rate of the previous 40-year average — 1.25 per year versus fewer than 0.5 per year from 1981–2020.
Average annual damages from billion-dollar winter storms rose from $1.56 billion per year to $8.3 billion per year — more than five times higher.
NOAA's Billion-Dollar Weather and Climate Disasters database was retired effective January 2025, leaving no standardized federal benchmark for tracking extreme weather costs.
Three major winter storms have struck in the first two months of 2026, affecting over 200 million people. Winter Storm Fern alone carries preliminary estimates of up to $13.4 billion in damages.
This op-ed presents NOAA-sourced data on the increasing frequency and severity of billion-dollar winter storm disasters, documents the suspension of federal reporting, and calls for restoration of scientific data infrastructure and government accountability.
The piece is available for publication in national and regional newspapers. It is accompanied by a publication-ready timeline graphic cleared for editorial use with attribution.
Source: NOAA NCEI Billion-Dollar Weather and Climate Disasters (through December 2024) ·
ncei.noaa.gov/access/billions
2025–2026 figures from journalistic sources in absence of federal reporting ·
† Fatality counts shown for events exceeding 40 deaths
The op-ed is science-based, NOAA-sourced, and accompanied by a publication-ready graphic. Word count: approximately 750 words. Simultaneous submission available to regional outlets. National outlets please inquire about exclusivity.