Severe weather tied to climate change has driven a sharp rise in costly disasters: 202 U.S. weather events from 2016–2025 produced at least $1 billion each and together caused about $1.5 trillion in damage. NWS data attribute roughly $14.7 billion in crop losses during the same period, concentrated in fewer than a dozen states. The ten worst-hit states—led by Georgia and Florida—account for more than 90% of crop-value losses, with hurricanes, floods, droughts, freezes and wildfires the principal causes.
Nearly $15 Billion in U.S. Crop Losses Linked to Extreme Weather — These 10 States Bore the Brunt
Photo by Elisa Stone on Unsplash
Severe weather events have grown more frequent and intense in the era of climate change, and the economic toll has climbed with them. Between 2016 and 2025 the United States experienced 202 major weather disasters that each produced at least $1 billion in damages; together those events caused roughly $1.5 trillion in losses, according to Climate Central. National Weather Service records show weather-related disasters also wiped out an estimated $14.7 billion in crop value over the same period.
These disasters include hurricanes, floods and wildfires as well as damaging freezes, droughts and hail. U.S. agriculture — a roughly $216 billion-per-year industry (figure corrected for clarity) — depends heavily on stable weather, and fewer than a dozen states account for the vast majority of destroyed agricultural output nationwide.
Data and Methodology
This analysis draws on the National Weather Service (NWS) Weather-Related Fatality and Injury Statistics program and reporting compiled by Climate Crisis 247. States were ranked by total reported crop-value losses from natural-weather events between 2016 and 2025. Supplemental context on farming’s contribution to state economies comes from the Bureau of Economic Analysis.
Top 10 States By Reported Weather-Related Crop Losses (2016–2025)
10. Colorado
Total crop damage: $242.0 million. Leading cause: Wildfire ($208.3 million). The most destructive wildfire event was the 31,699-acre Turner Gulch Fire (September 2025), which caused an estimated $40.4 million in crop losses. Farming output (2024): $2.3 billion (0.4% of state GDP).
9. Minnesota
Total crop damage: $293.4 million. Leading cause: Flooding ($138.2 million). The largest event was prolonged flooding that prevented planting in June 2019 ($131.7 million). Farming output (2024): $8.5 billion (1.7% of state GDP).
8. Iowa
Total crop damage: $398.8 million. Leading cause: Drought ($184.6 million). The worst single drought event occurred statewide in October 2023 ($66.5 million). Farming output (2024): $14.0 billion (5.3% of state GDP).
7. North Carolina
Total crop damage: $610.8 million. Leading cause: Flooding ($556.0 million). Hurricane Florence (September 2018) delivered more than 20 inches of rain and produced the state’s largest crop loss event, about $385.0 million. Farming output (2024): $5.9 billion (0.7% of state GDP).
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6. South Carolina
Total crop damage: $875.8 million. Leading cause: Cold/wind chill events ($750.0 million). A severe March 2017 cold snap following an early growing season devastated peach crops across upstate South Carolina ($750.0 million). Farming output (2024): $1.3 billion (0.4% of state GDP).
5. Texas
Total crop damage: $1.0 billion. Leading cause: Frost/freeze ($460.0 million). A February 2021 cold front brought record lows to parts of south Texas and destroyed citrus and other high-value crops ($460.0 million). Farming output (2024): $14.9 billion (0.5% of state GDP).
4. Nebraska
Total crop damage: $1.1 billion. Leading cause: Hail ($570.5 million). A damaging storm in June 2022 with golf-ball–sized hail and high winds produced the state’s largest single hail-related loss event (~$95.0 million). Farming output (2024): $9.2 billion (4.9% of state GDP).
3. South Dakota
Total crop damage: $1.7 billion. Leading cause: Flooding ($933.0 million). Prolonged June 2019 floods that prevented planting produced the state’s largest reported loss, about $617.2 million. Farming output (2024): $5.9 billion (7.7% of state GDP).
2. Florida
Total crop damage: $3.0 billion. Leading cause: Hurricanes ($2.6 billion). Hurricane Michael (October 2018) caused widespread flooding and destroyed large quantities of cotton, fruits, vegetables and specialty crops (estimated $1.5 billion in losses). Farming output (2024): $5.0 billion (0.3% of state GDP).
1. Georgia
Total crop damage: $4.4 billion. Leading cause: Hurricanes ($4.0 billion). Hurricane Michael (October 2018) and related flooding were the single most damaging events for Georgia agriculture, with estimated losses of $2.9 billion to cotton, vegetables, pecans and peanuts. Farming output (2024): $5.4 billion (0.6% of state GDP).
What This Means
These ten states together account for more than 90% of the reported crop-value losses attributed to weather-related disasters since 2016. The findings underline how concentrated agricultural risk is geographically and how a handful of extreme events can drive national losses. Common drivers across states include hurricanes, flooding, drought, freezes and wildfires — hazards that are expected to shift in frequency and intensity with a warming climate.
Sources: National Weather Service (NWS) weather-related statistics, Climate Central, Bureau of Economic Analysis.
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