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Storm hazard · NOAA Storm Events Database

Storm Surge/Tide in the United States

National statistics for storm surge/tide events from the NOAA Storm Events Database (2015–2025): how often they occur, where they hit hardest, and the human and property toll.

528
Events recorded
32
Fatalities
$7.5B
Property damage
14
States affected

How dangerous are Storm Surge/Tide events in the U.S.?

NOAA's Storm Events Database has catalogued 528 storm surge/tide events across 14 states and territories between 2015 and 2025. The cumulative human toll is 32 fatalities and 2 injuries, and the financial footprint reaches $7.5B in combined property ($7.5B) and crop ($100.0K) damage. On a per-fatality basis this places storm surge/tide events at a high severity tier relative to other tracked hazard types in the NOAA catalog.

Geographic exposure skews toward a small cluster of frequently-hit states. The three states absorbing the largest share of events are FL (167 events, 26 fatalities), LA (128 events, 1 fatalities), TX (85 events, 0 fatalities), a mix of underlying hazard climatology and how many people live in the exposed corridor. At the other end, states such as GU, HI, AS report far fewer events, a meaningfully lower-frequency pattern there, though local vigilance still matters.

Annual totals swing noticeably from year to year. The peak year on record was 2020, logging 133 events and $184.6M in property damage in a single calendar year. The most recent year in the dataset is 2025 with 8 events recorded. Across the full 11-year window, annual event counts reflect seasonal climate cycles and, for some years, longer climate-driven shifts in frequency.

How to interpret this data

NOAA storm event data is filed by local National Weather Service forecast offices, so reporting intensity can vary by jurisdiction and should be interpreted alongside FEMA disaster declarations for a fuller picture.

For household and business preparedness, this state-and-year view should be paired with local-level FEMA National Risk Index ratings, flood-zone maps where applicable, and up-to-date NWS watch/warning information, population exposure and asset value matter as much as raw event frequency for estimating real-world risk.

Storm Surge/Tide by State

# State EventsFatalitiesProperty Damage
1 Florida FL 167 26 $3.2B
2 Louisiana LA 128 1 $3.7B
3 Texas TX 85 0 $589.0M
4 Mississippi MS 33 1 $20.2M
5 South Carolina SC 32 0 $0
6 Alabama AL 32 1 $19.5M
7 North Carolina NC 20 0 $0
8 Georgia GA 11 0 $13.9M
9 Alaska AK 6 0 $77.0K
10 California CA 5 3 $0
11 New York NY 3 0 $0
12 Guam GU 3 0 $200.0K
13 Hawaii HI 2 0 $0
14 American Samoa AS 1 0 $0

Storm Surge/Tide by Year

Year Events Fatalities Injuries Property Damage
2025 8 0 0 $0
2024 71 0 0 $870.0M
2023 30 0 0 $25.0M
2022 64 18 2 $1.0B
2021 59 1 0 $3.6B
2020 133 6 0 $184.6M
2019 25 0 0 $15.0M
2018 26 6 0 $1.1B
2017 74 1 0 $585.7M
2016 34 0 0 $220.2M
2015 4 0 0 $1.5M

Related Guides

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Hazard Risk by Region

How natural disaster risk varies across different US regions.

Climate Change & Disasters

How climate trends are changing the frequency and severity of natural disasters.

Frequently Asked Questions

How many storm surge/tide events have occurred in the US?
The NOAA Storm Events Database has recorded 528 storm surge/tide events across 14 states from 2015 to 2025. These events caused 32 fatalities and 2 injuries.
Which states are most affected by storm surge/tide events?
The states most affected by storm surge/tide include FL (167 events), LA (128 events), TX (85 events). These three states account for a significant share of all recorded storm surge/tide incidents in the US.
How much damage do storm surge/tide events cause?
Storm Surge/Tide events have caused an estimated $7.5B in combined property and crop damage from 2015 to 2025. Property damage alone accounts for $7.5B, with crop damage at $100.0K.
What year had the most storm surge/tide events?
The year with the most recorded storm surge/tide events was 2020, with 133 events resulting in 6 fatalities and $184.6M in property damage.
How dangerous are storm surge/tide events?
Storm Surge/Tide events have a high severity rating based on 32 fatalities and 2 injuries recorded from 2015 to 2025 across 14 states. Preparedness and early warning systems are critical for reducing risk.
Which states have the fewest storm surge/tide events?
The states with the fewest storm surge/tide events include GU (3 events), HI (2 events), AS (1 events). Geographic and climatic factors largely determine regional vulnerability to this hazard type.

Source: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database (2015-2025) NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database (2015-2025) For informational purposes only

Read our methodology - how this data is sourced, computed, and verified.

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Every figure on PlainHazard is rendered directly from FEMA federal disaster data, no number is typed in by an editor. This page draws directly on FEMA federal disaster data, no figure is typed in by an editor. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or national statistics report, or report a data error.