2017: The Most Costly US Hurricane Season Ever

As the 2017 Hurricane Season comes to a close on November 30th, the United States has been left with a wake of destruction unlike any other year we’ve ever seen. This year’s hurricane season will go down in history as the costliest season ever in the history of the United States, with over $202.6 billion in damages.

From June 1st to November 30th, the United States saw 17 named storms and 10 of those grew to become hurricanes. Three Category 4 storms slammed US shores, with Harvey, Irma and Maria wreaking havoc on Texas, Florida and Puerto Rico respectively. As the season winds down, parts of the country are still in the process of recovering from the damages caused by these destructive storms. Hundreds of thousands of Puerto Ricans have fled the island due to the slow process of rebuilding. Homes and lives are being rebuilt in Houston and the Florida Keys, where flooding and wind damage devastated neighborhoods. Over 400 lives were claimed by storms, entire islands were destroyed; it was a season unlike one we’ve seen in many years.

With over $202.6 billion in damages in the United States alone, the 2017 Hurricane Season has surpassed all others in terms of costliness. Worldwide damage is reportedly at an astounding $369.6 billion, the second most expensive year since 1960. Official IHPA partner Professor David Dilley of Global Weather Oscillations predicts that this is the beginning of a volatile cycle of extremely active seasons. “If you think 2017 was a record season, in some areas of the continental US records are made to be broken. We’re enter one of the strongest cycles in 70 years,” former NOAA meteorologist Professor Dilley commented. His official 2018 predictions will be released in February of 2018. To receive information about next year’s forecast, contact Membership Chairman Don Leggett at 813-927-9993, dleggett@aesoa.net or at INTHPA.com

The IHPA is a not-for-profit organization which unites and represents the Hurricane Protection Industry.

We are comprised of suppliers, manufacturers, contractors, architects, engineers, testing laboratories, governmental agencies and code writers dedicated to the protection of life and property from the devastation associated with hurricanes.

We seek to insure the publics’ safety and welfare by endorsing the testing and approval of legitimate hurricane protection systems and through information and educational programs.