U.S. sets record for billion-dollar weather and climate disasters in 2023

With months to go before 2023 wraps up, the U.S. has set a new record for the number of weather disasters in a year that cost $1 billion or more.

There have been 23 climate catastrophes and weather events costing at least $1 billion as of the end of August, breaking the record of 22 set in 2020, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) announced Monday. This year's disasters have so far cost more than $57.6 billion and killed 253 people. 

And the number could climb higher. NOAA is still totaling the cost of Tropical Storm Hilary, which wreaked havoc across California last month, and a drought in the South and Midwest. There's also an "above normal" forecast for this year's hurricane season, which will continue through the end of November.