Hurricane Harvey most extreme U.S. weather event of last decade
Feb. 18 (UPI) -- Hurricane Harvey was the most extreme weather even to affect the United States during the last decade, according to a new list published this week by the periodical Weatherwise.
To compile the top-ten list, retired meteorologist Douglas Le Comte, who previously worked for the NOAA's Climate Prediction Center, analyzed the cost of destruction caused by each weather event, as well as death and injury tolls. Le Comte also considered the size of each disaster, as well as the meteorological rarity of the different weather events.
In 2017, Hurricane Harvey brought unprecedented rainfall totals to Houston and the surrounding region. The heavy rains lasted more than a week and triggered flooding across an area of southeast Texas roughly the size of the Netherlands.
According to Le Comte's analysis, the category four storm was the wettest on record and the second most expensive in U.S. history, causing $125 billion in damages. At least 68 people were killed, mostly by drowning.
Read more: https://www.upi.com/Science_News/2020/02/18/Hurricane-Harvey-most-extreme-US-weather-event-of-last-decade/9931582043265/?ts_=20