(6 of 6)
West Pacific 85 116
Indian 24 50
East Pacific 36 49
North Atlantic 16 25
1975-89 1990-2004
... and causing a lot more damage
10 COSTLIEST U.S. HURRICANES, 1906-2005 (in billions, 2004 dollars)
Katrina '05 $63*
Andrew '92 $43.7
Charley '04 15.0
Ivan '04 14.2
Hugo '89 12.3
Agnes '72 11.3
Betsy '65 10.8
Frances '04 8.9
Camille '69 8.9
Diane '55 7.0
*Experts think the figure could reach $200 billion
How much is global warming to blame?
Since ocean heat gives hurricanes their power, it's reasonable to conclude that global warming is at least indirectly responsible for the increase in powerful storms--but skeptics do remain
[This article contains a map and a chart. Please see hard copy or pdf.]
Source: National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
TIME Graphic