Hurricane Irene

Losses, 2024 dollars

$19 billion

Losses at the time

$13 billion

Deaths

45

The losses and deaths are NCEI’s, counting everything the disaster did. The episodes below are only what the Weather Service filed in its Storm Events record, which counts damage differently and often not at all, so the two never add up and are shown apart.

• Flash Flood in New Mexico, August 24, 2011$200,000 · 1 eventA weak upper level disturbance rounded the western periphery of the upper level high centered over northeast New Mexico. This disturbance aided in the development of numerous showers and thunderstorms across the state.
• Tornado and Hail in Ohio, August 24 to 25, 2011$1.0 million · EF1 · 36 eventsA very strong cold front moved across the Upper Ohio Valley during the evening hours of August 24th and early morning hours of the 25th.
• Flash Flooding in Ohio, August 25, 2011$20,000 · 3 eventsAfter receiving about a half inch of rain on the morning of the 24th, more showers and thunderstorms reached southeast Ohio during the predawn hours on the 25th.
• Tropical Storm and High Surf in Florida, August 25 to 26, 20118 injured · $2,000 · 3 eventsHurricane Irene passed over the western Bahamas about 170 miles east of the Florida coast. The western fringes of Irene impacted southeast Florida with high surf and winds bordering on tropical storm force.
• Tornado and Damaging Winds in Texas, August 25, 2011$85,000 · EF0 · 10 eventsOn Thursday afternoon, August 25th 2011, portions of the Coastal Bend of South Texas experienced strong to severe thunderstorms. Several clusters of thunderstorms moved southwest across the Coastal Bend and produced winds between 40 and 70 mph.
• Tornadoes and Damaging Winds in Maryland, August 25, 2011$11,000 · EF0 · 7 eventsA cold front passed moved into the region on the 25th. Tropical moisture ahead of the front caused moderate amounts of instability to develop. Thunderstorms that developed ahead of the cold front were able to produce damaging winds and large hail.
• Tornado in Texas, August 25, 2011EF0 · 1 eventScattered thunderstorms developed over the South Plains and Rolling Plains on the afternoon of the 25th. Around 1530 CST, a NWS employee reported a weak non-mesocyclonic tornado southwest of the city of Lubbock. No damages were reported.
• Flash Flood in New Jersey, August 25, 20111 eventAn approaching cold front helped trigger thunderstorms over southwestern New Jersey during the late afternoon and early evening of the 25th.
• Tropical Storm and Storm Surge in Florida, August 25 to 26, 20116 eventsFrom the evening of 8/25 through the evening of 8/26, tropical storm conditions moved south to north across the extreme eastern tier of the NWS Jacksonville Atlantic coastline. The NWS Jacksonville area of responsibility extends from Altamaha Sound, Ga, to Flagler Beach, Fl.
• Hurricane and Tornadoes in North Carolina, August 26 to 28, 20114 deaths · 1 injured · $617 million · EF2 · 31 eventsHurricane Irene made landfall during the morning of the 27th, near Cape Lookout, as a large category 1 hurricane on the Saffir/Simpson Hurricane Wind Scale.
• Tropical Storm and Storm Surge in South Carolina, August 26, 2011$227,000 · 15 eventsHurricane Irene passed by to the east of the South Carolina coastline on August 26, 2011, producing tropical storm force wind gusts, beach erosion, high surf and rip currents across portions of southern South Carolina.
• Flood in South Carolina, August 26, 20111 eventRainfall amounts over three inches from distant Hurricane Irene produce flooding in Georgetown.
• Tornado in Colorado, August 26, 2011EF0 · 1 eventA brief tornado occurred on the north side of Ft. Carson. There was no damage.
• Flash Flooding and Hail in California, August 26 to 28, 2011$50,000 · 56 kt wind · 4 eventsA surge of monsoonal moisture brought three days of significant thunderstorms from the 26th to the 28th. These storms brought more CG lightning, strong wind gusts in the low 50s mph, 1/2 -3/4 hail and brief heavy downpours.
• Tropical Storm in North Carolina, August 26 to 27, 2011$4.3 million · 6 eventsHurricane Irene tracked across the Bahamas and up the eastern seaboard, staying offshore until it made landfall at Cape Lookout the morning of August 27th as a Category 1 hurricane with sustained winds of 85 mph.
• Tropical Storm in North Carolina, August 27 to 28, 2011$41 million · 6 eventsHurricane Irene moving northward over the outer banks of North Carolina and just off the Virginia coast produced tropical storm force winds across portions of northeast North Carolina from early Saturday morning, August 27th into Sunday morning, August 28th.
• Hurricane in North Carolina, August 27 to 28, 2011$3.5 million · 4 eventsHurricane Irene moving northward over the outer banks of North Carolina and just off the Virginia coast produced hurricane force wind gusts across portions of coastal northeast North Carolina from early Saturday morning, August 27th into Sunday morning, August 28th.
• Tropical Storm in Virginia, August 27 to 28, 20111 death · $29 million · 7 eventsHurricane Irene moving northward over the outer banks of North Carolina and just off the Virginia coast produced tropical storm force winds across portions of southeast Virginia from early Saturday morning, August 27th into Sunday morning, August 28th.
• Tropical Storm in Virginia, August 27 to 28, 20111 injured · $10 million · 8 eventsHurricane Irene moving northward over the outer banks of North Carolina and just off the Virginia coast produced tropical storm force winds across portions of eastern Virginia from early Saturday morning, August 27th into Sunday morning, August 28th.
• Tropical Storm in Virginia, August 27 to 28, 20112 deaths · $29 million · 18 eventsHurricane Irene moving northward over the outer banks of North Carolina and just off the Virginia and Maryland coasts produced tropical storm force winds across portions of central and south central Virginia from Saturday morning, August 27th into Sunday morning, August 28th.
• Flooding in North Carolina, August 27 to 28, 20119 eventsHurricane Irene moving northward over the outer banks of North Carolina and just off the Virginia coast produced heavy rains which caused widespread flooding across most of northeast North Carolina Saturday morning, August 27th into Sunday morning, August 28th.
• Tropical Storm in Maryland, August 27 to 28, 2011$4.0 million · 5 eventsHurricane Irene moving northward over the outer banks of North Carolina and just off the Virginia and Maryland coasts produced tropical storm force winds across portions of the Lower Maryland Eastern Shore from Saturday morning, August 27th into Sunday morning, August 28th.
• Tornadoes in Virginia, August 27, 2011$175,000 · EF0 · 2 eventsHurricane Irene moving northward over the outer banks of North Carolina and just off the Virginia coast produced two tornadoes across portions of eastern and southeast Virginia during Saturday, August 27th.
• Tropical Storm in Virginia, August 27, 2011$18,000 · 7 eventsThe center of Irene made landfall along the Virginia coast but strong winds extended well west into the Piedmont generating gusts to at least 40 mph and bringing down some trees and large tree branches.
• Tropical Storm in North Carolina, August 27, 2011$6,000 · 2 eventsThe center of Irene made landfall along the Virginia coast but strong winds extended well west into the North Carolina Piedmont generating gusts to at least 40 mph and bringing down some trees and large tree branches.
• Flooding in Virginia, August 27 to 28, 201111 eventsHurricane Irene moving northward over the outer banks of North Carolina and just off the Virginia coast produced heavy rains which caused widespread flooding across most of south central and southeast Virginia Saturday morning, August 27th into early Sunday morning, August 28th.
• Tornado and Tropical Storm in Delaware, August 27 to 30, 20112 deaths · EF1 · 15 eventsHurricane Irene produced heavy flooding rain, widespread tropical storm force wind gusts, a confirmed tornado near Lewes in Sussex County, moderate to severe coastal flooding and beach erosion and caused two flooding related deaths, forced evacuations near the coast over the…
• Flash Flooding and Flooding in Maryland, August 27 to 28, 201117 eventsHurricane Irene tracked up the Mid-Atlantic Coast during the afternoon and evening hours of the 27th. Heavy rains associated with Irene and her rainbands fell over saturated soils of Maryland.
• Tropical Storm in Virginia, August 27 to 28, 2011$480,000 · 13 eventsHurricane Irene tracked up the Mid-Atlantic Coast during the evening hours of the 27th through the early morning hours of the 28th. Irene passed by just to the east of Ocean City, Maryland during the early morning hours of the 28th.
• Tropical Storm in Maryland, August 27 to 28, 2011$12 million · 12 eventsHurricane Irene tracked up the Mid-Atlantic Coast during the evening hours of the 27th through the early morning hours of the 28th. Irene passed by just to the east of Ocean City, Maryland during the early morning hours of the 28th.
• Tropical Storm and Flash Flooding in Maryland, August 27 to 28, 20111 death · $4.1 million · 15 eventsHurricane Irene produced heavy flooding rain, tropical storm force wind gusts and caused one wind related death across the Eastern Shore. Preliminary damage estimates were around three million dollars and approximately 85,000 homes and businesses lost power.
• Flooding in Virginia, August 27 to 28, 201131 eventsHurricane Irene moving northward over the outer banks of North Carolina and just off the Virginia and Maryland coasts produced heavy rains which caused widespread flooding across most of central and eastern Virginia Saturday afternoon, August 27th into early Sunday morning,…
• Flash Flooding in North Carolina, August 27, 201111 eventsHeavy rain associated with Hurricane Irene resulted in flash flooding across eleven counties in eastern North Carolina during the afternoon of the 27th.
• Tornado and Tropical Storm in New Jersey, August 27 to 31, 20117 deaths · $797 million · EF0 · 67 eventsIrene produced torrential downpour rains that resulted in major flooding and a number of record breaking crests on area rivers, tropical storm force wind gusts with record breaking outages for New Jersey utilities, one confirmed tornado and a three to five foot storm surge that…
• Tropical Storm in District of Columbia, August 27 to 28, 2011$2.4 million · 1 eventHurricane Irene tracked up the Mid-Atlantic Coast during the evening hours of the 27th through the early morning hours of the 28th. Irene passed by just to the east of Ocean City, Maryland during the early morning hours of the 28th.
• Flooding in Maryland, August 27 to 28, 20114 eventsHurricane Irene moving northward over the outer banks of North Carolina and just off the Virginia and Maryland coasts produced heavy rains which caused widespread flooding across most of the Lower Maryland Eastern Shore Saturday afternoon, August 27th into Sunday morning, August…
• Flash Flooding and Damaging Winds in California, August 27 to 28, 2011$258,000 · 63 kt wind · 9 eventsMonsoon moisture and high temperatures fueled thunderstorms over the Mojave Desert. Several storms produced severe weather and flash flooding.
• Heavy Rain in Arizona, August 27, 20111 eventThunderstorms produced heavy rain in Forest Lakes.
• Tropical Storm and Storm Surge in Pennsylvania, August 27 to 30, 20113 deaths · $7.0 million · 32 eventsIrene produced heavy flooding rain, tropical storm force wind gusts with hundreds of thousands of outages, moderate tidal flooding along the Delaware River and one flooding related death in Eastern Pennsylvania over the weekend of August 27th and 28th.
• Flash Flood and Damaging Wind in California, August 27, 2011$25,000 · 50 kt wind · 2 eventsA high pressure ridge expanded back into California on August 22nd. Monsoonal moisture rotating around the ridge core brought mid and high clouds to central California on the 22nd, and again the next day.
• Flooding and Heavy Rain in New Jersey, August 27 to 28, 20113 deaths · 13 eventsIrene made landfall locally as a tropical storm around 900 am EDT August 28, 2011 over New York City. Irene then moved across Southeast New York and Western Connecticut before dissipating over Northern New England near the Canadian Border later that evening.
• Flash Flood and Flood in Virginia, August 27 to 28, 20112 eventsHurricane Irene tracked up the Mid-Atlantic Coast during the afternoon and evening hours of the 27th. Heavy rains associated with Irene and her rainbands fell over saturated Stafford County.
• Flooding in New York, August 27 to 29, 20112 deaths · 1 injured · 24 eventsIrene made landfall locally as a tropical storm around 900 am EDT August 28, 2011 over New York City. Irene then moved across Southeast New York and Western Connecticut before dissipating over Northern New England near the Canadian Border later that evening.
• Flooding in Connecticut, August 27 to 28, 20113 eventsIrene made landfall locally as a tropical storm around 900 am EDT on August 28, 2011 over New York City. Irene then moved across Southeast New York and Western Connecticut before dissipating over Northern New England near the Canadian Border later that evening.
• Flash Flood and Flooding in Pennsylvania, August 28, 20111 death · 1 injured · $2.1 million · 12 eventsHurricane Irene moved north-northeast along the Mid-Atlantic Coast from North Carolina to Long Island New York.
• Tornadoes and Tropical Storm in New York, August 28, 20113 deaths · EF0 · 16 eventsAs Hurricane Irene moved north along the Atlantic coast and interacted with land, it weakened and made its second landfall as a Tropical Storm near Little Egg Inlet along the southeast NJ Coast on August 28, 2011 around 5:35 am EDT.
• Flood in District of Columbia, August 28, 20111 eventHurricane Irene tracked up the Mid-Atlantic Coast during the afternoon and evening hours of the 27th. Heavy rains associated with Irene and her rainbands fell over the District of Columbia. By early morning on the 28th, flooding occurred on the saturated ground in the area.
• Tropical Storm in Connecticut, August 28, 20111 death · 2 injured · 5 eventsAs Hurricane Irene moved north along the Atlantic coast and interacted with land, it weakened and made its second landfall as a Tropical Storm near Little Egg Inlet along the southeast NJ Coast on August 28, 2011 around 5:35 am EDT.
• Tropical Storm and Flash Flooding in New York, August 28 to 31, 20114 deaths · 128 eventsTropical Storm Irene tracked north northeast across eastern New York and western New England during Sunday, August 28th, producing widespread flooding, and damaging winds across the region.
• Tropical Storm and Flash Flooding in Massachusetts, August 28 to 29, 20117 eventsTropical Storm Irene tracked north northeast across eastern New York and western New England during Sunday, August 28th, producing widespread flooding, and damaging winds across the region.
• Tropical Storm and Storm Surge in Rhode Island, August 28, 2011$190,000 · 9 eventsHurricane Irene formed east of the Caribbean island of Dominica, part of the Lesser Antilles region, on the afternoon of August 20. Irene moved through the Caribbean and up the east coast of the United States making landfall twice.
• Tropical Storm and Flooding in Connecticut, August 28, 20111 death · $68 million · 5 eventsHurricane Irene formed east of the Caribbean island of Dominica, part of the Lesser Antilles region, on the afternoon of August 20. Irene moved through the Caribbean and up the east coast of the United States making landfall twice.
• Tropical Storm and Storm Surge in Massachusetts, August 28, 2011$59 million · 43 eventsHurricane Irene formed east of the Caribbean island of Dominica, part of the Lesser Antilles region, on the afternoon of August 20. Irene moved through the Caribbean and up the east coast of the United States making landfall twice.
• Tropical Storm and Flooding in Connecticut, August 28 to 29, 201110 eventsTropical Storm Irene tracked north northeast across eastern New York and western New England during Sunday, August 28th, producing widespread flooding, and damaging winds across the region.
• Storm Surge in New York, August 28, 20111 death · 12 eventsIrene made landfall locally as a tropical storm around 900 am August 28, 2011 over New York City. Irene then moved across Southeastern New York and Western Connecticut before dissipating over Northern New England near the Canadian Border the evening of August 28.
• Flash Flooding and Flooding in New York, August 28 to 30, 20111 death · $14 million · 50 kt wind · 26 eventsHurricane Irene brought heavy rains and high winds from northeast Pennsylvania to the Catskill Mountains of New York from Saturday evening the 27th to Sunday afternoon the 28th.
• Tropical Storm in New Hampshire, August 28, 20111 death · 2 injured · 13 eventsHurricane Irene made landfall across western Long Island, NY and was downgraded to a Tropical Storm as it moved into and through New England.
• Tropical Storm in Maine, August 28, 201117 eventsHurricane Irene made landfall across western Long Island, NY and was downgraded to a Tropical Storm as it moved into and through New England.
• Tropical Storm and Flash Flooding in Vermont, August 28 to 29, 20111 death · 16 eventsTropical Storm Irene tracked north northeast across eastern New York and western New England during Sunday, August 28th, producing widespread flooding, and damaging winds across the region.
• Storm Surge in Connecticut, August 28, 20114 eventsIrene made landfall locally as a tropical storm around 900 am August 28, 2011 over New York City. Irene then moved across Southeast New York and Western Connecticut before dissipating over Northern New England near the Canadian Border the evening of August 28.
• Tropical Storm in New Hampshire, August 28, 2011$25,000 · 2 eventsHurricane Irene formed east of the Caribbean island of Dominica, part of the Lesser Antilles region, on the afternoon of August 20. Irene moved through the Caribbean and up the east coast of the United States making landfall twice.
• Flash Flooding and High Wind in Pennsylvania, August 28, 2011$24 million · 50 kt wind · 14 eventsHurricane Irene brought heavy rains and high winds from northeast Pennsylvania to the Catskill Mountains of New York from Saturday evening the 27th to Sunday afternoon the 28th.
• Flash Flooding and Flooding in Vermont, August 28 to 31, 20112 deaths · $1.3 billion · 56 kt wind · 31 eventsTropical Storm Irene moved across southeast New York and southwest New England during the morning hours of August 28th and then proceeded to track north along the Connecticut River Valley in Vermont during the afternoon and evening.
• Flooding in New Hampshire, August 28, 2011$3.8 million · 19 eventsHeavy rain from Tropical Storm Irene caused widespread flooding of small rivers and streams across many counties in New Hampshire. Damage to roads and bridges was extreme with repair costs in the millions.
• Flash Flooding in New Hampshire, August 28 to 29, 2011$14 million · 10 eventsTropical Storm Irene moved north through central and western New England bringing wind and very heavy rain to New Hampshire.
• Flooding in New Hampshire, August 28 to 29, 2011$7.0 million · 11 eventsHeavy rain from Tropical Storm Irene caused widespread flooding on many main stem rivers across New Hampshire. Damage to roads and bridges was extreme with repair costs well over six million dollars.
• Flash Flooding and Flooding in New York, August 28 to 29, 20112 deaths · $54 million · 53 kt wind · 6 eventsTropical Storm Irene moved across southeast New York and southwest New England during the morning hours of August 28th and then proceeded to track north along the Connecticut River Valley in Vermont during the afternoon and evening.
• Flash Flooding in Maine, August 28, 2011$1.4 million · 10 eventsTropical Storm Irene moving north through western New England produced very heavy rain across western Maine. Flash flooding in the northwestern part of the state resulted in over a million dollars in damages to roads and bridges in Oxford and Franklin Counties.
• Flooding in Maine, August 28, 2011$70,000 · 2 eventsTropical Storm Irene moving north through western New England resulted in very heavy rainfall in western Maine. Small rivers and streams throughout Oxford and Franklin counties flooded resulting in numerous road washouts.
• Flooding in Maine, August 28 to 30, 2011$25,000 · 7 eventsTropical Storm Irene moving north through western New England resulted in very heavy rainfall across western Maine. Several main stem rivers rose above flood stage resulting in little if any damage.
• Tropical Storm in New Jersey, August 28, 20115 eventsAs Hurricane Irene moved north along the Atlantic coast and interacted with land, it weakened and made its second landfall as a Tropical Storm near Little Egg Inlet along the southeast NJ Coast on August 28, 2011 around 5:35 am EDT.
• Tropical Storm and Flash Flood in Maine, August 28, 201116 eventsHurricane Irene made a final landfall around New York City as a Category 1 hurricane then weakened to a tropical storm while lifting northeast across New England.
• Flash Flood in Colorado, August 28, 20111 eventSubtropical moisture and daytime heating provided the ingredients that resulted in a thunderstorm with heavy rainfall that produced flash flooding in Haflin Creek.
• Flash Flooding and Damaging Winds in Utah, August 28 to 30, 201157 kt wind · 8 eventsThe return of monsoon moisture in the last week of August led to widespread showers and thunderstorms across the state of Utah, with some of these storms becoming severe or producing flash floods.
• Flood and Heavy Rain in Nebraska, August 29 to 30, 2011$1.1 million · 7 eventsAlthough severe weather in the form of hail or damaging winds was not an issue, thunderstorms, some producing flooding rains, were widespread across South Central Nebraska between the evening of Monday the 29th and pre-dawn hours of Tuesday the 30th.
• Tornado and Flash Flooding in Nebraska, August 29, 2011EF0 · 10 eventsAfternoon thunderstorms produced torrential rainfall, which caused flash flooding in southern Cheyenne County, as well as some reports of large hail and wind damage over portions of the western Panhandle. A tornado was also spotted by the public south of Chadron.
• Heavy Rain in North Carolina, August 29, 20112 eventsIsolated thunderstorms near a stationary boundary produced some heavy rain and a funnel cloud across portions of northeast North Carolina.
• Flash Flood and Hail in North Carolina, August 29, 2011$30,000 · 1.75 in hail · 21 eventsA shortwave trough overspread a stalled surface front during peak heating. Scattered thunderstorms developed along the low-level baroclinic frontal zone, with the severe storms producing damaging thunderstorm wind gusts and quarter to half dollar size hail.
• Flash Flood and Hail in Colorado, August 29, 2011$15,000 · 1.25 in hail · 5 eventsSevere thunderstorms produced large hail, ranging from quarter to half dollar size, and very heavy rain. A wet microburst associated with one of the storms produced flash flooding south of Ovid. The heavy rain washed out a portion of County Road 29, reducing it to one lane.
• Flash Flood and Damaging Winds in South Carolina, August 29, 201155 kt wind · 10 eventsThe combination of a strong shortwave approaching from the west and nice dewpoint boundary over the Midlands produced scattered thunderstorms. A few of these storms became severe producing damaging winds and small hail.

Every billion-dollar disasterEvery storm of 2011The 2011 hurricane seasonTornadoes in 2011

NOAA NCEI, U.S. Billion-Dollar Weather and Climate Disasters (2025), https://doi.org/10.25921/stkw-7w73, and the Storm Events Database for the episodes.