AccuWeather Estimates $7B in Damage and Economic Loss from North Carolina Storm

AccuWeather on Wednesday issued a preliminary estimate of the total damage and economic loss from an unnamed storm that struck North Carolina starting last week at $7 billion.

Storm effects are continuing to be felt, and some areas have yet to report complete information about damage and other impacts.

The National Hurricane Center never officially named the storm that brought one-in-1000-year extreme rainfall, severe flooding, wind gusts to nearly 80 mph and storm surge flooding to parts of North Carolina. AccuWeather rated the storm a 1 on its RealImpact Scale for Hurricanes, the second level designation on the scale. The AccuWeather scale rates storms from less-than-1 to 5, and includes wind, the extent of flooding rain and storm surge, as well as the overall damage and economic impact.

This storm comes on the heels of Hurricane Francine, which made landfall in Louisiana last week. AccuWeather experts issued an exclusive preliminary estimate of the total damage and economic loss from Francine at $9 billion, with impacts from Louisiana and Mississippi northward into the Mississippi and western Tennessee valleys. Moody’s RMS Event Response team said U.S. private market insured losses from Hurricane Francine are estimated to not exceed $2 billion.

AccuWeather’s North Carolina storm estimate largely accounts for damage to homes, businesses, infrastructure, facilities, roadways and vehicles as well as power outages, which results in food spoilage and interruption to medical care.

“From Oak Island to Seabreeze, there was a focused, intense rainband producing rates as high as 5-6 inches per hour; only about 15-20 miles in width but extending over 100 miles in length from over the Atlantic into southeast North Carolina,” AccuWeather Chief On-Air Meteorologist Bernie Rayno stated. “While there was some wind damage, it was the flooding that was catastrophic from this storm. People there are saying while it wasn’t named, it was a storm they will never forget.”