When I think about the biggest climate disasters, coastal areas that have been devastated by hurricanes come to mind, but did you know that it's Missouri and Illinois that rank above almost all other states when it comes to catastrophic (and costly) weather events?

Get our free mobile app

Forbes just shared a fascinating new ranking of where the biggest climate disasters happen and how much they cost. Near the top of the list, you'll find Illinois at #2 and Missouri at #3.

How could Illinois and Missouri possibly rank so high for catastrophic weather compared to the coastal states?

Forbes shared some staggering numbers. Their data counts 52 climate disasters in Illinois over the past decade at a cost of $35 billion. Missouri nearly matches that with 51 climate disasters costing $15 billion.

The data counts severe storms like tornadoes, droughts, winter storms and flooding as part of their methodology. Looking through that lens, it's understandable how both Missouri and Illinois come up at the top of this awful ranking with the many tornadoes and flooding events on the Mississippi River that we've lived through.

The staggering part of this new Forbes study is this doesn't even include the catastrophic tornado in Joplin since it happened more than a decade ago in 2011.

For the record, Texas was #1 in America for climate disasters factoring in the many strong hurricanes that have made landfall there and their violent tornadoes.

The entire Forbes ranking is an interesting look into where weather disasters happen and what their consequences are.

LOOK: The most expensive weather and climate disasters in recent decades

Stacker ranked the most expensive climate disasters by the billions since 1980 by the total cost of all damages, adjusted for inflation, based on 2021 data from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA). The list starts with Hurricane Sally, which caused $7.3 billion in damages in 2020, and ends with a devastating 2005 hurricane that caused $170 billion in damage and killed at least 1,833 people. Keep reading to discover the 50 of the most expensive climate disasters in recent decades in the U.S.

More From 97 ZOK