As we enter the 2020s and bid adieu to 2010s, let’s look back at what is the biggest weather events of the decade from 2010 to 2019. It is hard to believe that 2010s went by fast. Time sure flies fast. I am going to go by death toll and scope of the event.
1.) 2010 Haitian Earthquake-Claimed 100,000 to 316,000 lives, making it one of the deadliest disasters in history. Haiti is one of the poorest nations in the world. The poor housing conditions make the death toll much higher. The earthquake flattens Port-au-Prince as the epicenter is just west of the city. The Haitian Earthquake is the deadliest disaster of the 2010s. It is also the deadliest disaster in the Western Hemisphere and Americas.
2.) 2011 Tōhoku Earthquake And Tsunami-A powerful earthquake sets off monster tsnuamis that inundate Japan. The tsunami claim 15,901 lives with 2,529 missing, which brings the death toll to as high as 18,430. It also causes Fukushima Daiichi nuclear disaster, in which three reactors explode. Fukushima is the worst since Chernobyl in 1986. Radiation levels are higher than normal throughout the Pacific Ocean, especially around Japan and Korea. The Tōhoku Earthquake And Tsunami is the second deadliest disaster of the 2010s.
3.) 2015 Gorkha Earthquake-Struck Nepal with the epicenter in the Himalayas. The earthquake is felt in India, China, and Bangladesh. It flattens Kathmandu and did $10 billion of damages or half of Nepal’s GDP. The earthquake claims 8,964 lives. To make matters worse, a strong aftershock strike a month after the April earthquake. It claims 218 lives. The 2015 Gorkha Earthquake is the third deadliest disaster of 2010s.
4.) Super Typhoon Haiyan-The super typhoon makes landfall on Leyte, Philippines as a powerful Category 5 super typhoon. The storm inundates with massive storm surge that behave more like tsunamis. Most of the death are from deadly storm surge as it claims 6,352 lives and leave 1,071 missing. That brings the death toll as high as 7,423. Haiyan is the deadliest tropical cyclone of the 2010s. It is the fourth deadliest disaster of the 2010s.
5.) 2018 Sulawesi Earthquake And Tsunami-A strong earthquake strike Sulawesi, Indonesia, which set off tsunami despite being a strike-slip earthquake. They do not produce large tsunami. The earthquake likely triggers a underwater landslide and rise of the seafloor, which made the tsunami more likely. The tsunami claims 4,340 people with 667 missing. The death toll could be as high as 5,007.
6.) Hurricane Maria-Makes landfall as a strong Category 4/5 hurricane on Puerto Rico. It ravages Puerto Rico with strong winds, high waves, storm surge, and heavy rain of up to 39 inches. The hurricane destroy most of Puerto Rico’s infrastructure and cut off communications. Once Maria passes, a total of 3,059 lives are lost, including 2,975 lives in Puerto Rico. 65 people remain missing, which may bring the death toll to 3,124. It is also the second costliest Atlantic hurricane after Katrina and Harvey.
7.) Cyclone Idai-The deadly tropical cyclone makes landfall on Mozambique as a Category 3 tropical cyclone. It ravages Mozambique with strong winds, heavy rain, high waves, and storm surge. As it traverses over Mozambique, it goes into Zimbabwe. It dumps heavy rain over a large area leading to massive flooding. Once Idai fizzles out, it claims 1,303 lives and leaves at least 2,262 missing. The number of missing is high in Momzambique, which brings the death toll to at least 3,565. Idai is the deadliest African and Southwest Indian Ocean tropical cyclone. It is the second deadliest tropical cyclone in the Southern Hemisphere after the 1973 Flores Cyclone, which struck Flores Island.
8.) Hurricane Harvey-This devastating hurricane made landfall on Texas as a Category 4 hurricane. It is the first major hurricane to make landfall on the Continental US since Wilma in 2005. The hurricane lingers over Texas for the next five days dumping heavy rain over a large area of Texas and Louisiana. Harvey dumps up to 70 inches of rain once it is all over. The deluge claims 107 lives including 103 in Texas. Harvey does $125 billion in damages, which ties with Katrina in 2005.
9.) Hurricane Dorian-The powerful Category 5 hurricane ravage Bahamas with powerful winds, heavy rain, high waves, and massive storm surge for couple of days. The Bahamas experience major hurricane force winds for a couple of days. Many buildings are destroyed and people are swept out to the ocean. Once Dorian left Bahamas, it heads for the US. Dorian makes landfall on North Carolina as a Category 2 hurricane. Once it is all over, 80 people die, including 70 in the Bahamas. There are 282 people missing in the Bahamas, which likely brings the death toll to 352. However, the death toll is likely higher with many unaccounted for due to deadly storm surge and waves.
10.) Hurricane Michael-The hurricane made landfall as a Category 5 on the Florida Panhandle. The last time a Category 5 hurricane made landfall on the Lower 48 is Andrew in 1992. Michael produces deadly storm surge that flatten Mexico Beach. Once Michael passes, it claims 74 lives, including 59 in Florida.
Honorable Mentions
2011 Super Outbreak-Largest tornado outbreak since 1974. Epic tornado outbreak strikes the South, Midwest, and Northeast with monster tornadoes. The tornado outbreak produces 360 tornadoes and claims 324 lives including 24 who are not killed by tornadoes. The super outbreak claims 348 lives, mainly in Alabama.
2011 Joplin Tornado-Monster tornado strikes Joplin, which is an EF-5. EF-5 is the strongest tornado. The monster tornado flattens a large area of Joplin. Once the tornado passes, it claims 158 lives and eight indirectly, bringing the death toll to 166.
Hurricane Sandy-First made landfall on Cuba as a Category 3 hurricane. It expands and becomes Super Storm Sandy before making landfall near Atlantic City. It ravages the entire East Coast with strong wind, heavy rain, snow, and storm surge. The New York City area is flooded by storm surge from Sandy. Snow fall over the mountains of North Carolina and West Virginia. Once Sandy passes, 233 people die, including 157 in America, mainly in New York and New Jersey.
Super Typhoon Bopha-The super typhoon makes landfall on Baganga, Mindanao, Philippines as a power Category 5 super typhoon. It ravages Mindanao with strong winds, heavy rain, and high waves. Many areas are flooded from the Bopha. Bopha claims 1,901 lives, making it one of the deadliest Philippine typhoons.
Hurricane Florence-Hurricane Florence is a Category 4 hurricane that makes landfall as a Category 1 hurricane on Wrightsville Beach, North Carolina. It lingers over North Carolina dumping heavy rain in excess of 36 inches. It leads to massive flooding in North Carolina and South Carolina. Once it is all over, Florence claims 54 lives.
Super Typhoon Yutu-It makes landfall as a Category 5 Super Typhoon on Tinian, Saipan. It happens two weeks after Category 5 Hurricane Michael made landfall on Florida. Two people die in Saipan from Yutu. Yutu made moved westward and makes landfall on Isabella, Philippines as a Category 3 typhoon claiming 27 lives.
Tropical Storm Imelda-Imelda suddenly forms south of Galveston. It makes landfall near Freeport as a tropical storm. Imelda lingers over Texas for the next two days dumping over 43 inches of rain! It leads to massive flooding in Southeast Texas as they are still recovering from Harvey. Imelda claims five lives.
These are the top 10 weather events of the 2010s I included honorable mentions. They are based on death toll and scope of the disaster. Haitian Earthquake is the deadliest disaster of the 2010s. The Japanese Tsunami did a lot of damage and led to Fukushima Disaster, which is the worst since Chernobyl. The Nepal Earthquake cost half of Nepal’s economy. Harvey flooded out the Houston area with heavy rain that lasted for days.
Texas Hurricane 