According to an analysis that gives the first evaluation of wind risk in an era of climate change, more than 32 million properties on the Atlantic and Gulf coasts are at risk of hurricane wind damage.

Aftermath of hurricane Michael
K.C. WILSEY, FEMA

In its annual study on storm risk, real estate analytics firm CoreLogic Inc. stated that the at-risk homes have a total worth of $8.5 trillion.

Property Risk Analysis

CoreLogic, a major property risk analyst, has previously calculated solely possible storm surge damage from storms in its hurricane reports. According to CoreLogic, storm surge is less of a concern than wind, which estimates that $1.9 trillion in property might be damaged by storm surge during the Atlantic hurricane season, which officially began yesterday.

"It's critical for people to understand: Is this a dual danger, or should I be concerned more about the wind?" Tom Larsen, the CEO of CoreLogic, echoed this sentiment.

Vulnerable Properties

2020 Atlantic Hurricane Season Officially Ends
Highly-destructive hurricanes wreaked havoc on many communities including the islands of San Andres, Providencia, and Santa Catalina. Diego Cuevas, Getty Images

Most properties that are vulnerable to storm surges are also vulnerable to hurricane wind damage.

The possibility of wind damage has significant ramifications for insurance firms, as wind damage is covered by conventional home policies. Flood damage, on the other hand, is typically excluded from most homeowner insurance, forcing many individuals to purchase supplemental insurance to cover flood damage.

According to the CoreLogic analysis, "as storms get more powerful, property losses will continue to rise, and the insurance sector will face significant financial implications."

Worsening Storms

Colombia: Heavy Rains Causes Floods and Landslides in Northern Areas
General view of destroyed houses and debris caused by Hurricane Iota in the city center on November 21, 2020 in Providencia Island, Colombia. The islands of San Andres, Providencia and Santa Catalina were hit by Hurricane Iota in the early hours of Monday 16th as a category 5 storm, the strongest to affect the country since records are kept. The islands' economy depends on the tourism industry which has been suffering due to coronavirus restrictions since March. According to official sources, 98% of the Providencia Island infrastructure was destroyed by Iota's winds. President Duque, now visiting San Andres Island, contacted the US government for humanitarian help and assistance in hurricane crisis management. (Photo by Diego Cuevas/Getty Images) Getty images

As storms produce more rainfall and sea levels rise, storm surge becomes more intense, and climate change and development patterns increase property destruction. According to CoreLogic, weather-related losses in the United States have climbed by 70 percent to 90 percent per decade since the 1980s.

The paper states, "And this tendency isn't slowing." "As climate change continues to alter the behavior of storms, the danger in these hurricane-prone locations will grow."

Metropolitans in Risk

Hurricane Zeta Fifth Storm That is Named that Hit Louisiana in 2020
Joel Martinez, who until just recently lived in the lower apartment, makes a photo of Washington Garden's Apartments after it collapsed from the winds brought by Hurricane Zeta in New Orleans, Louisiana, U.S. October 28, 2020. REUTERS/Kathleen Flynn Reuters Connect

People shifting from "expensive metropolitan regions to high-risk, more cheap coastal locales" is also contributing to the rising damage. "These locations are often low-lying, hurricane-prone, and especially vulnerable to climate-related variables such as sea-level rise, significant rainfall events, and probable increases in hurricane intensity," says the report.

According to CoreLogic, the New York City metropolitan region, which includes sections of New Jersey but not Long Island, continues to be the most financially vulnerable to hurricane damage, with $1.7 trillion in property at risk. That's more than quadruple the $555 billion in property at risk in Miami, which comprises the counties of Miami-Dade, Broward, and Palm Beach in Florida.

Six of the ten metropolitan areas with the highest storm risk are in Florida. Tampa, Fort Myers, Bradenton, Jacksonville, and Naples are among the cities at risk, in addition to Miami.

Danger Assessment

Hurricane Iota  Brings Death and Devastation Across Central America
Men collect debris from houses toppled by catastrophic winds of Hurricana Iota on November 17, 2020 in Puerto Cabezas, Nicaragua . After hitting Colombian Islands of Providencia and San Andres, Hurricane Iota made landfall in Haulover, Nicaragua, on Monday night as a category 4 storm. Now is moving inland Central America threatening Honduras, Nicaragua and El Salvador. (Photo by Maynor Valenzuela/Getty Images) Getty images

New Orleans, which is rated; third, Virginia Beach, Va., ranked fifth, and Houston, which is rated eighth, round out the top ten.

According to the survey, urban regions confront a variety of dangers.

Storm surge and hurricane winds are expected to wreak about equal levels of damage in New Orleans.

On the other hand, hurricane winds are expected to produce roughly nine times the amount of property damage as storm surge in Houston.

According to CoreLogic's Larsen, Houston is around 12 miles inland. "During Hurricane Ike in 2008, we observed how wind can go further inland and have a significant impact on houses. Storm surge, on the other hand, will predominantly affect the coastal area."

"The residences are a lot closer to the ocean and more vulnerable" to storm surge in New Orleans.

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