More people died of heat last year than from any other weather disaster, statistics from the National Weather Service show.
For 2021, 190 heat-related deaths were reported in the U.S. The next-highest weather-related killer was flooding, which was responsible for 146 deaths.
According to a technical paper from the Environmental Protection Agency, extreme heat events have become more frequent in the United States in recent decades, and studies project that the frequency and intensity of extreme heat events will continue to increase as a consequence of climate change.
Here's the chart from the NWS:
The U.S. Natural Hazard Statistics provide statistical information on fatalities, injuries, and damages caused by weather related hazards, the website states. These statistics are compiled from information contained in Storm Data, a database comprising information from NWS forecast offices in the 50 states, Puerto Rico, Guam, and the Virgin Islands.
The NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information offers a searchable database for weather events here: Storm Events Database.
