Economic losses and business disruptions from last week’s winter storm on the Gulf Coast and Southeast are estimated between $14 billion and $17 billion.
“Travel was essentially shut down along several stretches of the I-10 corridor between Houston and New Orleans that are critical for commerce,” AccuWeather Chief Meteorologist Jonathan Porter said in a Jan. 21 statement. “Supply chain and shipping logistics have been severely disrupted.”
AccuWeather’s preliminary estimate of total damage and economic loss between $14 billion and $17 billion accounts for major travel delays and disruptions, including hundreds of flight cancellations and delays across the United States. The preliminary estimate also considers the economic toll of major airports closing during the storm, including Bush Intercontinental Airport and Hobby Airport in Houston, as well as Louis Armstrong International Airport in New Orleans.
