Alva Review-Courier -

WASHINGTON (AP) — Howling winds, deadly floods, fire and ice so far this year have pushed the U.S. into a tie for weather disasters that topped in $1 billion in damages.

There have been 15 costly disasters through September, tying 2011 for the most billion-dollar weather disasters for the first nine months of a year. The record for a year is 16, and the hurricane season is not over yet.

The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration released the figures Friday that include three hurricanes, three tornado outbreaks, four severe storms, two floods, a drought, a freeze and wildfires.

NOAA cl...