My 2024 white paper on internal migration in the United States detailed the ongoing shift in population from California, the Upper Midwest, and the Northeast to the Southeast, Florida, Texas and several other Southwestern states. I ended with the caution that Americans were moving toward heat, hurricanes, drought, water shortages, flooding and wildfires. These potential disasters led me to question whether there might ultimately be a reversal of the southward migration trend. Somewhat whimsically, I suggested that people might abandon the coastlines and other popular destinations in favor of moribund cities in the northern half of the country, such as Detroit, Rochester, Buffalo and Milwaukee. While it is much too early to make a definitive call, there are some scattered signs that this shift may in fact be in its early stages. (Gasp!)

CLIMATE DISASTERS

First, let’s review the recent explosion in expensive climate related disasters. In 2024, there we