The difficult task of compiling a list of the 20th century's top global weather, water, and climate events was undertaken by the scientists at the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration's National Climatic Data Center in Asheville, North Carolina. After careful study of weather reports, NOAA climatologists, meteorologists, and hydrologists released their list in December, 1999. According to NOAA, "some of America's best meteorological minds each brought a prespective based upon their area of expertise to advise on this compilation." They took into consideration such factors as the event's magnitude, meteorological uniqueness, economic impact, and death toll when devising their list. Based on their tally, Thirteen Online has created a map that provides statistics about some of the storms considered to be the worst of the 20th century. To access the map, click on the Special Feature: Map of the 20th Century's Worst Storms link.