Rising Impact of Cold Weather and Climate Change Perceptions

A recent poll from The Associated Press-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research indicates that approximately 6 in 10 U.S. adults have been personally affected by severe cold weather or winter storms in the past five years. This represents an increase from a similar poll in February 2025 where about half of U.S. adults reported such experiences. The findings highlight an increasing prevalence, or at least public perception, of cold weather events, following a significant winter storm that impacted the East Coast and caused power outages in the South.

The findings highlight an increasing prevalence, or at least public perception, of cold weather events, following a significant winter storm that impacted the East Coast and caused power outages in the South.

Despite a general global warming trend, scientific research suggests that extremely cold winters are occurring less frequently in North America. Experts propose that the reduced frequency contributes to a heightened perception of intensity when these events do occur, particularly for younger generations unfamiliar with prolonged cold spells. Separately, a summer 2024 AP-NORC poll found that 7 in 10 U.S. adults had experienced extreme heat waves in the prior five years.

Impact of Cold Weather

The recent survey details multiple disruptions caused by cold weather in the past year:

• About 7 in 10 Americans reported higher electricity or gas bills due to winter storms or extreme cold.
• Approximately 4 in 10 experienced work or school cancellations.
• Roughly one-third endured power outages.
• About 3 in 10 faced travel cancellations or delays.

Higher utility bills resulting from increased heating and cooling demands due to extreme temperatures are a significant concern. An October 2025 AP-NORC poll indicated that nearly 4 in 10 U.S. adults consider electricity costs a major source of stress. The effects of cold weather varied geographically, with 6 in 10 Midwesterners, half of Southerners, and 4 in 10 Northeasterners reporting work or school cancellations, compared to 15% in the West.

Climate Change Link

Among those who experienced any severe weather event—including extreme heat, cold, droughts, hurricanes, flooding, wildfires, or tornadoes—about two-thirds believe climate change was a contributing factor.

Joseph Bird, a college student, stated that climate change is a natural process potentially accelerated by factors such as industrial pollutants, leading to increased frequency of extreme weather.

A notable difference in perception exists along political lines:

• Democrats and independents who experienced severe weather are more likely than Republicans to attribute it to climate change.
• Approximately 3 in 10 conservative Republicans who experienced extreme weather believe it was climate change-related, while a majority of liberal Democrats hold this view.

Scientific research indicates that while global warming leads to rising atmospheric temperatures, extreme cold outbreaks in North America can also be a feature of climate change. Disruptions to the Arctic polar vortex, typically a stable area of cold air over the North Pole, are occurring more frequently. These disruptions allow cold air to extend further south and are linked to rapidly warming Arctic temperatures and shrinking sea ice.

Overall, 80% of U.S. adults have experienced some form of severe weather in the past five years, with extreme heat and cold being the most commonly reported. While experiences of extreme weather show no significant partisan differences, there is a clear divide in attributing these events to climate change, with 8 in 10 Democrats linking them compared to 4 in 10 Republicans.