Growing number of Americans report experiencing extreme cold, AP-NORC poll finds

Millions of North Americans rang in 2026 confronting unusually harsh winter conditions, with many reporting the most severe cold they’ve experienced in years, according to a new nationwide survey.

“Pipes that never froze on me for 15 years froze,” said Chris Ferro, a 58-year-old Brooklyn property owner who manages several residential buildings in Albany. Ferro noted that persistent sub-freezing temperatures hampered his ability to complete repairs and renovations. The cold snap reminded him of winters from his youth, contrasting sharply with the milder winters that had become common in recent years.

According to a newly released poll from The Associated Press-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research, approximately six in ten American adults report being personally affected by severe winter weather or extreme cold within the past five years. This represents a significant increase from a similar AP-NORC poll conducted in February 2025, which found only about half of U.S. adults reported such experiences.

The findings highlight a growing perception of cold weather impacts following a massive winter storm that brought freezing temperatures to the East Coast and triggered widespread power outages across the South earlier this year.

Climate scientists emphasize that these reactions are occurring against a backdrop of global warming. Research confirms that the first quarter of the 21st century has been historically warm, primarily due to human-induced climate change, with abnormally cold winters becoming less frequent in North America. Experts suggest this reduced frequency actually intensifies people’s reactions to cold snaps, with prolonged cold periods becoming increasingly unfamiliar, particularly to younger generations of Americans.

For comparison, an AP-NORC poll from summer 2024 found about seven in ten Americans had experienced extremely hot weather or heat waves in the previous five years, indicating that Americans are confronting weather extremes at both ends of the temperature spectrum.

The economic impacts of the recent cold have been substantial. Approximately 70% of Americans report higher-than-usual electricity or gas bills due to winter storms or extreme cold in the past year alone. Around 40% experienced work or school cancellations, while one-third faced power outages. Nearly 30% dealt with travel disruptions.

Annie Braswell, 66, from Greenville, North Carolina, described January and February as feeling like “it hadn’t been that cold in 40 years,” noting her utility bills doubled compared to normal. She contrasted this with the previous summer when temperatures frequently reached or exceeded 100°F (38°C). “I just take life one day at a time, and I realize these are things that I can’t change,” Braswell said about coping with temperature extremes.

The financial strain is significant, as both heat waves and extreme cold require more energy for heating and cooling. With electricity prices rising across the U.S., an AP-NORC poll from October 2025 found that nearly 40% of Americans consider electricity costs a “major source” of stress. Bill McKibben, a prominent climate activist, told The Associated Press he anticipates rising electricity prices will have significant political ramifications.

Regional differences in weather impacts were notable. About 60% of Midwesterners, 50% of Southerners, and 40% of Northeasterners reported work or school cancellations due to winter weather, compared to just 15% of those living in the West.

The poll revealed complex perceptions regarding climate change’s role in extreme weather events. Among Americans who experienced severe weather in recent years—including extreme heat, cold, drought, hurricanes, flooding, wildfires, or tornadoes—about two-thirds believe climate change was a contributing factor.

Joseph Bird, a 21-year-old college student from Provo, Utah, who identifies as politically independent, expressed a nuanced view: “I think climate change is a natural thing that happens… to some extent it’s sped up by some things,” citing pollutants from factories and shipping. “I think it increases the frequency of extreme weather is how I’d see it.”

Political divisions remain stark, with Democrats and independents who experienced severe weather events much more likely than Republicans to attribute them to climate change. Only about 30% of conservative Republicans who experienced extreme weather events connected them to climate change, compared to the vast majority of liberal Democrats.

Climate scientists explain that while global warming is raising average atmospheric temperatures, extreme cold outbreaks across North America remain a feature of climate change. The Arctic polar vortex—a swirling area of low pressure and cold air typically confined to the North Pole—can occasionally stretch southward. Research indicates such polar vortex disruptions are occurring more frequently due to rapidly warming Arctic temperatures and diminishing sea ice.

Overall, an overwhelming 80% of American adults report experiencing some type of severe weather event in the past five years. While political affiliation doesn’t significantly affect Americans’ likelihood of experiencing extreme weather, it strongly influences their interpretation of these events—about 80% of Democrats who experienced extreme weather attributed it to climate change, compared to only 40% of Republicans.

The AP-NORC poll surveyed 1,156 adults between February 5-8 using NORC’s probability-based AmeriSpeak Panel, with a margin of sampling error of plus or minus 3.9 percentage points for adults overall.