WASHINGTON — As 2026 kicks off, millions in North America are grappling with an intense cold snap. Many are remarking that it’s been years since they faced winter weather this extreme.
Chris Ferro, a 58-year-old from Brooklyn, New York, shared that pipes which hadn’t frozen in 15 years did so under the frigid temperatures of January and February.
Owning several properties in Albany, Ferro found himself unable to carry out necessary repairs or renovations because of the prolonged subzero weather.
Despite the challenges, he expressed relief that the pipes didn’t burst, recalling a bitter cold reminiscent of his childhood, which starkly contrasts with the milder winters of recent years.
According to a recent poll, about 60% of U.S. adults have been personally affected by severe winter weather or cold snaps in the past five years. This aligns with findings from an AP-NORC poll in February 2025, where roughly half reported similar experiences.
This uptick in cold weather perceptions seems to coincide with recent cold snaps, where a significant winter storm brought frigid conditions to the East Coast and caused widespread power outages across the South.
With rising global temperatures, people’s interpretations of cold winters seem subjective. Research indicates that the early 21st century was notably warmer, primarily due to climate change, marking a reduction in unusually cold winters in North America.
Since such extreme cold is becoming rarer, experts suggest that Americans now feel its impact more strongly than before, especially among younger generations.
In a summer 2024 poll, about 70% of U.S. adults reported encountering extreme heat conditions or heat waves in the past five years.
Impact of Cold Weather
A recent study highlights that cold weather has significantly disrupted lives across America over the past year.
Approximately 70% of respondents noted higher electricity and gas bills due to winter storms and the biting cold. About 40% reported school or work cancellations linked to these conditions, with roughly a third encountering power outages and 30% experiencing travel delays.
Annie Braswell, 66, from Greenville, North Carolina, described January and February as “the coldest months I’ve ever felt in 40 years,” noting that her utility bills had doubled compared to normal. This was quite a shift from the previous summer’s intense heat.
“I’m just taking it day by day, knowing there are things beyond my control,” Braswell said, attempting to cope with the ongoing cold.
With more heating and cooling needed to maintain indoor comfort during extreme weather, utility costs are naturally rising. An AP-NORC Poll from October 2025 revealed that nearly four in ten U.S. adults see their electricity bills as a primary source of stress.
Bill McKibben, a climate change activist, remarked that escalated electricity costs will likely have significant societal impacts.
The effects of the cold were notably widespread, with around 60% of adults in the Midwest and half in the South reporting work or school cancellations due to severe weather, in contrast to less than 15% in the West.
Extreme Cold and Climate Change
About two-thirds of individuals who have faced severe weather events in recent years—ranging from heatwaves to storms—attribute these changes to climate change.
Joseph Byrd, a 21-year-old college student from Provo, Utah, expressed, “I think climate change is a natural occurrence… it’s been exacerbated by various factors, including emissions from industries.” He expects that extreme weather events will become more frequent.
While 80% of U.S. adults have experienced severe weather in the last five years, reports of extreme heat or cold have been more common compared to events like droughts or wildfires. The political divide is notable, with Democrats and independents much more likely than Republicans to link severe weather to climate change.
Rising atmospheric temperatures are connected to global warming, yet the recent outbreaks of extreme cold in North America highlight the complex relationship between climate change and weather patterns.
The polar vortex—an area of low pressure and cold air usually confined to the North Pole—has been disrupted more frequently, according to scientific studies, largely due to rising Arctic temperatures and diminishing sea ice.
Experiences of Extreme Weather
In summary, a significant majority of U.S. adults (80%) have encountered some type of severe weather recently. Notably, experiences of extreme cold and heat are particularly prevalent compared to other severe weather occurrences.
While there aren’t striking partisan differences regarding experiences of extreme weather, about 80% of Democrats attribute these conditions to climate change, versus around 40% of Republicans.
