Will extreme weather events become more common? What Americans say in a new poll

Americans see a troubling pattern in extreme weather — both in hindsight and on the horizon, according to new polling.

In the latest Ipsos/USA Today survey, most respondents said they foresee extreme weather events becoming more frequent in the years ahead.

And many report that intense occurrences — such as severe heat and worsening air quality — have grown more prevalent over the last decade.

The poll — which sampled 1,023 U.S. adults June 13-15 — was conducted ahead of the July floods in Texas, which resulted in over 100 deaths.

Here is a breakdown of the findings:

Looking ahead

When posed with the statement that “extreme weather events will become more frequent in the near future,” 58% of respondents said they agreed. This includes most Democrats and independents — 84% and 55%, respectively — and just 38% of Republicans.

It also marks a 10-point decrease from July 2023, when 68% of respondents said intense weather events would become more common.

A majority of respondents, 56%, also agreed with the statement that “humans can slow/reverse climate change but aren’t willing to change their behavior.” Again, most Democrats and independents — 83% and 55% — agreed, while one-third of Republicans, 33%, said the same.

By comparison, 63% of respondents concurred with this statement in 2023.

Meanwhile, fewer respondents agreed that it is too late to stop climate change (20%) and that people are making progress to reverse or slow climate change (18%). Similarly, 17% agreed with the statement that “it will get more difficult to stay in the area I currently live due to climate change.”

Slightly larger shares of respondents agreed with all three statements in 2023.

Looking back

Respondents were also asked whether particular weather patterns in their area had changed in frequency over the past decade.

A majority, 57%, said “unusual weather for the season” had become more prevalent, and 55% said “extreme heat” had also grown more common.

Nearly half, 49%, also pointed to a rise in “poor air quality/air pollution.”

By contrast, fewer people noticed increases in other weather hazards, according to the poll, which has a margin of error of 3.2 percentage points.

Less than four in 10 said that severe thunderstorms (39%), droughts (38%), wildfires (38%), flooding (35%), tornadoes (29%) and hurricanes (24%) had become more common.

What the data says

Data reveals that extreme weather events have indeed become more common in recent years.

According to the NOAA’s National Centers for Environmental Information (NCEI), the U.S. has experienced a sharp increase in billion-dollar weather and climate disasters.

The annual average was nine events per year from 1980–2023, but during the most recent five years (2020–2024), the average jumped to 23 events per year.

The global scientific community has also warned that warming above 1.5 degrees Celsius “risks unleashing far more severe climate change impacts and extreme weather and every fraction of a degree of warming matters,” according to the World Meteorological Organization.

This story was originally published July 10, 2025 at 9:18 AM with the headline "Will extreme weather events become more common? What Americans say in a new poll."