Extreme Weather and Climate Change in the American Mind

A September 2012 survey indicates that 74% of Americans believe global warming is affecting U.S. weather, with a majority attributing the severity of recent extreme events—such as the 2012 summer heat and Midwest drought—to climate change. Public perception of worsening weather and local heat waves has increased since March 2012, particularly in the Midwest and Northeast, with 20% of respondents reporting health, property, or financial harm from heat waves in the past year.

• A growing majority of Americans believe global warming impacts U.S. weather, with 74% agreeing this is the case, representing a 5-point increase from March 2012. This connection was strongest regarding the record high temperatures of summer 2012, which 73% of respondents linked to global warming.
• Public perception that U.S. weather has worsened over recent years rose to 61% (up 9 percentage points since March). Additionally, 58% of Americans believe local heat waves have become more common over the last few decades, with the most significant increases in perception occurring in the Midwest (+15 points) and Northeast (+12 points).
• Personal experiences with extreme weather increased significantly in the Midwest, where 83% reported experiencing a heat wave and 81% reported a drought in the past year. Nationally, 20% of Americans reported suffering harm to their finances, property, or health due to a heat wave, and 15% reported similar harm from a drought.

APA

Team, M. 4. (2012). Extreme Weather and Climate Change in the American Mind. Center for Climate Change Communication. https://climatecommunication.gmu.edu/all/extreme-weather-and-climate-change-in-the-american-mind-september-2012/

Chicago

Team, Mason 4C. Extreme Weather and Climate Change in the American Mind. Center for Climate Change Communication, 2012. https://climatecommunication.gmu.edu/all/extreme-weather-and-climate-change-in-the-american-mind-september-2012/.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |last1=Team |first1=Mason 4C |title=Extreme Weather and Climate Change in the American Mind |publisher=Center for Climate Change Communication |date=7 September 2012 |url=https://climatecommunication.gmu.edu/all/extreme-weather-and-climate-change-in-the-american-mind-september-2012/ |access-date=23 October 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{team2012extreme, author = {Team, Mason 4C}, title = {{Extreme Weather and Climate Change in the American Mind}}, institution = {Center for Climate Change Communication}, year = {2012}, month = sep, url = {https://climatecommunication.gmu.edu/all/extreme-weather-and-climate-change-in-the-american-mind-september-2012/}, urldate = {2026-10-23}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }