Americans’ perception is that the severity and frequency of weather events have increased over the past five years – and nearly two-thirds blame climate change.
According to a new survey by the National Hurricane Survival Initiative, 60% of Americans say weather events have become more severe and extreme events have become more frequent. That sentiment is shared across age groups, income levels, and political affiliations, and in every region of the country.
The cause of the intense weather? Almost three-quarters of Americans (72%) say climate change is contributing reason, including 44% who say it plays a large role.
Despite that, only about one-third of Americans (31%) expressed an increased level of concern that a hurricane would affect them personally. Even among those who had been personally impacted by a hurricane, less than half (47%) said their level of concern had increased in the past year.