New polling conducted by Data for Progress reveals that a significant majority of Americans are attributing more frequent and severe weather events to climate change, despite ongoing political efforts to downplay the issue. The survey found that approximately 61% of likely voters believe extreme weather has increased over the preceding five years, with notable differences across party lines: 72% of Democrats, 63% of Independents, and 46% of Republicans share this view.
When asked specifically about whether climate change worsens particular types of extreme weather, majorities of respondents linked the climate crisis to worsening wildfires (64%), droughts (63%), flooding (62%), hurricanes (59%), and severe thunderstorms (59%). Heat waves showed the strongest connection, with 67% attributing them to climate change—notably including 48% of Republicans, the highest cross-party agreement for any weather type surveyed. Researchers suggest that the widespread personal experience of extreme heat across regions may explain this higher consensus.
Despite this apparent growing public awareness, some climate communication experts note gaps remain in public understanding. Research from Yale indicates that while Americans increasingly connect extreme weather to climate change, many still harbor misconceptions about underlying causes, with surveys showing 27% believe warming stems from natural cycles rather than human activity.
The polling also examined support for worker protections amid rising temperatures. Approximately 88% of survey participants favor state policies requiring employers to provide heat protections including access to water, shade, rest breaks, and air conditioning. Only 7% opposed such measures, indicating broad bipartisan support. Worker safety advocates have highlighted this finding as evidence that heat protections represent a non-partisan issue, noting that public backing could strengthen arguments for federal heat safety standards that have faced implementation challenges in recent years.
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