Extreme weather is changing how Americans see the world

A new nationwide survey from Gallup and the Walton Family Foundation finds that almost four in ten Americans now say they've experienced damage from extreme weather in recent years, a record high and up 5 percent from 2023. But the effect isn't quite what you'd expect: people who report storm or flood damage are more likely to say they feel "pushed by circumstances beyond their control" rather than feeling motivated to act. Among that group, 38 percent said they feel at the mercy of outside forces, 9 points higher than among people who haven't experienced a disaster.

Oddly, this loss of a sense of control didn't change other attitudes. People who'd been through extreme weather were no more likely to want to move, no more or less confident their community was prepared for future events, and no different in their outlook on the future. The one thing that shifted was their sense of personal agency. The survey also found big regional gaps in who reports damage: 58 percent in the region covering Kentucky, Tennessee, Alabama, and Mississippi, versus just 24 percent in the Mountain West, even though nearly everyone in dry or hot regions has technically lived through drought or heat extremes. That suggests people mainly count "damage" when it's visible destruction, like a flooded home or downed power lines.

For homeowners, the takeaway isn't about upgrades or rebates, but about a broader pattern: as extreme weather becomes more common, other research cited here suggests it tends to erode trust in government rather than spur people toward collective action or advocacy for stronger building or disaster policies.