More than six in ten Americans (64%) think global warming is affecting weather in the United States, including more than half (56%) who think global warming is affecting U.S. weather either “a lot” (31%) or “some” (25%).
About three in ten Americans (31%) think global warming is affecting weather “a lot.”
Nearly two in three Americans (64%) think global warming made melting of the Greenland ice sheets worse, and half or more think global warming made this summer’s European heat waves (55%) and wildfires in California (50%) worse. Fewer think global warming made flooding in the U.S. Midwest (46%), Hurricane Dorian (44%), or forest fires in the Brazilian Amazon (42%) worse. Very few Americans (17%) think global warming made the flight of refugees from Central American countries worse.
A majority of Americans are at least “a little worried” about extreme events in their local areas, including extreme heat (64%), droughts (60%), flooding (58%), and/or water shortages (54%). Fewer are worried about wildfires (43%), hurricanes (40%), and/or reduced snow pack (37%).
A majority of Americans (56%) think extreme weather poses either a “high” (18%) or “moderate” (38%) risk to their community over the next 10 years. Fewer (37%) think extreme weather poses either a “low” risk (31%) or “no” risk (7%).