Climate change helps explain why this US cold snap feels so harsh

Experts say fewer very cold days in recent decades, combined with human adaptation to milder winters, makes this cold snap feel more intense for many Americans; data show a national decline in subfreezing days and larger regional drops in places like Albany.

Winter weather across much of the United States has brought a prolonged cold snap, and many people are reporting that it feels unusually harsh. Climate scientists and behavior researchers say two factors help explain that perception: a long-term trend toward fewer very cold days, and human psychological adaptation to milder winters. Analyses from organizations such as Climate Central show a decline in the number of subfreezing days per year in recent decades, and some localities have experienced larger drops. Experts note that the first days of a deep freeze often feel more shocking when people have had less frequent exposure to extreme cold. Key points: - Experts say fewer bone-chilling days over recent decades has reduced everyday exposure to severe cold, so an occasional deep freeze can feel more intense. - Climate Central data indicate about four fewer subfreezing days per year across the U.S. between 2001–2025 compared with the previous 25 years. - Some regions show larger changes; for example, Albany recorded about 11 fewer subfreezing days in the last 25 years than in the prior quarter century. - Reporting notes infrastructure strains in typically warmer areas and more than 110 deaths linked to winter storms and freezing temperatures since January. Summary: Many people feel this cold snap more acutely because milder recent winters have reduced routine exposure to extreme cold, and psychological adaptation means early days of a freeze are felt more strongly. Observed data show a national decline in subfreezing days with regional variation. Undetermined at this time.