Wake Up at 5 AM to Walk? Extreme Heat Is Upending American Lives, But Climate Denial Lingers
(SeaPRwire) –
By: Jonathan Barrett
Elisa Bracamonte has lived in Arizona her whole life, so she’s long adjusted to summer heat. Now, at 74, she wakes at 5 a.m. to take her daily walk before 6 a.m.—by 7 a.m., temperatures hit the 80s, making outdoor time dangerous. The retired nurse says the heat has disrupted family meetups, road trips and sleep. Her experience isn’t unique. A new AP-NORC poll shows far more Americans feel extreme heat’s personal impact than they did in July 2024.
The poll paints a clear picture of heat’s growing toll. Eight in 10 Americans say their electricity bills have been impacted, up from 69% in 2024. In the Midwest, 44% report a major impact on bills, a jump from 29% two years prior. Daemien Williams, a 50-year-old Illinois bridge inspector, says his utility costs doubled in three years, driven by higher AC usage, not just rate hikes. Four in 10 say travel plans are affected, and seven in 10 note hits to family outdoor activities.
Regional and partisan divides shape how Americans perceive these impacts. Most of the shift in reported effects comes from residents in the West and Midwest. Democrats are far more likely than Republicans to call heat’s impact major on every measured area. Sean Conway, a moderate independent leaning Republican in Massachusetts, sees minor disruptions like canceled soccer practice for his kids. He thinks people should just tough out the bad weather.
The heat’s severity isn’t a perception—it’s a fact. 2023, 2024 and 2025 rank among the three hottest years on record. The U.S. has sweltered under dangerous heat domes, with unusually high temperatures starting earlier each year. Heat kills more Americans annually than any other weather event. It fuels wildfires, strains public infrastructure, ruins crops and disrupts sports. Climate scientist Jennifer Francis says heat waves are now more frequent, intense and persistent across the West and Midwest.
Even as daily life shifts, belief in climate change remains largely stable. Only 66% of Americans say climate change is happening, a slight drop from 73% in September 2025. 17% are unsure, and 15% deny it entirely. John Hazel, a conservative Republican in Texas, remembers 100-degree days being rare as a kid—now they’re daily. He adjusts his routine but doesn’t push for systemic change. Williams, the Illinois resident, links his belief to more frequent flooding and extreme temperature swings.
American households will continue bearing the brunt of extreme heat’s costs until partisan leaders stop treating climate action as a political football and prioritize solutions that protect all communities.
Author bio: Jonathan Barrett, lead focus editor for an independent overseas public affairs weekly, covers U.S. climate policy and social impact trends.