America's current frigid weather feels uniquely severe, but experts say it's due to unusually warm recent decades making people less accustomed to such cold, a phenomenon exacerbated by climate change.
The intense cold gripping America for the past 11 days, while feeling unprecedented, is not historically unique. The first quarter of the 21st century has been unusually warm due to human-induced climate change, making prolonged cold spells unfamiliar, especially to younger generations. Experts note that because severe cold occurs less frequently, people experience it more intensely now. However, as the cold persists, adaptation will set in, much like the diminishing satisfaction of multiple bites of dessert. Recent mild winters have left Americans 'out of practice' in tolerating such extreme conditions, leading to heightened perception of its severity, as illustrated by a 78-year-old who finds this winter 'much, much colder' than he can recall.
