Why more Americans are dying from the cold

Despite global warming trends, cold-related deaths in the United States are on the rise. Counterintuitive as it seems, new research highlights the growing risk of extreme cold on public health. This alarming phenomenon reveals a complex interplay of climate change, social factors, and economic disparities, creating a dangerous landscape for vulnerable populations.

The Cold Truth: Rising Death Rates

A study published in the Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA) reveals that cold-related deaths more than doubled between 1999 and 2022, with most of the increase occurring over the past six years. In 2022 alone, 3,571 people succumbed to cold-related causes, significantly surpassing the year’s 1,700 heat-related deaths.

Regions like the Midwest and populations aged 75 and older are disproportionately affected, highlighting the challenges posed by aging demographics and colder climates.

Homelessness and Cold Exposure: A Collision of Risks

The U.S. faces an escalating homelessness crisis, with a federal report noting an 18% surge in homelessness between 2023 and 2024—the largest one-year increase on record. This troubling trend compounds cold-related risks, as those without shelter are highly susceptible to hypothermia and frostbite.

Older individuals living on the streets face a double threat: aging bodies struggle to regulate temperature, and preexisting conditions like heart or respiratory issues exacerbate vulnerability to extreme cold.

Climate Change’s Paradoxical Role

While winters are generally warming, cold snaps remain deadly. Factors like the polar vortex—periodically sending frigid Arctic air southward—raise questions about climate change’s role in intensifying extreme weather.

Although there’s debate about the direct connection, scientists agree that shifting atmospheric patterns and stronger snowstorms could result from rapid Arctic warming.

Protecting Yourself in Extreme Cold

Preparedness is essential during cold snaps:

1. Stay Indoors: Limit outdoor exposure during severe weather.
2. Dress in Layers: Cover exposed skin to prevent frostbite and hypothermia.
3. Check on Vulnerable Neighbors: Particularly elderly individuals or those living alone.
4. Seek Shelter: Cities must provide accessible warming centers for at-risk populations, especially the homeless.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) advises against using hot water to warm frostbitten areas; instead, use warm water and seek medical attention promptly.

This rising death toll underscores systemic failures to address preventable cold-related deaths. Greater investment in affordable housing, public health initiatives, and climate resilience strategies is imperative. As lead researcher Michael Liu aptly states, “It feels unacceptable that in the U.S., the vast majority of these deaths are completely preventable.”