Extreme weather impacts in households with young children

Key points:

• Weather-related disruptions are common for families nationwide.
• Families report both health impacts and financial costs from extreme weather.
• Parents express widespread concerns about air and water quality affecting their children.

Extreme weather events are increasingly frequent, with NOAA documenting more than 500 events across the country between January 2026 and March 2026 alone.^[1] This issue brief presents an overview of families’ experiences with extreme weather, using August 2025 RAPID national survey responses from parents of children under age 6. RAPID defines extreme weather events as tornadoes, hurricanes, tropical storms, flooding, drought, abnormally warm/cold weather, and wildfires. (Note: Stanford Center on Early Childhood issue briefs, like this one, report current RAPID national survey data on key early childhood issues for policymakers, updated twice annually.)

Two-thirds of surveyed families experience extreme weather events

About two in three (64%) surveyed families reported facing extreme weather in the past two years. The most common types were unusually warm weather (57%), unusually cold weather (34%), and flooding (33%). A parent in New Hampshire expressed, “Extreme weather has made it harder to keep our home comfortable for our baby, and power outages disrupt feeding and sleep routines.”

Extreme weather affects family health

Three in five (60%) surveyed parents reported their health had been negatively affected by extreme weather. More than half (57%) of surveyed parents reported their children’s physical health was affected. The biggest household impact was spending less time outside (61%). A parent in Washington said, “We stayed inside due to the air quality. The kids had a cough and hurt eyes.”

Families face financial strain from extreme weather

Families also faced weather-related economic impacts: 72% said their electricity costs were higher, 20% reported home damage, and 18% faced increased home insurance costs. A parent in Nebraska wrote, “Bills are higher and higher every year. Kids also seem frightened of the severity and frequency of extreme weather events.” A California parent explained, “During particularly severe weather events, we’ve faced the challenge of deciding whether to evacuate, which has been stressful and logistically difficult.” A Georgia parent shared their experience, “The flooding post-hurricane has caused water intrusion in our basement and potentially mold.”

Parents describe concerns about extreme weather and environmental conditions affecting their children

67% of surveyed parents reported concerns about the environment around their home and its impact on their children. Nearly half were bothered by the air quality (44%) and drinking water quality (44%). Additionally, 78% of parents who reported being exposed to extreme weather worry about extreme weather’s impact on their children’s future. A parent in South Carolina said, “I am worried for our children and future generations’ health and safety if it gets any hotter.” Another parent in Oregon shared, “Poor air quality makes me worry about my child’s lungs.”

Conclusion

Parents report widespread exposure to extreme weather and environmental concerns that affect their children’s health and their household finances, pointing to the urgent need for policies that mitigate the impact of the changing climate and programs that support families before, during, and after extreme weather events.

Sample description
This analysis on RAPID data is based on responses collected from 1,739 caregivers in August 2025. These caregivers represent a range of voices: 29.8% are Black, 32.9% are Latinx, and 25.6% live below 200% of the federal poverty level. We weight data to reflect the real-time makeup of U.S. families with children under age 6.

Definition
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) is a federal agency that monitors weather, climate, and ocean conditions.

^[1] NOAA Storm Events Database query for extreme weather events across the U.S., January 1-March 31, 2026. Events included drought, excessive heat, extreme cold/wind chill, flash flood, flood, heat, heavy snow, hurricane, ice storm, tornado, tropical storm, wildfire, winter storm, and winter weather.