Why New-Year Weather Feels Different Even If It Isn’t — Expectation Bias
Why New-Year Weather Feels Different Even If It Isn’t — Expectation Bias
IN · Published Jan 7, 2026
Expectation bias influences how we perceive New Year weather, often making it feel different even if it's statistically normal.
Nostalgia, media influence, and personal experiences shape our weather expectations, amplifying the effects of expectation bias.
Consulting reliable weather data and being mindful of personal expectations can help mitigate the effects of expectation bias.
New-Year weather perception and expectation bias
As the New Year rolls around, many of us find ourselves reflecting on the past year and anticipating what the future holds. This sense of reflection often extends to our perception of the weather. Have you ever felt that the weather during the New Year period is somehow different, even if the meteorological data suggests otherwise? This phenomenon can often be attributed to a cognitive bias known as expectation bias.
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