A recent study emphasizes the importance of understanding the link between extreme weather and power outages in the context of our evolving climate for effective hazard response strategies.
A recent study published on January 22, 2025, in the open-access journal PLOS Climate by Vivian Do from Columbia University, New York, and her colleagues highlights the significance of comprehending how severe weather relates to power outages as our climate changes, which is essential for formulating hazard response plans.
In the United States, significant power outages frequently coincide with severe weather incidents. These dual occurrences can lead to serious economic impacts and health hazards, as power loss can interrupt crucial services like medical equipment, heating, air conditioning, and other essential systems. With climate change causing an increase in the intensity and frequency of severe weather, recognizing outage patterns and their distribution is vital for community readiness and effective resource management.
In their study, Do and her team collected data from 2018 to 2020 on various severe weather phenomena (including rainfall, snow, extreme heat, cold, cyclones, and wildfires) and major power outages lasting at least eight hours across over 1,600 counties in the U.S. Findings indicate that around 75% of these counties witnessed significant power outages in conjunction with severe weather events during this three-year timeframe, and more than 50% experienced outages during multiple overlapping weather phenomena.
Power outages were most frequently tied to heavy rainfall and high temperatures, although these occurrences were not evenly spread geographically. Outages linked to precipitation were more prevalent in the Northeast, while heat-related outages were predominantly seen in the Southeast. The study also noted an increasing trend in simultaneous outages and wildfires along the West Coast from 2018 to 2020.
The researchers pointed out that not all U.S. counties had reliable data available, leading to gaps in information, particularly in regions like the Southwest and Mountain West. Do and her colleagues recommend that more research be conducted to gather additional data and simulate severe weather combinations in various areas to aid in developing more effective mitigation and response strategies.
Vivian Do, the study’s lead author, stated: “Power outages often happen together with severe weather events such as heavy rain, tropical cyclones, or when several severe weather events occur at once. Understanding where and when these outages align with severe weather is essential for creating strategies that lessen societal impacts, particularly as the electrical grid ages and climate change leads to more severe weather instances.”
