Surging Weather-related Power Outages

Between 2000 and 2021, the U.S. experienced 1,542 major weather-related power outages, with 83% of all reported major outages attributed to weather. The average annual number of these events increased by approximately 78% in the 2011-2021 decade compared to 2000-2010. Severe weather, winter weather, and tropical cyclones were the primary drivers, with the Southeast, Midwest, and Northeast regions most affected. To address these vulnerabilities, the document suggests solutions such as microgrids, smart grid technologies, grid hardening, and bidirectional charging for electric vehicles.

• Between 2000 and 2021, weather-related events accounted for approximately 83% of all reported major power outages in the U.S., where a major outage is defined as one affecting at least 50,000 customers.
• The frequency of weather-related power outages rose significantly in the second decade of the study, with the average annual number of outages increasing by roughly 78% from 2011-2021 compared to the 2000-2010 period.
• Of the 1,542 weather-related major power outages recorded from 2000-2021, 58% were caused by severe weather (such as high winds, rain, and thunderstorms), 22% by winter weather (including snow, ice, and freezing rain), and 15% by tropical storms and hurricanes. Extreme heat and wildfires caused approximately 5% of these outages.
• Geographically, the Southeast region had the highest number of weather-related major outages (474), followed by the Midwest (363) and the Northeast (346). The states with the highest number of reported weather-related outages were Texas (180), Michigan (132), California (129), North Carolina (97), and Pennsylvania (82).
• To enhance electricity security and resilience against climate-driven stresses on aging infrastructure, the document identifies several solutions: microgrids, smart grid technologies, grid hardening (such as burying transmission lines and tree trimming), bidirectional charging for electric vehicles, and demand-reduction incentives.

APA

Larson, E. (2022). Surging Weather-related Power Outages. Climate Central. https://www.climatecentral.org/climate-matters/surging-weather-related-power-outages

Chicago

Larson, Eric. Surging Weather-related Power Outages. Climate Central, 2022. https://www.climatecentral.org/climate-matters/surging-weather-related-power-outages.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |last1=Larson |first1=Eric |title=Surging Weather-related Power Outages |publisher=Climate Central |date=14 September 2022 |url=https://www.climatecentral.org/climate-matters/surging-weather-related-power-outages |access-date=23 October 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{larson2022surging, author = {Larson, Eric}, title = {{Surging Weather-related Power Outages}}, institution = {Climate Central}, year = {2022}, month = sep, url = {https://www.climatecentral.org/climate-matters/surging-weather-related-power-outages}, urldate = {2026-10-23}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }