Mother Nature can wreak havoc on the U.S. power grid, and in 2024, there were numerous high-impact weather-related power-outages, according to Eaton.
Each year, the company lists both the most significant power outages of the year, as well as the most unusual, and it says that over the years, it has seen an increase in power disruptions due to the weather.
“While weather has always been a leading cause of outages, weather-related power outages have been on the rise,” according to Eaton’s new report. “From 2000 to 2023, about 80% of major power outages in the U.S. were due to weather events. The number of such outages in the last decade (2014-2023) was double that of the first decade of the century.”
Related Article: Power Outage Forces Los Angeles Hospital to Evacuate Hundreds of Patients
Here are the most significant power outages in America caused by weather in 2024:
1. Hurricane Helene
Late September’s Category 4 storm wreaked havoc across the southeastern U.S, causing nearly 4 million power outages and significant damage.
“The economic damage from Hurricane Helene is estimated to be as high as $200 billion, making it one of the costliest storms in U.S. history,” reports Eaton.
2. Hurricane Milton
Less than two weeks after Hurricane Helene struck, this Category 3 storm caused widespread devastation across Florida, leading to significant power outages and extensive damage. More than 3 million customers were left without power, and the hardest-hit areas included counties along Florida’s central Gulf Coast.
“The back-to-back storms of Helene and Milton left extensive damage and as communities began to rebuild, the focus was on enhancing infrastructure resilience to better withstand future storms,” claims Eaton.
3. Hurricane Beryl
In early July, Hurricane Beryl struck Texas with devastating force, making landfall as a Category 1 hurricane near Matagorda. The storm’s powerful winds and heavy rains caused widespread damage, particularly in the Houston area, where nearly 3 million people were left without power at the height of the outages.
Related Article: The Impacts of Extreme Weather on Critical IT Infrastructure
“CenterPoint Energy, the primary utility provider in the region, faced criticism for its response time and communication issues,” says the report. “Despite efforts to restore power quickly, some areas remained without electricity for over a week.”
4. Hurricane Ernesto
On August 14, Hurricane Ernesto struck Puerto Rico, causing extensive damage and power outages. The storm knocked out power for more than 700,000 customers, leading to prolonged blackouts and significant recovery efforts. The storm and subsequent outages delayed the start of the new school year for students.
5. Hurricane Kristy
In late October, rain from the remnants of Hurricane Kristy led to significant power outages, affecting thousands of Southern California residents. More than 850,000 customers were initially affected, with over 600,000 people still without power at the peak of the outages.
6. Maine’s Nor’Easter
On October 30, a powerful nor’easter hit Maine, causing significant power outages and affecting over 375,000 customers.
7. Hurricane Francine
This Category 2 storm made landfall in Louisiana on September 11, causing major power outages and affecting 327,000 southeastern residents. The storm caused significant damage to power lines and infrastructure, leading to prolonged outages to homes, businesses and schools, according to Eaton’s report.
8. Ohio Storm
On August 7, a powerful storm struck Ohio, with a particularly severe impact on the greater Cleavland area. More than 300,000 homes lost electricity, and there was significant damage to power lines and infrastructure.
9. Northwestern Bomb Cyclone
On November 20, a powerful bomb cyclone struck the Northwest, downing trees and power lines. More than 600,000 homes across multiple states, including Washington, Oregon, California and Nevada, were affected by power outages.
