How to Prepare for a Power Outage During Winter Storms

Winter storms are the leading cause of power outages in many regions. Without electricity, your home loses its primary heat source, lights go dark, and refrigerated food begins to spoil. In extreme cold, a prolonged outage can become life-threatening. Here's how to prepare.

Before the Storm

Build a Power Outage Kit:

• Flashlights and lanterns with extra batteries (avoid candles — fire risk)
• Battery-powered or hand-crank radio for weather updates
• Fully charged portable power banks for phones
• Non-perishable food that doesn't require cooking (crackers, canned goods, protein bars, dried fruit)
• Manual can opener
• Bottled water (at least 1 gallon per person per day for 3 days)
• Extra blankets, sleeping bags, and warm clothing
• First aid kit with any essential medications

Prepare Your Home:

• Charge all devices fully when a storm is forecasted
• Fill bathtubs with water for flushing toilets
• Set your freezer to its coldest setting — frozen food stays safe longer in a full freezer
• Know how to manually open your garage door
• If you have a generator, test it in advance and stock fuel safely outdoors

During the Outage

Stay Warm Without Electricity:

• Close off unused rooms to concentrate heat
• Hang blankets over windows and doorways for extra insulation
• Use sleeping bags — they retain body heat more effectively than regular blankets
• Huddle together — shared body heat makes a big difference
• Move to a single interior room on the lowest floor (heat rises, but interior rooms have less exposure to outside cold)

Food Safety:

• Keep refrigerator and freezer doors closed as much as possible
• A full freezer maintains temperature for about 48 hours; a half-full freezer for about 24 hours
• If the outage extends beyond 4 hours, move perishable food to a cooler with ice or place it outside if temperatures are consistently below 40°F (4°C)

Carbon Monoxide Safety:

• Never use gas stoves, ovens, charcoal grills, or camping stoves for indoor heating
• Never run a generator indoors — including in garages, even with the door open
• Install battery-operated carbon monoxide detectors

After Power Returns

• Check food for safety — when in doubt, throw it out
• Gradually turn on electrical devices to avoid overloading circuits
• Replenish your emergency supplies for the next event

Power outages are a serious winter risk that many underestimate. For a full breakdown of staying safe in cold conditions — at home and beyond — explore these essential extreme cold weather tips.