How to prepare for winter power outages

*This article was updated on January 28, 2025 to correct the data on insured losses from winter storms in Canada in 2023

In this article:

• How climate change drives more frequent and intense winter storms
• Factors that make winter power outages more likely
• 7 tips to help you protect your home and stay safe

At the time of writing, a winter storm is tearing across the Eastern United States and Canada, and has already caused 811,000 homes and businesses across 12 states in the US to lose power in the advance of “brutal” freezing temperatures.

Winter storms and deep freezes like this can cause as much damage as a hurricane. Figures from the insurance industry show that between 2020 – 2024 they have cost an average of 8.3 billion in the US. In Canada, catastrophic losses from extreme winter weather totalled nearly half a billion in 2023 alone. 

At the same time, these storms can pose serious risks to our safety – with a single winter storm that hit Canada and the United States in December 2022 resulting in over 100 deaths.
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CLIMATE CHANGE DRIVING MORE FREQUENT AND INTENSE WINTER STORMS

Fossil fuel driven climate change is making winter storms more frequent and more intense. One of the drivers of these worsening weather events in winter is that as our atmosphere gets warmer, it holds more water. This then drives heavier precipitation – in the case of winter storms, usually snow and freezing rain. 

In addition, according to climate scientist Rachel Licker, “The warming ocean is especially important . . . as we warm the ocean, this is creating a bigger temperature contrast with temperatures over the land when Arctic air plunges southward.”

She continues, “the storms feed off the temperature contrast” making winter storms more extreme.
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WINTER POWER OUTAGES MORE LIKELY TO OCCUR

Winter storms present their own challenges that require a different approach than storms in other seasons – especially if your home loses power. Far from being unusual, winter power outages are more likely to occur than any other time during the year.

These outages are due to factors like wind and ice taking out power lines, mechanical malfunctions from plunging temperatures, or too much strain on the electrical grid from people cranking up their heaters.

When it comes to power lines being damaged by wind-blown trees, some communities can be more at risk than others. Climate-fuelled droughts cause stress and damage to trees. These trees are more likely to lose branches and collapse onto power lines, resulting in power outages.

This is one of the many ways in which climate impacts feed into and amplify one another, further harming areas that are already vulnerable.
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PROTECTING YOUR HOME AND STAYING SAFE

Protecting your home and keeping your loved ones safe during these unpredictable weather events requires thoughtful planning, and quick but informed decision-making when the storm hits.

For this article, we’ve surveyed the advice from the insurance industry, home repair specialists, and disaster response organizations to bring you the most impactful actions you can take before, during, and after a winter storm to protect your home and keep your loved ones safe.
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BEFORE A STORM

1. Refresh your emergency plan and kit: 
   We talk a lot about this one but it bears repeating: A well-stocked emergency kit and a practiced emergency plan can make all the difference during an extreme weather event.
   
   We’ve written an article with some tips about what to include in your kit, but a few key additions for winter are blankets, and extra warm clothes like socks, hats, and gloves. This is especially important in case you need to evacuate your home, and it’s worth having these items ready to go both in your home and in your car.
   
   The Canadian Automobile Association (CAA) has a great list of other winter-specific items to keep in your car in case of an emergency. However, it’s safest to avoid driving during winter storm conditions as 70% of winter storm-related deaths happen in cars.
   
   Before a storm is also a good time to go through your emergency kit to make sure everything is charged and in good condition, and to take a moment to go over your emergency plan again with members of your household so it’s fresh in mind.
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2. Look for areas of heat loss:
   If your home loses power during freezing temperatures, you’ll want to keep as much warmth inside your home as possible. Before a storm, take a walk around your home and check out the common areas of leakage like windows and doors. 
   
   One easy trick to find the areas where most heat loss occurs is to light a stick of incense or a candle and bring it close to your windows and doors. You’ll know there’s a draft if the smoke or flame suddenly moves.
   
   Some inexpensive ways to address these areas are: repairing or replacing old weather stripping around exterior doors ($19.99 CAD for an 84” roll), refreshing old window caulking with user-friendly caulking cord ($10.99 CAD for an 90ft roll), and installing window insulation kits ($5.99 CAD per standard window). 
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3. Find your main water shut-off valve:
   During a winter storm your water pipes can freeze and burst. This is both dangerous and can also cause thousands of dollars of damage to your home.
   
   One of the best ways to prevent this is to shut off the main water valve to your home and flush the remaining water out of your pipes before the storm hits. In order to do this, you’ll need to locate the shut-off valve, and it’s a good idea to do this before you’re in the thick of an emergency.
   
   This video has some great step-by-step instructions to help you find the valve on your home. If this doesn’t work and you’re a homeowner, have a look at the inspection report from when you bought your home – it should identify where the valve is.
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WHEN A STORM IS APPROACHING

4. Prepare your pipes: 
   Do your best to stay up-to-date on the most recent alerts for your area if you know a storm is in the forecast. You can have these alerts delivered right to your phone by downloading the WeatherCAN app in Canada, or the Storm Shield Extreme Weather app in the United states.
   
   In most cases, this will give you some advance warning and time to prepare before the storm is on top of you.
   
   If you were able to locate your main water shut-off valve, take this time to shut your water off and flush the water out of your pipes by turning on your faucets and letting them run until no more water is coming out.
   
   Don’t let this water go to waste – especially if you have an electric water pump. Catch it in buckets to use for washing or bottles for drinking.
   
   If turning off the water altogether isn’t an option, you can turn on your faucets lightly (not full blast) and let the water run. Moving water is much less likely to freeze.
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5. Prepare and protect your electronics:
   It’s a good idea to make sure all your portable electronic devices are charged up, as well as portable chargers. To conserve battery on your phone, close your apps and reduce the screen brightness.
   
   To protect from damage due to the power surging when it comes back on after an outage, unplug electronics that are connected power sources like televisions, laptops, and kitchen appliances.
   
   You can leave one or two lamps plugged in so you will know when the power comes back on when they light up. Wait about 20 minutes before plugging the rest of your devices back in, as the power can still surge and damage your electronics as it cycles back on.
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6. Keep warm – safely:
   When the power goes out during a deep freeze, keeping warm is essential – especially if you don’t have a safe indoor heating source like a wood stove or fireplace. 
   
   One of the first things you can do is to layer your clothing to preserve your body heat, and keep lots of blankets or sleeping bags close by.
   
   Choose one room in your home – ideally with a door that closes – and have everyone gather together there. You can use towels to block the gaps under the door, and drape towels or sheets over your windows to reduce heat loss.
   
   If it’s time to go to sleep and the power still hasn’t come back, sleep close together with other members of your household to share body heat.
   
   If you’re using a generator to help heat your home, make sure it’s positioned at least 20 feet from your home with the exhausted fan turned away. Never use a gas-powered generator indoors, as this can cause a deadly build up of carbon monoxide in minutes. 
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AFTER THE STORM HAS PASSED

7. Check in on your neighbours:
   50% of deaths from winter storms are in people over 60. When it’s safe to do so, check in on your elderly neighbours, especially if they live alone.
   
   If you feel comfortable, you can also ask them if they’d like to be included in your household’s emergency plan in advance of the next weather event.
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As the United States and Canada brace for yet another powerful winter storm, we hope that these actions can help you feel more prepared and protected. With climate change making these events more frequent and extreme, being empowered with the information you need to stay safe is more important than ever.

While these storms can be unpredictable and stressful, with planning and preparation you will be in a stronger position to help keep your home and your loved ones safe from harm.