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Is your home ready for the next big windstorm? Here in the PNW, November through February is prime time for atmospheric rivers, gusty windstorms, and the occasional snowmageddon…all of which have a habit of dropping trees onto power lines. Most outages only last a few hours, but a big storm can leave you in the dark for days. Prep now to power through the cold, dark, and boredom like a boss…
1. Light the Way
Flashlights have a sneaky way of migrating to the back of junk drawers…not great when you’re trying to find one in pitch-black darkness. Stock up and keep one in every nightstand so they’re always easy to find. You can even get magnetic flashlights that stick to the fridge.
While you’re at it, add a headlamp or two…hands-free is a game changer when you’re cooking or wrangling kids. An LED lantern is another good add since it lights up a whole room far better than a flashlight. Many now recharge by USB-C, so a charged power bank keeps them going. Still keep a stash of batteries on hand, since they tend to fly off store shelves the minute a storm hits the forecast.
Instead of real candles (which affect your indoor air quality and are a fire risk) invest in LED candles and incorporate them into your home’s decor. Use the timer feature so that they’re automatically on during the evening…they’ll add warm, cozy light for everyday living and will also prevent you from being plunged into darkness if the power goes out.
Bonus Tip: Test your flashlight batteries each fall when you turn your clocks back.
2. Stay in the Loop
When the power goes out, keeping connected with a charged phone is key. A 20,000 mAh power bank can recharge most phones 4-5 times, so keep a couple charged and top them off every few months since they slowly lose juice in storage. You should also charge every phone, tablet, and power bank as soon as a storm warning goes out. When the lights do go out, switch to low-power mode, dim your screen and close apps you aren’t using.
In a pinch, your car works as a charger too…but only run the engine outdoors (never in an attached garage, not even with the garage door open) to prevent carbon monoxide poisoning.
Consider purchasing a hand-crank emergency radio for major weather events. Look for one with AM/FM plus NOAA weather bands. Many also come with a flashlight, a small solar panel, and a USB port to top off your phone.
Bonus Tip: Bookmark your utility’s outage map and sign up for local emergency alerts now so updates come straight to your phone by text. Here are the maps for Seattle City Light and Puget Sound Energy (PSE).
3. Keep Your Cool…and Your Food
Rule #1 during an outage: don’t open the fridge. Opening the door is such a habit that you might even need to use tape or a bungee cord around the handles as a reminder. With the doors closed, food stays safe for about 4 hours in a refrigerator, 48 hours in a full freezer, and 24 hours in a half-full one (CDC). A cheap thermometer in each will show if it’s still 40°F or below in the fridge and 0°F or below in the freezer if you check right when the power comes back on. Frozen food that still has ice crystals (or is at 40°F or below) can be refrozen or cooked. When in doubt, throw it out…and please don’t taste food to decide whether it’s safe. FoodSafety.gov has a handy chart of what to keep and what to toss.
So what will you eat in the meantime? Stock up on snacks and meals that don’t need a microwave or stove. Think peanut butter, crackers, granola bars, pre-mixed tuna snacks, and dried fruit. Make sure you have a manual can opener as a backup if you typically use an electric one. An outdoor BBQ might also allow you to heat up soups, beans, or hot water for beverages (because everything is better with French press coffee).
It’s also smart to keep some bottled water on hand just in case of a bigger event (like an earthquake) that could affect the water supply. Ditto if you’re on a well with an electric pump. Plan on one gallon of water per person per day, plus extra for pets.
Bonus Tip: If you know a storm is coming, fill empty freezer space with jugs of water. They help your freezer stay cold longer AND double as drinking water once they thaw.
4. Stay Toasty (Safely)
Plan to pick one room as home base then close the doors to the rest of the house and hang blankets over windows and doorways to hold in the heat. If you have a closed, vented natural gas fireplace with either a standing pilot light or backup battery ignition, it may work even during a power outage (check your manual now while you’re thinking about it). You’ll also want wool socks, hats, and cold-weather sleeping bags for layering up.
No matter what, keep BBQs, camp stoves, patio heaters, and generators outside. It may be tempting to bring them in for heat or convenience, but they all produce carbon monoxide, an odorless gas that can be deadly indoors (even with a door open). The same goes for using a gas oven or stovetop to heat your home. For more specifics, check out the CDC’s carbon monoxide FAQs.
Have a BBQ under a covered patio? Use it! It’s fine to grill dinner as long as there’s plenty of open air and you’re well away from doors and windows.
Bonus Tip: Make sure you have a carbon monoxide (CO) alarm with battery backup on every level of your home and near sleeping areas. Hardwired alarms won’t work during an outage without one.
5. Beat the Boredom
A few days without screens can feel like f-o-r-e-v-e-r, especially for kids. Put together a no-power fun kit with board games, card decks, puzzles, books, coloring books, and glow sticks. As soon as that wind advisory hits, download movies and audiobooks to tablets (and plug everything in, including extra power banks).
Bonus Tip: One of the best activities you can do might be to check on your neighbors. Older folks and anyone who relies on powered medical equipment may need a hand, a charged battery, or a ride to a warming center.
6. Consider Backup Power
Want to skip the whole cold and dark thing altogether? It could be worth investing in a backup system. The right setup will depend on what you want to keep running and how much you want to spend. Keeping phones charged and a few lights on costs a few hundred dollars, while running the whole house automatically can top $10,000. Here’s a comparison of the most common options…
| Option | Typical Upfront Cost | What it Can Run | Fuel/Recharge | Good to Know |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Power Bank | $30-$100 each | Phones, tablets, USB lights | Recharge from the wall or car | The cheapest place to start; every home should have a few |
| Portable Power Station | ~$500 for 1 kWh to $5,000+ for expandable home-backup systems [1][2] | Fridge, CPAP, modem + lights for hours to a day or two | Recharge from the wall, car or generator | Silent and safe indoors, BUT it runs out faster than a similar-sized generator |
| Portable Gas Generator | ~$800-$1,500 [3], plus an optional transfer switch or interlock to power hardwired circuits like your furnace (Seattle electricians quote from about $800 for the switch/interlock and installation) [4] | Fridge, furnace blower, sump pump + lights | Gasoline (many are dual-fuel with propane) | Must run outdoors, 20+ feet from the house; you’ll need to store and refuel gas |
| Inverter Generator | ~$800-$4,500 [3] | Same as above, with cleaner power for electronics | Gasoline or propane | Quieter and more fuel-efficient than a standard portable |
| Home Standby Generator (Natural Gas) | ~$8,000-$20,000+ installed in the Seattle area (the unit itself is only about a third to half of that) [5][6] | Most or all of the house, automatically | Your home’s natural gas line | No refueling, and it starts on its own within seconds |
| Home Battery (e.g., Powerwall) | ~$12,000-$16,000 installed for one 13.5 kWh battery; whole-home backup usually needs 2-3 [7][8] | Essentials or the whole house, automatically | Charges from the grid (or solar) | Silent, with no fumes and no fuel; runtime depends on capacity |
| EV or Hybrid Truck as a Generator | ~$1,100 installed for Ford’s meter adapter, or ~$6,400-$9,000 plus installation for Kia’s and GM’s home chargers, if you already own a compatible EV [9][10] | Selected circuits for 2-5 days | The vehicle’s battery or gas tank | Only certain models can power a home, and all require special equipment; you may also need utility approval |
Cost ranges are approximate 2026 figures from both Seattle-area installers and national sources, so get local quotes before you buy.
New Tech Worth Knowing About…
- Longer-lasting power stations. Newer models from brands like EcoFlow, Jackery, Anker, and Bluetti use lithium iron phosphate (LFP) batteries that last thousands of charge cycles. Many can add extra batteries or plug into a home transfer switch.
- Your car as a backup battery. If an EV is in your future, it might double as a home generator. The Ford F-150 Lightning, Kia EV9, Tesla Cybertruck (though production ends in 2027), and many GM EVs can already power a home with the right equipment, and Hyundai has announced the Ioniq 9 is next in line (with the Kia EV6 to follow).
- Smart electrical panels. These help a smaller battery or generator stretch further by automatically switching off big energy hogs.
Bonus Tip: Some newer backup batteries include solar panels…but don’t count on them to have much recharge power during our dark PNW winters. Focus instead on initial capacity.
Safety Tip: If you go with a gas generator, choose one with an automatic CO shutoff, run it at least 20 feet from the house, and let it cool before refueling. Never plug it into a wall outlet (called “backfeeding”), which can electrocute utility workers.
Trying to decide whether backup power makes sense for your home? Our agents are always happy to share the latest tech they’re seeing, along with any potential value it might add to your home. Stay cozy out there!
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