Three states were found most vulnerable to medically consequential electrical outages.More than half of power outages occurred during a weather or climate event.As a result of climate change, extreme weather events
- In addition to having a high frequency of power outages lasting eight or more hours, these states are also home to socially vulnerable populations where there is widespread use of electricity-dependent medical equipment. - More than 60% of eight-plus-hour outages occurred at the same time as a weather or climate event — a heat wave, a hurricane or something else.
- Hurricanes don't stop at the coast. They can spread damaging winds well inland. In 2008, damaging winds from the remnant ofover 30 years found in each case, the city was hotter and more humid after the storm, sometimes for multiple days. That's a major concern in areas left without power.According to researchers, lightning accompanied by heavy precipitation is the next type of weather, second to tropical cyclones, that is most likely to cause an extended power outage.