District of Columbia Power Outage Season
When outages happen most in District of Columbia, and what to expect.
July is historically District of Columbia's busiest month for recorded power outages, part of a summer season (June–August) that accounts for about 35% of all recorded outages statewide, averaging 2.1 hours per event.
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District of Columbia outages by month
Total recorded events and average duration per event, summed across every tracked county in District of Columbia.
Peak season insight
District of Columbia's outage season runs June–August, accounting for 35% of all recorded outages. July has the highest frequency.
Month-by-month data table
| Month | Events | Avg duration |
|---|---|---|
| January | 219 | 1.8 hrs |
| February | 195 | 2.5 hrs |
| March | 241 | 2.1 hrs |
| April | 233 | 1.9 hrs |
| May | 278 | 1.9 hrs |
| June | 344 | 2.2 hrs |
| July | 424 | 2.9 hrs |
| August | 316 | 2.0 hrs |
| September | 262 | 2.0 hrs |
| October | 228 | 1.9 hrs |
| November | 200 | 1.7 hrs |
| December | 191 | 1.8 hrs |
This month in District of Columbia
October has historically recorded 228 outage events across District of Columbia, below the state's typical monthly average. Outages that start in October have averaged 1.9 hours.
Main causes by season
Named storms behind District of Columbia's worst recorded outages, from the NOAA Storm Events Database.
Winter (December–February)
- Winter Storm
Spring (March–May)
- Dense Fog
Summer (June–August)
- Excessive Heat
District of Columbia's worst outage events on record
The five largest outages in District of Columbia by duration and customers affected.
| Date | Duration | Customers affected | Cause |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mar 2, 2018 | 89 hrs | 76,819 (24%) | Dense Fog |
| Jul 27, 2019 | 12 hrs | 31,322 (10%) | Excessive Heat |
| Jan 3, 2022 | 13 hrs | 26,869 (8%) | Winter Storm |
| Mar 6, 2025 | 4 hrs | 31,577 (10%) | Unnamed event |
| Nov 20, 2023 | <1 hr | 26,583 (8%) | Unnamed event |
Highest-risk counties in District of Columbia
Lowest reliability percentile among District of Columbia's tracked counties.
| County | Grade | National percentile |
|---|---|---|
| District of Columbia County | B | 76th |
Live weather alerts for District of Columbia
There are no active National Weather Service alerts for District of Columbia right now.
These live alerts come from the National Weather Service. They are public-safety information, not an outage prediction.
District of Columbia power outage FAQ
When do power outages happen most in District of Columbia?
July is historically the busiest single month for recorded outages in District of Columbia, and Summer (June–August) accounts for about 35% of all recorded outages across the state.
How long do power outages in District of Columbia typically last?
Across District of Columbia's tracked counties, the average recorded outage lasts about 2.1 hours, though individual events -- especially named storms -- can run much longer.
Which counties in District of Columbia have the highest outage risk?
District of Columbia County currently rank lowest for reliability in District of Columbia. See each county's page for its full history.
Does this page predict a power outage in District of Columbia?
No. It describes patterns in recorded county-level outage history, not a guaranteed future event. Check the live National Weather Service alerts below for current conditions.
Prepare for District of Columbia's outage season
Sized for District of Columbia's recorded outage frequency and duration.
