Howard CountyPower Outage History
What this grade means
Better than average — fewer or shorter outages than most counties. This county's outage history is better than the national median: recorded outages are less frequent and/or shorter in duration than a typical US county experienced over the same 12-year period. It isn't in the top tier nationally, but its track record points to lower-than-average outage risk.
Outages by year
Outages by month (seasonality)
Worst outage events on record
| Date | Duration | Customers affected | Cause |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jun 21, 2016 | 8 hrs | 23,403 (16%) | Tornado |
| Mar 2, 2018 | 31 hrs | 21,220 (15%) | Dense Fog |
| Jan 9, 2024 | 26 hrs | 19,425 (13%) | Winter Weather |
| Jul 5, 2023 | <1 hr | 18,761 (13%) | Thunderstorm Wind |
| Feb 16, 2025 | 66 hrs | 16,396 (11%) | Winter Storm |
Was There an Outage on a Specific Date?
Pick a date to see whether a power outage was recorded for Howard County, Maryland that day.
Over the 12 years from 2014 to 2025, Howard County recorded 1,151 distinct power outage events, averaging 2.1 hours per event.
The single worst outage on record in Howard County started June 21, 2016 (Tornado), lasting 8 hours and leaving up to 23,403 customers without power (16% of the county) at its peak.
July has historically been the worst month for outages in Howard County, with 160 events recorded during that month across the dataset.
Based on this history, Howard County earns a Reliability Grade of B, placing it in the 78th percentile nationally for grid reliability (higher percentile = more reliable).
Similar counties in Maryland
Counties with the closest reliability grade and national percentile to Howard County.
| County | Grade | National percentile |
|---|---|---|
| Caroline County | B | 79th |
| Queen Anne's County | B | 79th |
| Charles County | A | 80th |
| Calvert County | B | 76th |
| St. Mary's County | A | 81st |
Most reliable counties nationally
The top 3 counties nationally by reliability grade and percentile.
| County | State | Grade | National percentile |
|---|---|---|---|
| Clay County | South Dakota | A | 100th |
| Clearwater County | Minnesota | A | 99th |
| Limestone County | Alabama | A | 99th |
Least reliable counties nationally
The bottom 3 counties nationally by reliability grade and percentile.
| County | State | Grade | National percentile |
|---|---|---|---|
| Clay County | West Virginia | F | 0th |
| Lincoln County | West Virginia | F | 0th |
| Cameron Parish | Louisiana | F | 0th |
FAQ
How often does power go out in Howard County?
Between 2014 and 2025, Howard County recorded 1,151 outage events, averaging 2.1 hours each.
What is Howard County's reliability grade?
Howard County has a Reliability Grade of B, in the 78th national percentile.
What was the worst power outage in Howard County?
The worst outage on record started June 21, 2016 (Tornado), lasting 8 hours and affecting up to 23,403 customers.