New York Power Outage Season
When outages happen most in New York, and what to expect.
July is historically New York's busiest month for recorded power outages, part of a summer season (June–August) that accounts for about 34% of all recorded outages statewide, averaging 3.1 hours per event. 14 of New York's 62 tracked counties currently carry a Reliability Grade of F.
Your support helps keep this site running at zero extra cost to you! As an Amazon Associate, we earn from qualifying purchases.
New York outages by month
Total recorded events and average duration per event, summed across every tracked county in New York.
Peak season insight
New York's outage season runs June–August, accounting for 34% of all recorded outages. July has the highest frequency.
Month-by-month data table
| Month | Events | Avg duration |
|---|---|---|
| January | 5,036 | 3.0 hrs |
| February | 4,778 | 3.3 hrs |
| March | 5,832 | 3.9 hrs |
| April | 5,216 | 3.5 hrs |
| May | 5,788 | 2.8 hrs |
| June | 8,416 | 2.4 hrs |
| July | 9,293 | 3.1 hrs |
| August | 7,372 | 3.1 hrs |
| September | 5,355 | 2.3 hrs |
| October | 5,805 | 2.7 hrs |
| November | 6,225 | 3.0 hrs |
| December | 5,534 | 3.3 hrs |
This month in New York
October has historically recorded 5,805 outage events across New York, below the state's typical monthly average. Outages that start in October have averaged 2.7 hours.
Main causes by season
Named storms behind New York's worst recorded outages, from the NOAA Storm Events Database.
Winter (December–February)
- Winter Weather
- Winter Storm
- Extreme Cold/Wind Chill
- High Wind
- Cold/Wind Chill
Spring (March–May)
- Heavy Snow
- Hail
- Thunderstorm Wind
- High Wind
- Winter Storm
Summer (June–August)
- Heat
- Thunderstorm Wind
- Hurricane Isaias
- Drought
- Flash Flood
Fall (September–November)
- Thunderstorm Wind
- Strong Wind
- High Wind
- Lakeshore Flood
- Heat
New York's worst outage events on record
The five largest outages in New York by duration and customers affected.
| Date | Duration | Customers affected | Cause |
|---|---|---|---|
| Aug 4, 2020 | 228 hrs | 197,669 (30%) | Tropical Storm Isaias |
| Aug 4, 2020 | 241 hrs | 141,608 (28%) | Tropical Storm Isaias |
| Aug 4, 2020 | 203 hrs | 124,918 (31%) | Hurricane Isaias |
| Aug 4, 2020 | 224 hrs | 52,750 (6%) | Hurricane Isaias |
| Aug 4, 2020 | 138 hrs | 66,763 (38%) | Hurricane Isaias |
Highest-risk counties in New York
Lowest reliability percentile among New York's tracked counties.
| County | Grade | National percentile |
|---|---|---|
| Putnam County | F | 4th |
| Ulster County | F | 10th |
| Sullivan County | F | 10th |
| Warren County | F | 11th |
| Chenango County | F | 12th |
Live weather alerts for New York
There are no active National Weather Service alerts for New York right now.
These live alerts come from the National Weather Service. They are public-safety information, not an outage prediction.
New York power outage FAQ
When do power outages happen most in New York?
July is historically the busiest single month for recorded outages in New York, and Summer (June–August) accounts for about 34% of all recorded outages across the state.
How long do power outages in New York typically last?
Across New York's tracked counties, the average recorded outage lasts about 3.1 hours, though individual events -- especially named storms -- can run much longer.
Which counties in New York have the highest outage risk?
Putnam County, Ulster County, Sullivan County, Warren County, Chenango County currently rank lowest for reliability in New York. See each county's page for its full history.
Does this page predict a power outage in New York?
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 New York's outage season
Sized for New York's recorded outage frequency and duration. See the full New York storm prep checklist.
