Washington Power Outage Season
When outages happen most in Washington, and what to expect.
December is historically Washington's busiest month for recorded power outages, part of a fall season (September–November) that accounts for about 28% of all recorded outages statewide, averaging 3.6 hours per event. 5 of Washington's 36 tracked counties currently carry a Reliability Grade of F.
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Washington outages by month
Total recorded events and average duration per event, summed across every tracked county in Washington.
Peak season insight
Washington's outage season runs September–November, accounting for 28% of all recorded outages. December has the highest frequency.
Month-by-month data table
| Month | Events | Avg duration |
|---|---|---|
| January | 2,193 | 3.7 hrs |
| February | 1,687 | 4.8 hrs |
| March | 1,440 | 2.8 hrs |
| April | 1,531 | 2.7 hrs |
| May | 1,872 | 3.1 hrs |
| June | 2,158 | 2.7 hrs |
| July | 2,225 | 2.5 hrs |
| August | 2,382 | 3.3 hrs |
| September | 2,248 | 4.2 hrs |
| October | 2,300 | 3.1 hrs |
| November | 2,551 | 4.0 hrs |
| December | 2,591 | 4.2 hrs |
This month in Washington
October has historically recorded 2,300 outage events across Washington, above the state's typical monthly average. Outages that start in October have averaged 3.1 hours.
Main causes by season
Named storms behind Washington's worst recorded outages, from the NOAA Storm Events Database.
Winter (December–February)
- Dust Storm
- High Wind
- Heavy Snow
- Flood
- Winter Weather
Spring (March–May)
- Thunderstorm Wind
- Dust Storm
- Strong Wind
- Frost/Freeze
- High Wind
Summer (June–August)
- Hail
- Wildfire
- Excessive Heat
Fall (September–November)
- High Wind
- Wildfire
- Heavy Snow
- Strong Wind
- Winter Weather
Washington's worst outage events on record
The five largest outages in Washington by duration and customers affected.
| Date | Duration | Customers affected | Cause |
|---|---|---|---|
| Nov 19, 2024 | 178 hrs | 518,386 (53%) | Unnamed event |
| Jan 12, 2021 | 109 hrs | 215,586 (22%) | Flood |
| Jan 13, 2021 | 115 hrs | 107,403 (31%) | Unnamed event |
| Nov 13, 2017 | 64 hrs | 132,417 (13%) | Unnamed event |
| Jan 13, 2021 | 132 hrs | 48,590 (22%) | High Wind |
Highest-risk counties in Washington
Lowest reliability percentile among Washington's tracked counties.
| County | Grade | National percentile |
|---|---|---|
| Ferry County | F | 10th |
| Kitsap County | F | 15th |
| Island County | F | 17th |
| Stevens County | F | 18th |
| San Juan County | F | 20th |
Live weather alerts for Washington
There are no active National Weather Service alerts for Washington right now.
These live alerts come from the National Weather Service. They are public-safety information, not an outage prediction.
Washington power outage FAQ
When do power outages happen most in Washington?
December is historically the busiest single month for recorded outages in Washington, and Fall (September–November) accounts for about 28% of all recorded outages across the state.
How long do power outages in Washington typically last?
Across Washington's tracked counties, the average recorded outage lasts about 3.6 hours, though individual events -- especially named storms -- can run much longer.
Which counties in Washington have the highest outage risk?
Ferry County, Kitsap County, Island County, Stevens County, San Juan County currently rank lowest for reliability in Washington. See each county's page for its full history.
Does this page predict a power outage in Washington?
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 Washington's outage season
Sized for Washington's recorded outage frequency and duration.
