McDowell CountyPower Outage History
What this grade means
Bottom 20% least reliable nationally — frequent and/or long outages. This county ranks in the least reliable fifth of all US counties in our dataset: some combination of frequent outages, long restoration times, or customers affected puts it near the bottom nationally. Backup power is worth prioritizing here rather than treating it as optional.
Outages by year
Outages by month (seasonality)
Worst outage events on record
| Date | Duration | Customers affected | Cause |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mar 1, 2017 | 82 hrs | 6,797 (60%) | Thunderstorm Wind |
| Sep 27, 2024 | 183 hrs | 4,886 (43%) | Hurricane Helene |
| Mar 24, 2018 | 95 hrs | 4,048 (36%) | Heavy Snow |
| May 26, 2024 | 74 hrs | 3,703 (33%) | Thunderstorm Wind |
| Feb 15, 2025 | 78 hrs | 3,073 (27%) | Winter Storm |
Was There an Outage on a Specific Date?
Pick a date to see whether a power outage was recorded for McDowell County, West Virginia that day.
Over the 12 years from 2014 to 2025, McDowell County recorded 1,000 distinct power outage events, averaging 5.5 hours per event.
The single worst outage on record in McDowell County started March 1, 2017 (Thunderstorm Wind), lasting 82 hours and leaving up to 6,797 customers without power (60% of the county) at its peak.
July has historically been the worst month for outages in McDowell County, with 120 events recorded during that month across the dataset.
Based on this history, McDowell County earns a Reliability Grade of F, placing it in the 3rd percentile nationally for grid reliability (higher percentile = more reliable).
Similar counties in West Virginia
Counties with the closest reliability grade and national percentile to McDowell County.
| County | Grade | National percentile |
|---|---|---|
| Nicholas County | F | 4th |
| Gilmer County | F | 3rd |
| Fayette County | F | 4th |
| Wyoming County | F | 3rd |
| Wirt County | F | 4th |
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 McDowell County?
Between 2014 and 2025, McDowell County recorded 1,000 outage events, averaging 5.5 hours each.
What is McDowell County's reliability grade?
McDowell County has a Reliability Grade of F, in the 3rd national percentile.
What was the worst power outage in McDowell County?
The worst outage on record started March 1, 2017 (Thunderstorm Wind), lasting 82 hours and affecting up to 6,797 customers.