Hurricane outages: planning for a week without power
What it takes to keep food cold, air moving, and phones charged for 7 days after a storm. Figures as of 2026-10-28.
The Atlantic hurricane season runs June 1–November 30, and Ready.gov notes you may not have access to supplies "for days or even weeks" after a hurricane (Ready.gov Hurricanes, updated 10/16/2026). A week is a sensible planning target for coastal and near-coastal homes.
What a week of essentials takes
Estimate Refrigerator, freezer, ceiling fan, 1/3 HP sump pump, Wi-Fi, 6 LED bulbs, and phone charging come to about 9.0 kWh/day, or about 74 kWh for 7 days (wattage midpoints from the Champion chart, our default hours, ÷ 0.85 usable). Open the hurricane scenario →
Ways to cut it: skip the freezer once it's emptied into coolers, run the sump pump only if water is coming in, and charge devices during the day.
Three ways to cover a week
Battery + solar
No fuel and no exhaust. Assumption Each 400 W panel adds about 1.2 kWh on a sunny day (4 peak sun hours, 75% output), so covering 9 kWh/day takes roughly 8 panels plus a large station. Skies often stay cloudy right after a storm. Solar backup guide →
Portable generator
A Honda EU2200i runs 8.1 h on 0.95 gal at 1/4 load (Honda): about 2.8 gal/day, or about 20 gal/week running around the clock. Gas stations can close during outages (Ready.gov). Compare costs →
Standby generator
Starts on its own and runs on natural gas or propane. A Generac 22 kW uses 2.53 gal/h of propane at half load (Generac). Installed cost →
Before the storm
- Charge phones and backup batteries when a hurricane is forecast (Ready.gov).
- Fully charge power stations and fill fuel before landfall.
- Know your evacuation zone. If officials tell you to evacuate, do so; your backup power plan is for after you're cleared to stay or return.
After the storm
- Don't touch electrical equipment if it's wet or you're standing in water. If it's safe, turn off power at the main breaker (Ready.gov).
- Generators: outdoors only, dry, 20+ feet from windows, doors, and attached garages; let them cool before refueling (Ready.gov). Generator safety →
- Food: toss anything that's been at 40°F or higher for 2+ hours (Ready.gov).
FAQ
How much backup power do I need for a week without power after a hurricane?
Our hurricane scenario (fridge, freezer, ceiling fan, sump pump, Wi-Fi, lights, phones) uses about 9 kWh a day, or about 74 kWh for 7 days with the 0.85 usable factor. That's more than any single portable station holds, so most people pair a battery with solar or a generator.
How much gas does a small generator use in a week?
A Honda EU2200i runs 8.1 hours on 0.95 gallons at 1/4 load, per Honda. Running around the clock at that load is about 2.8 gallons a day, or about 20 gallons for a week. Gas stations can close during outages, so plan fuel before the storm.
Can I run a generator during the storm?
Ready.gov says to keep a generator dry and protected from rain or flooding, and always outdoors at least 20 feet from windows, doors, and attached garages. Many people wait until the wind and rain pass.
Backup power, before the next outage
A short email when it matters: outage-season prep checklists before summer storms and winter freezes, state and utility rebates that open, change, or run out of money, and real price drops on the power stations in our data.