Rethinking the outage map for a multi-hazard world

Utility Dive · Published Nov 2; Twitter Facebook · 2026-11-02 05:00 UTC

Beyond restoration times: why plain language, multiple communication channels and equity define great outage maps.

For many, fall means sweater weather and all things pumpkin spice. For utilities, these months have other, less festive sides. Hurricane season, wildfire season and the start of the heating season all converge in the same 8-12-week window.

Hurricane season may be quieter this year, thanks to El Niño, but data shows climate change has intensified Atlantic hurricanes. Meanwhile, fall is peak wildfire season, particularly in California, when Santa Ana winds kick up. And the northern half of the country is switching furnaces back on after months of inactivity. Individually, these are known risks utilities plan for. Layered together, they’re a bigger threat.

Because of this, utilities are starting to ask more of their outage maps, moving beyond “when will my power be back on?” to “what’s happening around me?” Maps are becoming less of a status tracker and more of a situational awareness tool.

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