Weather & Science
A Quieter Hurricane Season This Year Could Still Pummel the US Power Grid
The number of storms isn’t the best predictor of damage to infrastructure or how long it takes to repair.
Damaged power lines from Hurricane Beryl in Texas in 2024.
Photographer: Eddie Seal/BloombergMeteorologists are forecasting about 13 named Atlantic storms this season, or a little less activity than average. That sounds like good news for the US power grid and everyone who relies on it.
But a look back at recent years suggests the number of storms in hurricane season, which begins June 1, may be an unreliable predictor of how much damage is caused, specifically when it comes to downed power infrastructure, according to a new research note by Hayley Lai, grids and utilities analyst for BloombergNEF.