Book 7, Question 43
Why Do Power Lines Go Out in Storms?
Electricity travels along power lines on tall poles, and storms can hit those lines hard. Strong wind can knock down trees and poles, and lightning can send a surge through the wires. Sometimes the power company even shuts the power off on purpose to keep everyone safe.
From the book
Page from A Million Whys Book 7
More fun facts
- Strong winds from Hurricane Debby toppled trees and left more than 300,000 customers without power from Florida to the Carolinas.
- Freezing rain and sleet can coat trees and power lines with ice until they come crashing down.
- In February 2021, extreme cold and ice storms left millions of people in Texas without power.
- Satellites can spot power outages from space by seeing which towns go dark at night.
- Lightning can damage equipment too. In 2001, the town of Siren, Wisconsin, had its tornado siren knocked out by lightning a month before a tornado hit.
Sources: NOAA, NASA Science, NASA Science, U.S. Geological Survey
Questions kids ask
Can scientists see power outages from space?
Yes. Satellites can see which areas go dark at night.
Can ice knock out power?
Yes. Ice can weigh down trees and power lines until they break.