California winter storm outage guide
Storm Knocked Out Your Power? Here's How to Stay Warm Until It Comes Back
When a California storm takes down the lines, most gas furnaces stop too. The fix isn't a space heater. It's keeping your body warm, your food cold and your phone charged with gear that works indoors.
Quick answer
Most gas furnaces need electricity, so a winter outage means no heat. Stay warm by moving into one room, layering up and running a 100 watt heated blanket from a portable power station. A 1,024 watt-hour station runs one for about 8 hours on high, longer on low. Never heat your home with a grill, gas oven or generator.
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How often do winter storms knock out power in California?
More often than most people plan for. Winter outages here come from atmospheric rivers, falling trees and high winds, not snow. In Southern California, winter Santa Ana winds also trigger Public Safety Power Shutoffs (PSPS, the planned shutoffs utilities use during fire weather).
PG&E customers restored after the Christmas-week 2025 storms. Bay City News
Customers without power statewide in the February 2024 atmospheric river. Associated Press
SCE customers without power on Jan. 9, 2025, including 167,611 from PSPS. S&P Global
Without power for some San Francisco Sunset District homes in December 2025. Pleasanton Weekly
The 2023 storm series was the largest winter storm response in PG&E's history, with more than 2 million customers restored, according to PG&E Currents. The pattern is the same for PG&E, SCE, SDG&E, SMUD and LADWP homes: the storms that knock out power come in winter, when you need heat the most.
Why does my gas furnace stop working when the power goes out?
Your furnace burns gas, but it can't run without electricity. The igniter, the thermostat and the blower fan that pushes warm air through your vents all need power. When the grid goes down, so does your heat, even with a full gas line.
Don't plug your furnace into a portable power station. Most furnaces are hard-wired into your electrical panel. Backing one up safely takes a home battery or a transfer switch put in by a licensed electrician.
What's the safest way to stay warm without heat?
Keep the heat you have, and warm your body instead of the whole house.
Pick one room
Choose a small interior room. Close the doors and roll towels under them to block drafts.
Cover the windows
Hang blankets or insulated curtains over the glass at night. That's where most of your heat escapes.
Warm your body, not the room
Layers, a hat, wool socks and a heated blanket keep you warm on a fraction of the power.
Power it safely
A portable power station runs indoors with no fumes. Plug in the blanket, the fridge and your Wi-Fi.
How long will a portable power station keep you warm?
All night, if you use a heated blanket instead of a space heater. A heater warms the whole room and drains a battery in under an hour. A blanket warms you directly and runs through the night.
| Device | Typical watts | Runtime on a 1,024 Wh station | Verdict |
|---|---|---|---|
| Heated throw (high) | 100 W | About 8.5 hours | Best pick for overnight |
| Heated throw (low) | Less than 100 W | Longer than 8.5 hours | Stretch your battery |
| Wi-Fi router + modem | About 20 W | About 40+ hours | Stay connected |
| Full-size refrigerator | Cycles on and off | About 14 to 20 hours | Varies by model |
| Space heater (high) | 1,500 W | About 35 minutes | Not worth the battery |
Estimates use battery watt-hours × 0.85 ÷ device watts, on a 1,024 Wh station like the BLUETTI Elite 100 V2 or EcoFlow DELTA 3 Classic. Check your blanket's label for its real wattage. Need help picking a size? See the BLUETTI size guide.
What should be in a winter storm outage kit?
Four jobs: keep the power on, keep you warm, keep you safe and keep you informed. Here's what I'd put in a California home before storm season.
1. Keep the power on
BLUETTI Elite 100 V2
1,024 Wh, 1,800 W. Runs a heated blanket, the fridge and your router through a long outage night, then recharges from the wall or solar.
Check price on Amazon
EcoFlow DELTA 3 Classic
1,024 Wh, 1,800 W. Same battery size as the BLUETTI and charges to 80% in about 45 minutes on wall power, so it's ready fast when a storm warning hits.
Check price on Amazon2. Stay warm
Bedsure Heated Throw
50 x 60 inches, 6 heat levels and a 3-hour auto shut-off for safety. Tap it back on as needed. On low it stretches your battery even further.
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Coleman Heritage Big & Tall
Soft flannel lining, fits adults up to 6'7" and machine washable. One per person keeps everyone warm with zero electricity.
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GENVU Rechargeable Hand Warmers
Two pocket warmers that dock in a charging case (14,000 mAh total), so you get several rounds of heat before plugging in. Great for kids and older family members.
Check price on Amazon3. Stay safe and informed
Kidde CO Alarm with Display
Sealed 10-year battery, so it keeps working when the power is out. The screen shows the CO level at a glance. Put one outside every bedroom.
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Midland NOAA Weather Alert Radio
Sounds an alarm for National Weather Service storm warnings, even when cell service and internet are down. Runs on 3 AA batteries and doubles as a flashlight.
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AYL Rechargeable LED Lantern
1,800 lumens, up to 12 hours per charge, and it doubles as a phone charger. Safer than candles. Put one in each room you'll use.
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Kmivo Rechargeable Headlamps
Light where you look, with both hands free for the breaker box, the fridge or a crying kid. Recharge them from the power station. One per person.
Check price on AmazonCable and fiber internet usually die with the power
Our internet never dropped during a PSPS shutoff. Plug Starlink into a power station or home battery and it stays online through the whole outage.
Need the full year-round kit for PSPS season too? See the California power outage kit.
From my own house
What if your heat never went out in the first place?
During a PSPS shutoff, my whole street went dark. My Tesla Powerwall kept our lights, fridge, heat and Starlink internet on the entire time. A home battery switches on by itself the moment the grid drops, so there's nothing to plug in or start in the rain.
- Runs your furnace blower on backed-up circuits
- Switches on automatically, no fuel
- Recharges from solar after the storm
- Silent and safe indoors
Free calculator. About 2 minutes.
Portable power station, home battery or generator: which fits a winter storm?
Each one solves a different problem. Many California homes start with a portable power station for this storm season and add a home battery later.
| Portable power station | Home battery (Powerwall 3) | Gas generator | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Safe to run indoors | Yes, no fumes | Yes, installed on your wall | No, outdoors only, 20+ feet from the house |
| Turns on by itself | Plug in what you need | Yes, in a split second | No, start it in the storm |
| Runs the furnace blower | No, furnaces are hard-wired | Yes, on backed-up circuits | Only with a transfer switch |
| Ready how fast | Ships in days, no install | Install and permit first | Ships in days, needs fuel |
| Noise | Silent | Silent | Loud engine |
| Best for | Blanket, fridge, Wi-Fi, phones | Whole-home, multi-day storms | Big loads, outdoors |
Ready for a portable station now? See my two picks above. Thinking about a generator? Read California's generator rules first. Want whole-home backup? See your cost with the Powerwall Calculator.
What should you never do to stay warm in an outage?
Never heat your home with anything that burns fuel indoors, even with a window open. Carbon monoxide (CO) has no color and no smell, and it can kill in minutes.
- No grills or camp stoves inside, including the garage
- No gas oven or stovetop for heat
- No generator in the garage, porch or near a window
- No running the car in a closed garage to warm up
About 100 people die each year in the U.S. from carbon monoxide from portable generators, according to the Consumer Product Safety Commission.
More than 400 people die each year from carbon monoxide poisoning not linked to fires, according to the CDC.
Hard-wired CO alarms can go quiet when the power's out. Keep a battery-powered CO alarm outside every bedroom.
What should you do before, during and after a storm outage?
Most of the work happens before the storm. A few minutes now saves a cold, dark night later.
Before the storm
- Sign up for outage alerts from PG&E, SCE, SDG&E, SMUD or LADWP.
- Charge the power station, lanterns, headlamps, hand warmers and phones.
- Keep your gas tank at least half full and some cash on hand, since pumps and ATMs need power, per Sacramento County.
- Test your CO alarm and set out blankets and sleeping bags.
During the outage
- Keep the fridge closed. Unopened, it holds food cold for about 4 hours, per Sacramento County.
- Move into your warm room and plug the heated blanket into the power station.
- Stay far away from downed lines. Treat every one as live and report it to your utility.
- Leave one light switched on so you know when the power is back.
After the power returns
- Plug big electronics back in one at a time to avoid a surge.
- Toss perishable food that sat above 40°F for 2 hours or more, per FoodSafety.gov.
- Recharge everything right away. Winter storms often come in waves.
- Tired of this every winter? See what a home battery would cost for your home.
Winter storm power outage FAQ
Does a gas furnace work during a power outage?
No. Most gas furnaces need electricity for the igniter, thermostat and blower fan. Without power, they shut off even with gas flowing.
Can a portable power station run a space heater?
Yes, but not for long. A 1,500 watt space heater drains a 1,024 watt-hour power station in about 35 minutes. A heated blanket runs all night on the same battery.
How long will a power station run a heated blanket?
About 8 hours on high from a 1,024 watt-hour station, and longer on low. That's for a typical 100 watt heated throw. Check your blanket's label for its exact wattage.
Is it safe to heat my house with a gas stove or grill?
No. Gas ovens, grills and camp stoves give off carbon monoxide, which has no color or smell. Keep a battery-powered carbon monoxide alarm outside every bedroom.
How long does food last in the fridge when the power is out?
About 4 hours if you keep the door closed. A full freezer holds about 48 hours. Running the fridge from a power station keeps food safe longer.
What's the best way to never lose heat in a storm outage?
A home battery like the Tesla Powerwall 3. It switches on automatically and can run your furnace blower, lights and fridge on backed-up circuits. Use the Powerwall Calculator to see your cost.
Get ready before the next storm hits
Build your kit now, before the next storm warning. And if you're tired of losing heat every winter, see what a home battery would take for your house.