Both hurricane-season and winter ice storms cause extended outages across different parts of the state.
Mixed Hurricane and Ice-Storm Profile
North Carolina's outage pattern is defined less by wind speed than by water. Duke Energy, the dominant utility in the state, experienced nearly 1.8 million total customer outages across the Carolinas during Hurricane Florence in September 2018. But the storm's most damaging characteristic was not its peak winds. Florence stalled over the coastal plain, dumping record rainfall that flooded entire counties for days after the storm had weakened.
In 12 of the hardest-hit North Carolina counties, more than 75% of Duke Energy customers lost power. Crews could not physically reach communities like Wilmington and New Bern because major highways, including Interstate 95, were impassable under floodwater. Duke Energy estimated that restoration required replacing 500 miles of power lines, 2,600 transformers, and 4,400 power poles. Full restoration took 12 days.
For backup sizing, the flooding pattern changes the equation. Outages in flood-prone eastern North Carolina are not just about the grid going down. Road closures delay utility crews, supply trucks, and fuel deliveries alike. Portable stations here need to carry enough stored energy to bridge a gap that extends well past the storm itself.
Federal disaster declaration for hurricane causing historic flooding across eastern North Carolina.
Source: FEMA DR-4393Federal disaster declaration for hurricane causing widespread flooding and wind damage.
Source: FEMA DR-4285NRI top hazard is Ice Storm, but Hurricane leads FEMA declarations with 11 of 19 total — a dual-season risk pattern.
Model both a winter reliability case and a storm-season case before buying.
Critical loads for the first day of a hurricane outage: refrigeration, medical, communications, and air circulation.
Load
421W
Target
24h
Minimum
16,700 Wh
NC hurricane outages often extend beyond 24 hours. Have a solar recharge plan for day 2+.
Size this scenario in calculatorCirculation fan, communications, and medical support during a winter power disruption.
Load
214W
Target
48h
Minimum
16,900 Wh
Ice storm recovery can take days in rural areas. Consider expandable systems for extended coverage.
Size this scenario in calculatorCritical Note: No single portable power station in our database covers the full 24-hour baseline at this load (6,144 Wh max). Use solar recharge, load rotation, or expandable systems for longer events.
Using a single generic runtime target despite both warm-season and winter-season outage drivers.
Ignoring water-management loads such as sump pumps during storm-heavy periods.
Missing startup surge requirements for blower motors and refrigeration compressors.
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Composite score: 83.6 / 100
Rating: Relatively Moderate
Top modeled hazards: Ice Storm, Riverine Flooding, Hurricane
Hurricane score: 84.0
Winter Weather score: 78.0
Wildfire score: 53.8
Total (2014-2023): 19
Most recent: 2022-10-01 Hurricane
| Type | Count |
|---|---|
| Hurricane | 11 |
| Severe Storm | 3 |
| Biological | 2 |
| Fire | 2 |
| Severe Ice Storm | 1 |
Required Wh = (Total Load W × Target Hours / Inverter Derate) × Safety Factor
Inverter derate: 0.70 (30% real-world loss)
Safety factor: 1.15
Rounding: Up to nearest 100 Wh
North Carolina has an NRI composite risk score of 83.6 (Relatively Moderate), with 19 federal declarations from 2014 to 2023. NRI top hazard is Ice Storm, but Hurricane leads FEMA declarations with 11 of 19 total — a dual-season risk pattern.
For the primary scenario on this page (24-hour hurricane essential), the estimated minimum is 16,700 Wh for a 24-hour target. Refine this in the calculator with your actual devices.
NRI is a modeled risk index based on hazard exposure, vulnerability, and expected loss. FEMA declarations reflect federally declared incidents. They answer different questions — use both signals together for planning.
Designing for one weather pattern only and discovering gaps when a different hazard season hits. See the common mistakes section above for more state-specific pitfalls.
