A stubborn ridge of high pressure, often called a heat dome, has settled over a large portion of the central and eastern United States this week, trapping hot air near the surface and sending temperatures into the upper 90s from the Great Lakes to New England. Heat advisories and excessive heat warnings cover tens of millions of Americans as records fall across the Northeast.

Why Heat Waves Threaten Your Power

Extreme heat drives air conditioning demand to record highs, and that surge strains transmission lines, transformers, and local distribution equipment. When the grid is pushed to its limit, utilities may resort to rolling blackouts to protect the system, and equipment failures become far more likely. Losing power during triple-digit heat indices is more than an inconvenience. For seniors, young children, and anyone with medical needs, it can quickly become dangerous.

How to Prepare

• Inspect your standby generator and confirm it is ready to start automatically if the grid goes down.
• Run a test cycle under load to verify the unit can carry your air conditioning.
• Check your fuel supply and make sure natural gas or propane connections are serviced and secure.
• Consider an upgrade. Whole-home backup systems from Generac and Kohler keep cooling, refrigeration, and medical equipment running through prolonged outages.

Stay Informed

Monitor local National Weather Service forecasts and your utility’s alerts throughout the heat wave, and never wait for the lights to go out before making a backup power plan.