The first hour
- Check NOAA Space Weather Prediction Center alerts if a strong storm (G4 to G5) is forecast.
- Charge phones, power banks and radios.
- Treat a forecast like any outage warning: water, light, food that needs no cooking.
- Know that GPS can be off. Keep paper maps handy.
The first day
- If power goes out, follow your power outage plan.
- Expect possible radio, GPS or cell disruptions. Use backup plans.
- Enjoy the auroras if you see them; they're a famous side effect.
The first week and beyond
- Major grid damage is rare. The 1989 storm caused a 9-hour blackout in Quebec. In May 2024 a G5 storm caused auroras far south and some GPS issues, but no major U.S. blackouts.
- Follow utility updates if outages last.
Get ready now: checklist
Your checks save on this phone.
Common mistakes
- Believing every solar storm headline means the grid will collapse.
- Relying only on GPS for travel during a big storm.
Keeping kids calm
- Turn it into a science lesson and an aurora watch.
- Explain the sun has 'weather' too.
Gear that helps
- Power bank: my pick, Anker 325 PowerCore 20K
- Solar charger: my pick, Jackery Explorer 300 Portable Power Station
- Paper road atlas
- Hand-crank radio: my pick, Midland ER310
- LED lantern: my pick, Coleman 4D Battery-Powered LED Camping Lantern, 700 Lumens
- Compass: my pick, SUUNTO A-10 Compass
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Sources
Keep going
Prepper tricks for this
Light (7)
Headlamp + water jug = room lantern
Cost: Free.
Why it works: Water scatters a narrow beam into a soft glow in every direction.
How to do it
- Fill a gallon jug with water. Milky-white jugs work best; clear ones work too.
- Strap a headlamp around the jug with the light facing in toward the water.
- Turn it on. The water spreads the light so it fills the room.
- No headlamp? Set a phone flashlight face-up under a water bottle.
Safety: Safer than any flame. Keep the jug where it won't tip onto electronics.
Source: Ready.gov: Power Outages
A headlamp for every person
Cost: About $5-10 each in multi-packs.
Why it works: Hands-free light lets you cook, care for kids and use the bathroom safely.
How to do it
- Keep one headlamp per person, plus one by each bed.
- Use lithium batteries in headlamps kept in the car or cold spots; they work better in cold.
- Kids love having 'their own' light. It also keeps them calm.
Safety: Store spare batteries outside the device so they don't leak.
Source: Ready.gov: Build a Kit
Solar garden lights as free night-lights
Cost: About $1-3 each.
Why it works: They charge themselves every day with no fuel.
How to do it
- Buy cheap solar stake lights (about $1-3 each).
- Leave them outside in the sun during the day.
- At night, bring them in and stand them in a jar or vase in the bathroom, hallway or kids' room.
Safety: They're dim and work poorly in short, cloudy winter days. Good for marking paths, not for reading.
Source: Ready.gov: Power Outages
Glow sticks for kids
Cost: About $1 for 15 at dollar stores.
Why it works: No flame, no heat, no batteries. Most last 4-12 hours.
How to do it
- Keep a pack of glow sticks with your outage supplies.
- Give each child a glow necklace or bracelet at bedtime so you can find them in the dark and they feel safe.
- Put one in the bathroom as a night-light.
Safety: The liquid inside can irritate skin and eyes. Watch young kids so they don't chew them.
Source: Ready.gov: Build a Kit
Olive oil lamp in a jar
Cost: A few dollars for oil; wick and jar are free.
Why it works: Olive oil won't catch fire at room temperature, so if the jar tips, the flame usually goes out in the oil. It's much safer than kerosene.
How to do it
- Pour 1-2 inches of olive oil (or any vegetable oil) into a small glass jar.
- Bend a piece of wire (from a coat hanger or craft wire) into a holder that hooks over the rim and holds a wick upright.
- Thread a 100% cotton wick or cotton string through it. Let about 1/4 inch stick up above the oil.
- Let the wick soak for a minute, then light it.
Safety: Still an open flame: set it on a plate on a sturdy surface, never leave it alone, and keep it away from kids and pets. The glass gets hot near the wick.
Source: NFPA: Candle Safety
Shortening (Crisco) tub candle
Cost: About $3-5 for the tub plus wicks.
Why it works: Shortening is a slow-burning fat, so a tub gives a long-lasting, dim light. Online claims of '45 days' aren't backed by testing; plan on it lasting many hours, not weeks.
How to do it
- Push a long candle wick (or several) straight down into the center of a tub of solid vegetable shortening with a chopstick.
- Leave about 1/2 inch of wick above the surface.
- Set the tub on a metal tray or plate and light it.
Safety: The tub or container can melt or catch. Always use a metal tray, keep it away from fabric, never leave it alone, and never put water on a grease flame (smother it with a lid).
Source: NFPA: Candle Safety
MYTH: Candles are the best outage light
Cost: Battery lanterns are about $10-20.
The truth: Battery lights don't burn, smoke or use up oxygen.
What to do instead
- The truth: flashlights, headlamps and lanterns are safer and cheaper per hour than candles.
- Many home fires during outages start from candles.
- Keep candles as a backup only, and never in kids' rooms or near curtains.
Safety: If you do use candles, put them in sturdy holders and blow them out before you leave the room or fall asleep.
Source: NFPA: Candle Safety
Power and Communication (7)
Charge phones from your car
Cost: About $10 for a charger.
Why it works: Your car's alternator is a generator you already own.
How to do it
- Get a car USB charger that plugs into the 12-volt socket (about $10).
- Start the car OUTSIDE (never in a garage, even with the door open). Make sure the tailpipe isn't blocked by snow.
- Charge phones and power banks while the engine runs, about 20-30 minutes at a time.
- Fill the power banks so you can charge phones inside later.
Safety: Charging with the engine off can drain the car battery. Don't idle for hours if fuel is scarce.
Make your phone battery last days
Cost: Free.
Why it works: Phones burn the most battery searching for a weak signal and lighting the screen. Texts also get through more often when networks are jammed.
How to do it
- Turn on Low Power Mode (iPhone) or Battery Saver (Android) in Settings.
- Turn the screen brightness all the way down.
- Turn off Wi-Fi and Bluetooth if you aren't using them.
- Switch to Airplane Mode when you don't need a signal, and turn it off a few times a day to check messages.
- Text instead of calling.
Safety: Keep your phone warm in cold weather; batteries drain fast when cold.
Keep power banks charged
Cost: About $15-30 each.
Why it works: Stored power is ready the moment the lights go out.
How to do it
- Buy one or two power banks (10,000 mAh charges most phones about twice).
- Charge them fully and set a reminder to top them off every 3 months.
- Keep the right cables with them.
Safety: Don't leave lithium power banks in a hot car in summer.
Source: Ready.gov: Power Outages
AA-to-D battery adapters
Cost: About $5-10 for a pack of adapters.
Why it works: You only have to stock one battery size.
How to do it
- Pick AA as your main battery size and stock those (rechargeable ones are great).
- Buy adapters that let an AA fit where a D battery goes.
- Use them in old flashlights, lanterns and radios that take Ds.
Safety: An AA holds only about 1/5 of the power of a D, so the device runs out much sooner. Carry extra AAs.
Source: Ready.gov: Build a Kit
Paper copies of everything important
Cost: A few cents for copies and a bag.
Why it works: Dead phones and down networks happen. Paper always works.
How to do it
- Write down key phone numbers: family, doctor, pharmacy, insurance, work, school, an out-of-town contact.
- Copy IDs, insurance cards, prescriptions and important papers.
- Put it all in a zip bag with a paper map of your area.
- Keep one copy at home and one in your go-bag or car.
Safety: Store copies of IDs securely; they're sensitive.
Source: Ready.gov: Make a Plan
Write your phone number on your kids
Cost: Free.
Why it works: Little kids often can't remember phone numbers when scared.
How to do it
- Write your cell number on your child's forearm in Sharpie.
- Brush a thin coat of liquid bandage or clear nail polish over it so it lasts.
- Or tuck a card with your info in their shoe or backpack.
- Teach them: 'If we get separated, show this to a police officer or a mom with kids.'
Safety: Don't write their name where strangers can read it; just your phone number.
Source: Ready.gov: Make a Plan
Pick an out-of-town contact
Cost: Free.
Why it works: Long-distance calls and texts often get through when local lines are jammed.
How to do it
- Choose a friend or relative who lives in another state.
- Everyone in the family checks in with that person after a disaster.
- Write their number on everyone's paper contact card.
Safety: Make sure the contact knows they're the contact.