A power pole lays on the ground after it was snapped in half after what appeared to be a tornado passed through the area before Hurricane Milton’s arrival on October 09, 2024, in Fort Myers, Florida. People are preparing for the storm, which could be a Cat 3 when it makes landfall on Wednesday evening. (Photo by Joe Raedle/Getty Images)
After the one-two punch of Helene and Milton, those of us in Florida that have power are incredibly grateful. But we've also noticed our power flickering quite a lot. And I needed to know why.
For me, the power flickering is most noticeable at night, when I'm trying to sleep. To be honest, I'd probably never notice if it wasn't for the battery backup I have installed on my electronics. Whenever the power does that 'flickering' thing where it goes off and then right back on, my backup lets out an audible BEEP to let me know it's working. Which of course wakes me up. After 2 nights of broken sleep, I needed to know what was going on, so I reached out to Florida Power and Light for an explanation.
Power Flickering In Florida
Here's the statement from NextEra Energy, Florida Power & Light Company:
Hurricanes can have long-term effects that aren’t always immediately apparent. For example, many trees and branches have been weakened by the storm and could fall in the coming weeks and months onto power lines and electrical equipment, potentially causing momentary flickers or disrupting power entirely.
In addition, salt spray or storm surge in areas near the coastline could weaken some electrical connections.
Significant wind gusts during the hurricane may also have loosened some electrical connections, which may lead to increased outages and flickers days and weeks later.
Rest assured, as we experience outages after the storm, we’ll be working safely and as quickly as possible to restore service and repair any conditions discovered.
How Long Will The Power Flickering Continue?
There's really no answer to that. We'll just have to be patient, and smart, about our current situation. Unplug appliances that you aren't currently using. I noticed that every time the power flickered that my washer would light up. A truly weird one was that my coffee maker would enter into a brewing cycle when the power cycled. Since there was no water in the reservoir, the alarm would sound. That only woke me up once before I unplugged it.
Again, I am very thankful that I have power. We'll just have to deal with the power flickering for a bit, which I can do. Again, if there's things plugged in that you aren't currently using - unplug them. These power interruptions could damage them. Or wake you up.
