Hurricane power outage checklist for Alabama's Gulf Coast

Updated 2026-10-31 · Sources linked inline

For a hurricane, plan for the power to be out for days, plan your evacuation first, and set up your backup power before the storm is in the Gulf. Alabama Power says to be prepared for at least three days without electricity or running water. The Atlantic hurricane season runs from June 1 to November 30 (Ready.gov), and Alabama Power lists June through November as the most common months for hurricanes in the state.

This checklist is general planning information. Follow your county emergency management agency and the National Weather Service, and treat evacuation orders as the first priority. Backup power is for people who are staying and safe to stay. For active National Weather Service alerts in Mobile, Baldwin and every other Alabama county, see our Alabama weather alerts and outage history by county page; it is not a tracker of who has power, so use your utility for outage status.

How this guide was made: this is a research guide built on manufacturer specifications and federal guidance, with sources linked throughout. We haven't bench-tested any of the equipment mentioned, and we don't claim to.

Step 1: Know your zone and your plan

Ready.gov says storm surge is historically the leading cause of hurricane-related deaths in the United States, and that hurricanes are not just a coastal problem: rain, wind and flooding can reach far inland.

• Mobile County: use Mobile County EMA's Know Your Zone tool to see whether you are in Zone 1, and see its evacuation page for routes and shelters. It says to call 2-1-1 if you need transportation (Mobile County EMA).
• Baldwin County: zones depend on the storm's category. Category 1 puts all of Pleasure Island (south of the Intracoastal Canal, including Fort Morgan, Gulf Shores, Orange Beach and Ono Island), people in manufactured homes and people in low-lying flood-prone areas in Zone 1; each higher category adds more. In a Category 5 scenario the county says everyone should evacuate (Baldwin County EMA).
• Everyone: have several ways to get alerts, including the FEMA app, and know that Emergency Alert System and Wireless Emergency Alert messages need no sign-up (Ready.gov).

Mobile County EMA also says to keep at least a half tank of gas in the car, because gas stations may be closed and unable to pump during power outages. If you evacuate, check with officials both where you are and back home before you travel.

Step 2: A five-day timeline

Step 3: Backup power plan

For a hurricane, the key decision is generator or battery:

• Hurricane = multi-day. Battery-only plans rarely cover days of loads unless you can recharge them. Our generator vs power station page compares them and shows why a hybrid setup works.
• List your must-run loads. Refrigerator, sump pump, router, lights, a fan, medical equipment. Add them with the appliance wattage chart and the generator size calculator. The house sizing guide shows three realistic tiers.
• Sump pump: see how many watts a sump pump uses.
• Refrigerator: see the refrigerator wattage guide and the food safety guide for the 4-hour and 48-hour rules.
• CPAP: see CPAP backup power; check your device's rating and ask your provider.

Fuel: check your generator's manual for run times and refueling steps, store fuel in approved containers outdoors, and let the generator cool before refueling (Ready.gov). CDC says not to siphon gasoline.

Generator rules that matter most in a storm

• Run it outdoors, more than 20 feet from windows, doors and vents. Never in a garage or on a porch. Read generator carbon monoxide safety.
• Never connect it to your home's electrical system (Mobile County EMA's words: never connect a generator to your home's electrical system). Powering house circuits is a job for a licensed electrician and your utility's rules.
• Keep it dry. Ready.gov warns that touching a wet generator or devices connected to it can cause electrical shock. Plan a protected, open-sided place for it.
• Keep a battery-backed CO detector on every level.

If you evacuate

Mobile County EMA's evacuation list says to unplug small electrical equipment such as radios, TVs and small appliances, and to leave freezers and refrigerators plugged in unless there is a risk of flooding. It also says to close and lock doors and windows, leave a note about where you're going, and avoid shortcuts and flooded roads. Ready.gov's rule is simple: do not walk, swim or drive through flood waters. Just six inches of fast-moving water can knock you down, and one foot can sweep a vehicle away.

During the storm

• Stay in your shelter or an interior room; go to the highest level if you're trapped by flooding, but not into a closed attic (Ready.gov).
• Keep refrigerator and freezer doors closed (Alabama Power, CDC).
• Don't run a generator in any enclosed space, even to keep up with the weather.
• Save phone calls for emergencies and use text messages (Ready.gov).
• Don't go outside to "check" the generator in the eye of the storm; wait for official all-clear.

After the storm

Hazards remain after the wind stops. Alabama Power says to stay away from downed power lines and assume they are live, avoid standing water near downed lines, never remove tree limbs from lines, and report downed lines at 1-800-888-2726 or to local authorities. Ready.gov adds: don't touch electrical equipment if it is wet or you're standing in water, and if it's safe, turn off power at the main breaker or fuse box.

Restoration takes a while in major storms. After Hurricane Sally in 2020, a Category 2 storm, Southern Company reported that more than 680,000 Alabama Power customers lost power and that 99% of customers able to safely receive power were restored by that Sunday, four days after the storm, with the hardest-hit areas around Mobile expecting more time (Southern Company, Alabama Political Reporter). That is one storm's history, not a prediction.

"Able to safely receive power" matters. Alabama Power says the meter box belongs to the homeowner, and a licensed electrician must repair damage before service can be restored (How we restore power). If your meter box is damaged, call an electrician early.

When power returns:

1. Turn off major appliances to avoid surges when power returns, as Alabama Power advises. Bring them back one at a time (our advice, to avoid a load spike).
2. Check food using the food safety guide.
3. Report problems to the utility once; see outage reporting by utility.
4. Document damage with photos and call your insurer (Ready.gov).

People and pets who need extra planning

• Medical equipment and refrigerated medicine. Ready.gov says to talk to your medical provider about a power outage plan for powered medical devices and refrigerated medicines. Ask before the season. This page is not for life-support planning.
• Neighbors. Ready.gov and Alabama Power both say to check on older adults, people who live alone and others who may need help.
• Pets. Mobile County EMA notes that most public shelters allow only service animals, so identify a place that accepts pets before you need one.
• Renters and apartment residents. Generators are not an option in a multi-unit building. See renters' backup power.

Checklist

For the full year-round list, see the Alabama outage checklist.