Where do Hurricanes Occur?
Hurricanes can be found all over the world, but when it comes to the United States, there are some regions more susceptible to them. Those located near and around the Gulf of Mexico are especially vulnerable, so having Florida, Texas, and Mississippi in the top ten probably comes as no surprise. Here is a list of the top 10 states visited by hurricanes from 1851 to 2018.
- Florida: 120 hurricanes
- Texas: 64 hurricanes
- North Carolina: 55 hurricanes
- Louisiana: 54 hurricanes
- South Carolina: 30 hurricanes
- Alabama: 24 hurricanes
- Georgia: 22 hurricanes
- Mississippi: 19 hurricanes
- New York: 15 hurricanes
- Massachusetts: 12 hurricanes
Most of these states are no surprise, but a couple may raise your eyebrows. For instance, New York? Really? Even though they are quite far from the Gulf of Mexico, hurricanes do form in the Atlantic, too. They make their way up the East coast, landing in multiple states. And, although we are strictly speaking about power outages caused by hurricanes, these storms can remain powerful and can reach across the middle of the US into states such as Tennessee, Kentucky, and West Virginia. Power lines can still be knocked down due to strong winds from the remnants of a hurricane.
Why You Need a Generator for Hurricane Season
The length of hurricane seasons continues to grow which means so does the chance of getting hit with a power outage. Normally, we are used to hearing about hurricane season starting in June and ending in November. According to the NOAA, this timeframe has changed. For the past seven years, the first named storm of the hurricane season formed in May. And the truth is, storms have formed in just about every month of the year! Just because the calendar turns to December 1st does not mean you’re in the clear. With the extension of the season and the higher probability, you could end up losing power in a hurricane, having a backup generator as a backup is one of the smartest moves you could make.
What is the Best Generator for Hurricane Season?
The truth is, losing power from a hurricane does not mean that you have to somehow survive without access to power. In today’s world, savvy homeowners understand and appreciate the value of having a generator on hand for just such an emergency. Generators that run on gasoline will do in a pinch, but they do come with disadvantages, especially compared with solar generators. Let’s take a look at a few of the most important differences between a gas generator and a solar generator when it comes to practical use when a hurricane knocks out your power.
The need for fuel
Gas generators will need to be refueled. Solar generators will need to be recharged. See the difference? If you run out of gas, your generator simply won’t help you. If the hurricane was strong enough to knock down trees and block roads thereby cutting off your access to a gas station so you can refill your gas can, you might as well use your gas generator as a paperweight. This is where solar generators come out on top. Even if the roads are cut off, the sun will continue to shine and provide power for your appliances and devices. The gas generator is a good option for a short time, but, with hurricanes, you just never know how much damage will be caused around you or how to cut off from the world you might end up in.
Related: Solar Generator VS Gas Generator - Choose the Best One for You
Inside vs. outside
Another factor to consider is the convenience of operating your generator inside your home instead of running electrical cords into your home from the outside. With a gas generator, you will have to run the unit outdoors. When a gas generator runs, it emits carbon monoxide and dangerous fumes as it burns gas. A solar generator does not work in this way. It is recharged by solar panels and does not burn any fuel, therefore, it can be placed inside the home for easy use and convenience.
Charging outlets and options
Most gas generators provide the user with a couple of outlets. It’s up to the user to provide the power strips for access to multiple plugs. You’ll need to have all your adapters ready if you want to charge your devices and phones, too. With a solar generator like the Growatt INFINITY 1500 Portable Power Station, you will have a variety of plug-in options. This particular unit comes with 12 diverse outlets, including standard outlets, USB A ports, USB C plugs, and more. Gas generators just don’t provide this kind of diversity.
Recharging options or just refueling options
A gas generator will burn through fuel and the tank will need to be refilled. How often, of course, depends on the unit itself. There aren’t any other options to utilize the power of your gas generator. Another big advantage to a solar generator is the ability to recharge the power station of your solar generator in a variety of ways. The unit mentioned above, for example, can be recharged in about 2 hours and 30 minutes using solar panels. It can also be recharged by plugging it into your car’s power outlet. Finally, you can recharge this unit by simply plugging it into a standard household outlet. This might not seem like a logical option at first. I mean, the power is out so no outlets are working, right? Certain vehicles actually have standard outlets in their car. I personally own a Chevy Cruse with this option installed. Many Jeeps and other sport utility vehicles provide standard plugs, too.
Bottom Line: the Benefit of Having a Solar Generator for Hurricane Season
There are a lot of choices when it comes to generators. Living in or near hurricane central is all the reason you need to invest in one. The old-school gas generators are better than nothing, but with how advanced and technically superior solar generators are, the choice is clear. Being able to simply recharge your solar generator instead of having to refuel is a big advantage and convenience.
Having the option of running your generator indoors makes so much more sense than having extension cords running across the floor from outside of your house. And knowing you can recharge your solar generator in a variety of ways, especially for free from the power of the sun will give you the peace of mind that power will always be available—with or without gasoline. People are no longer worrying as much about losing power due to a hurricane when they have a solar generator ready to step in and provide power.
