It’s not a great feeling when you’re in the middle of a gaming session or workday and your Wi-Fi suddenly disconnects. Sometimes it’s because of an unstable connection, and other times it could be a power outage. Bad weather can be the starting cause of these unfortunate events, which are out of our control. Here are just a few types of weather you may experience and how they can affect your internet experience.
Rain and Thunder
Heavy rain and thunder are a recipe for disaster when it comes to internet connections. Floods can disrupt and even break satellite dishes, while thunder can short out power lines and cause outages that will disconnect you from your network and electricity. Depending on your internet type, problems can range from spotty internet to rain fade. Wired connections, like cable and fiber, are more resistant than wireless networks like 5G since the wires run underground.
If you find yourself disconnecting from the internet while browsing through your phone or computer, check to see if other devices in your household can still access the internet. In some cases, connection issues might be related to a specific device rather than a general internet connectivity issue. If you’ve still got power, try resetting your router to see if that will help your internet connection.
Tornados
In the unlikely event of a tornado, most internet types probably wouldn’t be able to withstand the strong pressure and winds. Wired underground connections may be damaged, power lines can get caught in the winds, and satellite dishes can break. In the midst of it all, tornados can cause damage that leaves internet users without connection for days.
Preventative measures beforehand can ensure you stay connected if you have Wi-Fi. Having backup power in your house can help keep your internet afloat from power outages. If possible, disable Wi-Fi from devices that aren’t using the internet to see if that can boost the internet signal for the remaining online devices.
Blizzards
Shoveling piles of snow from your front yard is easy, but handling the aftermath of a blizzard involves some extra steps. Light snow and cold winds shouldn’t affect internet connection, but a heavy snowstorm is more likely to cause spotty internet since snow can block wireless signals. In more severe cases, satellite internet users will find snow accumulating in their satellite dish, which could negatively affect and even damage the equipment.
Wireless internet users might need to move their devices closer to the router or reset them to fix connection issues, whereas satellite internet users will have to try to remove snow from their satellite dish. If any equipment needs to be fixed or changed, calling a technician is much better than trying to find a DIY solution.
Heat Waves
In contrast to other types of extreme weather, heat waves affect internet connections and equipment. Heat affects signals going to and from your household and can cause equipment like modems and routers to overheat. Although this seems dreary, there are still ways to work around the heat and stay connected to the internet.
Moving your router or modem to a cooler part of your house might help prevent your equipment from overheating and by extension, allow you to reconnect to the internet. The same applies to your devices — taking a break from your phone or computer could solve some connectivity issues. Once the weather becomes a bit cooler, try to reset your router by removing the power cord and giving it time to cool down further before using it again.