Weathering the Storm: How We’re the Force After Nature

If it feels like Alabama’s weather has been especially wild this year – you’re not imagining it. From back-to-back thunderstorms to tornado warnings and record-setting rain, 2025 has already packed a punch. And with hurricane season in full swing, the storms may not be over yet.

Through it all, our crews have stayed focused on what we do best: being the force after nature. When severe weather hits, we go all-in to restore power safely and quickly for the communities we serve.

A Tough Year for Storms

Alabama is no stranger to intense weather, but 2025 has been especially active. Here’s a look at what we’ve faced so far:

• Tornadoes are up 31% compared to last year, with 50% more tornado warnings year-to-date.
• May was the wettest month in more than 20 years in Central Alabama – Birmingham alone saw over 11 inches of rain, more than double the usual amount.
• Since February, we’ve had 563 severe thunderstorm warnings and 111 tornado warnings across the state.
• Windy conditions have also spiked, with hours of wind gusts over 25 mph up 54% above normal.

On top of all that, Alabama’s thick forests – which cover nearly 70% of the state – mean trees are the number one cause of weather-related power outages.

What That Means for You

All of this weather takes a toll on the electric grid. So far in 2025, we’ve replaced:

• 600+ more poles than in all of 2024
• Nearly 300 additional transformers
• Over 2,700 more spans of wire

But we’re not just reacting – we’re planning ahead, too. We’ve installed outage prevention technology across our lines, which benefits 100% of our customers by automatically detecting problems and rerouting power before you even notice a blink. In fact, this smart, proactive tech has already prevented outages for more than 375,000 customers this year alone.

Why Trees and Rain Matter

This year’s heavy rainfall has made the ground extra soggy – so even large, healthy trees can be uprooted by relatively mild wind. The excess rain has also kicked off more vegetation growth, which means our crews are working even harder to manage that growth and protect your power.

We’re Here, Rain or Shine

We know outages are frustrating, and we’re committed to doing everything we can to keep your service reliable. No matter what the weather throws at us, our teams are ready to respond, restore and keep you connected.

Want to see our storm team in action? Follow us on social and visit alabamapower.com/storm to learn more about how we prepare for extreme weather – and how you can, too.