When a winter storm watch goes up, the forecast is not just about snow totals and wind speeds. It is also an early warning that your home’s electrical system is about to be tested by ice, falling branches and sudden outages. In that window before the worst weather hits, one device in particular should be pulled from the wall first, because it is both highly vulnerable and central to how you live and work.
That device is your internet modem and router, the small box (or pair of boxes) that keeps every phone, laptop, smart TV and security camera in your home connected. I have seen people focus on flashlights and food while leaving this gear humming away on a shelf, even though a single surge can silently destroy it and everything wired to it.
Why your modem and router should be first to unplug
The core risk in a winter storm watch is not just losing power, it is the violent way power can flicker on and off as ice and wind batter lines. Those abrupt changes create voltage spikes that travel along electrical wiring and cable lines, and they look for the most delicate circuitry to burn through. A home’s modem and router sit at the crossroads of both power and data, which makes them prime targets when electricity surges through phone lines, electrical wires and cables, a pathway that Safe Electricity warns does not require a direct lightning strike.
That vulnerability is why storm safety guidance repeatedly singles out sensitive electronics for disconnection. Advice on how to get ready for severe winter weather stresses that you should unplug sensitive electronics such as TVs, computers and routers before power fails and again before it returns. When power is restored after an outage, the first few seconds can bring unstable voltage that fries the tiny components inside networking gear long before you notice anything wrong.
What experts say about surge risk in storms
Electrical safety specialists have been blunt that the safest move in a storm is physical disconnection. Guidance that tackles the old “Truth or myth?” debate about unplugging during severe weather notes that, According to the Department of Homeland Security, you should unplug all of your appliances because lightning and surges can travel through wiring even if they never hit your house directly. That same logic applies when ice and wind, rather than lightning, are knocking lines around and causing repeated shorts.
Storm preparation checklists echo that message in practical terms. One widely shared set of tips on how to get ready for a power cut advises you to Switch off electrical appliances that are not designed to run unattended so they are not hit by a surge when power returns. Another guide aimed at cutting your risk of damage during severe weather puts it even more plainly, saying Experts agree that unplugging devices is the number one way to prevent damage. A modem and router are classic examples of equipment that is always on, rarely monitored and expensive to replace, which is why I put them at the top of the list.
The appliance most likely to be destroyed in a winter surge
When people hear “unplug one thing now,” they often think of a refrigerator or furnace, but electrical safety campaigns point in a different direction. Guidance that asks What appliances are most likely to be damaged in a power surge, and cites Safe Electricity directly, highlights electronics with circuit boards and constant power as being at particular risk. That description fits modems and routers perfectly, and it also covers the smart TVs, streaming boxes and gaming consoles that are often wired straight into them.
Lists of devices to disconnect before severe weather repeatedly put these kinds of gadgets at the top. One rundown of Electronic items to unplug singles out Coffee makers, Desktop computers and Gaming consoles as examples of everyday devices that can be wiped out by a single surge. Another warning aimed at homeowners urges them to be aware of the electronics most at risk and notes that items such as Coffee machines, Desktop computers and Gam consoles should be unplugged when storms threaten. Your modem and router sit in the same category of always-on, surge-sensitive electronics, but unlike a coffee maker, losing them can also knock out your ability to call for help over Wi‑Fi calling or check updated forecasts.
Timing matters: when to pull the plug
The safest time to act is when a winter storm watch is issued, not when the snow is already piling up. Advice that directly addresses When you should unplug appliances during a storm points out that cold weather can put extra strain on the power grid, increasing the odds of sudden outages and surges. Electricians at Mister Sparky in Myrtle Beach, North Carolina, are cited explaining that this strain is exactly why you should disconnect vulnerable devices before the worst of the weather arrives, rather than waiting for the lights to flicker.
Once the power actually goes out, the guidance shifts slightly but the modem and router remain on the list. Storm response advice for households says that When you lose power, you should Unplug any appliances or electronics to avoid power surge damage once the power is restored, with Sensitive devices singled out as especially important. A separate winter storm guide for Ohio residents reinforces the same point, urging people to Unplug major appliances and electronics during a cold weather power outage, including computers, televisions and other electronics, so they are not hit by a surge when the grid comes back.
How to protect everything else connected to your network
Pulling the plug on your modem and router is the fastest way to shield your digital life, but it should be part of a broader, methodical sweep. Safety advice on what to disconnect before severe weather notes that What To Unplug a Storm includes a long list of everyday devices, and that by planning ahead and unplugging them you can reduce damage from surges and prevent expensive repairs. Another version of the same guidance stresses that, However prepared you feel, the simple act of pulling a few plugs can save you from losing multiple devices at once.
Lists of priority items are remarkably consistent. One rundown of Coffee makers, Desktop computers and Gaming consoles as top candidates to unplug is mirrored in another version that again highlights Desktop machines and Gaming systems as especially vulnerable. A separate warning to homeowners from Set The Mirror US, which readers are urged to mark as a Preferred Source, again calls out Coffee machines, Desktop computers and Gam consoles as examples of electronics that should be unplugged when snow storms threaten. In practice, I treat anything with a screen, a circuit board or a constant connection to my modem as part of the same unplug-first family.
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