Solar Panels vs Hurricane Winds: Will Panels Survive?

Florida, Texas, and many of the Gulf and Atlantic states have a lot of homes using solar panels. These are also states that see hurricanes too often. 

With all the damage hurricanes can do, it’s good to ask how rooftop solar panels handle triple-digit winds. There’s real-world proof that not only do solar panels make it through bad storms, they are more durable and provide electricity again much faster than other power sources.

What should you know about solar panels and the threat of hurricane damage before going solar? We’ll go through that information here.

Can Solar Panels Survive a Hurricane?

Yes, solar panels can survive hurricanes. This is good news since there are millions of solar panels in Florida, Texas, Louisiana, Mississippi, Alabama, Georgia, and the Carolinas. 

Solar panels are designed to handle all kinds of inclement weather conditions like rain, snow, hail, and even hurricanes. When solar panels are designed, they are tested to ensure they can handle the force of a hurricane.

As a result, they are generally created to stand up to hurricane-force winds of up to about 140 miles per hour. In addition, solar panel casings are extremely waterproof, even under extreme rain and wind conditions.

When solar panels are attached to your roof, your solar installer will use long, strong lag bolts that attach the racking directly to your rafters, ensuring a strong connection between your roof and the solar power system. As long as the roof stays attached to your house, your solar panels should have no problem surviving a hurricane.

According to the National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL), when studying 50,000 solar energy systems installed between 2009 and 2013, only 0.1% of all photovoltaic (PV) systems were reported to have been damaged or underperforming each year.

The NREL released data and a report in January 2024 stating short-term system performance of commercial and utility scale solar installations is minimally affected by extreme weather. Most outages, from 2008-22, were from flood and rain conditions, followed by high-wind events. Where there were solar systems with outages, the average length of outage was 2-4 days and the average loss in annual performance was 1%.

The data shows extreme weather can result in accelerated degradation in the long term. Large-sized hail, high-wind conditions, and major snowfalls are the most likely conditions to have a negative effect on long-term performance.

Here are a few real-world examples of solar panels standing up to infamous hurricanes:

1. Hurricane Sandy: In 2012, when Hurricane Sandy hit New Jersey, the state had 103 megawatts (MW) of PV capacity installed. After the storm, analysts found little or no damage from the hurricane. According to one solar system installer who had serviced over 200 customers, only a few metal casings were damaged by flooding, and one extremely large system had a couple of panels come loose.
2. Hurricane Maria: In 2017, when Hurricane Maria hit Puerto Rico, a VA hospital in San Juan had a 645 kilowatt (kW) solar array that continued working at 100%, even after being exposed to 180 MPH winds. The flexible racking and anchoring systems used to keep the solar panels in place kept them from flying away.
3. Hurricane Florence: In 2018, Hurricane Florence hit North Carolina, leaving some fossil-fuel plants shut down for weeks from the flooding and damage. However, solar panels owned by Duke Energy were back to producing power the day after the storm.
4. Hurricane Ian: In 2022, when Hurricane Ian swept through eastern Florida, Babcock Ranch, which calls itself “America’s first solar-powered town.” and is powered by more than 700,000 solar panels, suffered no loss of power and minimal damage, despite the storm uprooting trees and tearing shingles from roofs.

How Solar Installers Help With Hurricane Preparedness

Solar panel installers will follow several methods to ensure your solar panels remain in place during a hurricane.

Building codes

Your installer must get a permit before installing your solar panels and follow the rules to a tee when installing your solar system. Areas with extreme weather like hurricanes often have special rules about installation and codes to ensure system components stay attached during heavy winds.

System designs

Solar panel engineers have created specific solar panel designs for hurricane-prone areas. Flexible racking and anchoring systems have been devised to move with the hurricane-force winds rather than breaking when the wind hits.

Top-rated equipment

Reputable companies use high-quality equipment and materials that have been tested against extremely high winds to ensure they aren't damaged. This is true for all installations, but it is especially important in areas that could face a direct hit from a hurricane.

Roof condition

Your solar panel installer will start the process of going solar by ensuring your roof is in good condition and able to have solar panels placed on it safely and securely. If your roof is old or damaged, your solar panel system could potentially get damaged during a hurricane, so solar installers won’t put a system on a roof that can’t support it.

Roof location

When designing your system, your installer will find the best place on your roof for your solar panels to generate electricity while reducing the risk of being blown off. This includes keeping the system away from the roof's edge, the area most likely to suffer from uplift.

Uplift can happen if the wind makes its way between the roof and the solar panels, causing the solar panels to lift off the roof. Your installer will use large lag bolts screwed right into the roof beams and sealed carefully to protect against uplift.

Do Hurricane-Proof Solar Panels Exist?

You're not likely to find a solar panel system with a "hurricane-proof" label. That’s because all top-rated solar panels are designed to handle extreme precipitation and wind, since they are located on your roof and need to work for 25+ years.

In 2011, the International PV Quality Assurance Task Force (PVQAT) was created to develop standards that allow customers to assess a solar panel's ability to handle the weather stresses of their area. The team came up with three main requirements:

1. Design for conditions: This means solar panels designed for Florida might look a little different from panels designed for Ohio, because they have to stand up to different weather conditions.
2. Quality management: There must be rigorous quality testing to ensure all panels are being developed at the same quality level.
3. System quality: After solar panel systems are installed, they are inspected to ensure they were properly designed and installed and are operating the way they should be.

In addition to the PVQAT, there is the Durable Module Materials Consortium (DuraMAT), which is a group of national research labs and universities that focuses on improving PV modules' designs and physical materials. It is part of the Energy Materials Network (EMN), which is a Department of Energy program meant to lower the time to market for any materials that are critical to clean-energy technologies and the solar industry. Depending on your area, your municipality may also have special rules on the books that establish certain requirements for solar panels. 

• In Houston, Texas, where Hurricane Harvey caused a lot of destruction, solar panels must withstand up to 110 MPH winds.
• The International Building Code regulates that rooftop photovoltaic panels and modules "shall be designed for component and cladding wind loads in accordance with Chapter 16 using an effective wind area based on the dimensions of a single unit frame."

Homeowner Tips for Hurricane Protection

The biggest concern with a hurricane is debris will hit your panels and cause damage, but there are certain things you can do to help protect your solar panels before a hurricane arrives:

1. If you have anything that could become a projectile in your yard — for example, picnic tables, chairs, or toys — make sure to remove and store them before a storm.
2. Get regular maintenance checks on your solar panels to catch small issues before they become big problems. If you find your panels have an issue, you will want to fix it before hurricane season.
3. When you get your solar panel system installed, make sure you get it added to your homeowner's insurance, ensure you have enough insurance to cover it, and know how to make a claim. Read your policy carefully to ensure your insurance covers natural disasters.
4. Don't wait to add your panels to your insurance until right before a hurricane, as there is a decent chance the paperwork won't go through before the storm.
5. Along with adding your panels to your insurance, you will want to have up-to-date photos of your panels for any insurance claim. Many homeowners take pictures of their homes and possessions before a large storm, so make sure to include your solar panels in that process.
6. Know the warranty information for your solar panel system, so you can quickly call the company in charge of your warranty for repairs or replacement if needed.
7. Get a lightning protection system for your home. If your home isn't protected, lightning hitting your home could cause damage to your solar panels and your home's electric equipment. Your options for lightning prevention vary, but you can often get something as simple as a lightning conductor or a path to the ground that redirects lightning.
8. Don’t try to cover up or remove your solar panels, because you might end up doing unintentional damage to them in the process. Panels are designed to withstand severe weather conditions on their own, so just leave them uncovered and let them help protect other parts of your roof.

What to Do With Solar After a Hurricane

After the hurricane has passed and you and your family are safe, you should check your home for any damages, including checking your solar power system to make sure everything is working correctly.

1. If you took a picture of your solar panels before the storm, compare the state of your solar panels after it. However, you should only do this if you can do so without climbing on your roof. Climbing on a steep or slippery roof can be very dangerous after a hurricane.
2. Next, you will want to call your solar panel company and schedule a time for them to inspect your solar system. They can inspect your wiring, panels, mounting, battery storage, and any related hardware to make sure everything is still working and free of storm damage.
3. If your panels or other parts of your home were damaged, file an insurance claim as soon as possible to begin the process of getting that damage repaired.
4. If you have solar batteries and they weren’t damaged by the storm, you can use the saved-up electricity to power your home until the electricity comes back on.

Tips & Tricks for Solar Power in Hurricane Areas

If you live in an area at risk of hurricanes, rest assured that solar panel systems are designed to stand up to heavy winds and other extreme weather. It's important to get a professional solar company to install your solar panels because they know what to do to make it more likely they hold up to all weather conditions.

• Follow building codes
• Use designs specific to your region's weather
• Use high-quality, top-rated equipment
• Ensure your roof is in the proper condition to have solar panels attached
• Find the best location on your roof to install the solar panel system

Even with a quality installation, you can still complete certain tasks before a hurricane to help protect your investment.

• Get rid of anything in your yard that could be a projectile.
• Set up a regular maintenance schedule for your solar panels.
• Get your solar panel system added to your insurance.
• Ensure your insurance covers other issues like roof, wind, and water damage.
• Have up-to-date photos of your solar power system.
• Know your warranty information so you know who to call after the hurricane.
• Get lightning protection for your home.

There are things you can do after the hurricane passes and you and your family are safe.

• Do a visual check for damage to your solar power system. (Do not climb onto your roof. Let a professional do that.)
• Call your solar panel company out to do a thorough evaluation.
• If needed, put in a claim with your insurance company.

If you're ready to install solar panels and enjoy the benefits of solar energy, such as reliable power after a hurricane or other natural disaster, talk to Palmetto today. You can use our free solar design and savings estimate tool to see how much you could save by going solar and get a preview of what a solar power system would look like on your roof.

Frequently Asked Questions

Do solar panels work in hurricanes?

In the worst part of a hurricane, no, your panels aren’t likely to generate power. But, in all but the worst of the storm, including after the storm passes, your solar panels will work.

If the power is out in your area, your panels may not work, since standalone panels are designed to shut down with the grid. However, with a battery attached that can temporarily separate you from the grid, solar panels can keep at least parts of your home powered up through an outage.

Can hurricanes blow solar panels off of a roof?

It’s possible but very rare. Solar panels are designed and built to withstand very high wind speeds and extreme weather conditions. The system’s other components, such as the racking and anchoring, are built to withstand high wind and rain. 

What winds can solar panels withstand?

Solar panels are generally designed and manufactured to withstand hurricane-force winds up to about 140 mph. 

Sobre el AutorAndrew GiermakWriter and Editor

Andrew joined Palmetto in Charlotte in August 2024. He’s been a writer in journalism, then in business, going back to almost the 20th century. He’s lived in Indiana, Virginia, Pennsylvania, Virginia again, and now North Carolina for the last 12 years. He likes golf. Is he good at it? Not so much.