How to?Reviewed: 2025-12-27~1 min

How to Handle a Power Outage Safely in a High-Rise Apartment During a Winter Storm

Short answer

⚠️Depends / use caution

It depends on your building systems, the storm’s severity, and your floor level. In many high-rises it’s safer to shelter in place with heat-conserving steps, but relocate to a designated warming area or leave only when the building deems it safe and routes are clear.

Why people ask this

In a high-rise during a winter storm, elevators may be down, stairwells dark, and wind exposure higher, making choices less obvious than in a house. Central systems like water pumps and boiler heat can fail, and balconies/windows behave differently in extreme cold and wind. People want to know when to shelter versus descend many flights of stairs, how to keep warm without unsafe heat sources, and what to expect from building management.

When it might be safe

Sheltering in place on a mid/high floor if there’s no fire, smoke, gas odor, or structural damage, and you can keep one room warm using layers, drafts sealed, and doors closed.
Using stairwells only if emergency lighting is active, conditions are dry and ice-free, and you have a headlamp and a buddy for the descent.
Using tap water and flushing while pressure lasts, and pre-filling bottles and a bathtub before pumps lose power.
Cooking briefly on a gas stove for food (not heat) with a working battery CO alarm and a slight venting gap away from the storm side of the building.
Moving to a building-designated warming area (e.g., lobby/community room on generator power) if announced by management and reachable without unsafe travel.

When it is not safe

Using ovens, gas burners, grills, or portable generators for heat—especially on balconies or near windows—due to carbon monoxide and fire risks.
Relying on candles near curtains or drafty window areas; use battery lanterns instead.
Taking elevators during an outage or immediately after power flickers back, due to entrapment risk.
Opening windward windows during the blizzard; pressure gusts can shatter glass and rapidly drop indoor temperatures.
Idling a car in an enclosed garage for heat or charging; carbon monoxide can accumulate and migrate into the building.

Possible risks

Hypothermia and dehydration from prolonged cold, especially on upper floors exposed to wind and heat loss.
Carbon monoxide poisoning from improper heating or running engines/generators in enclosed or semi-enclosed spaces.
Falls or injuries in dark stairwells and hallways if emergency lighting fails or ice/snow is tracked indoors.
Food spoilage and gastrointestinal illness from extended fridge outages if doors are frequently opened.
Water issues: loss of pressure on upper floors during pump failure and potential leaks or bursts during thaw.

Safer alternatives

Conserve heat: choose the smallest interior room, close doors, seal window edges with towels/plastic, and create a tent-within-a-room using blankets or a camping tent.
Layer up: hats, insulated socks, and sleeping bags rated for low temps; use chemical hand warmers if available.
Light and power: battery lanterns, headlamps, and charged power banks; rotate devices and keep phones warm to preserve battery.
Water and sanitation: fill tubs/sinks/bottles early; use disinfecting wipes/hand sanitizer if pumps stop and toilets can’t flush reliably.
Stay informed: monitor building messages, local alerts, and warming center locations via phone/radio; note stairwell conditions and which exits are cleared.
Community approach: check on neighbors on higher/windward sides, share warm spaces and supplies, and coordinate a safe group descent if relocation is advised.

Bottom line

In a winter-storm outage in a high-rise, start by conserving heat and sheltering in a sealed interior space, avoid unsafe heat sources and elevators, and follow building guidance. Move only when routes are safe or a designated warming area opens, keeping carbon monoxide and fall risks top of mind.