Why Your Internet Speed Drops During Bad Weather (And What to Do)

There’s nothing worse than settling in for a movie night or joining an important video call, only to have your internet slow to a crawl because of bad weather. While it might seem like the weather shouldn’t have much to do with your connection, heavy rain, storms, heatwaves, and even high winds can all cause performance issues.

Before you start comparing internet providers to see if a switch could help, it’s worth understanding why this happens — and what steps you can take to minimise the impact.

How Weather Affects Internet Speeds

Rain and Moisture

Heavy rain can interfere with certain types of internet connections, particularly satellite and fixed wireless services. The signal between your dish or antenna and the provider’s tower can weaken as water absorbs and scatters the radio waves — a phenomenon known as “rain fade.”

Wind and Storm Damage

Strong winds can knock down trees or powerlines, damage poles, and even dislodge cabling or rooftop equipment. This can cause temporary outages or force your provider to reroute traffic, resulting in slower speeds.

Heat and Equipment Stress

During extreme heat, network equipment can overheat, either at your home or in the provider’s infrastructure. Overheating can cause temporary slowdowns or force systems to shut down until temperatures drop.

Lightning Strikes

While rare, lightning can damage communication lines, modems, or routers, especially if they aren’t protected by surge suppressors. This can cause a sudden drop in speed or complete loss of connection.

Connection Types and Weather Vulnerability

• Fibre-optic: Least affected by weather, as data travels through glass cables underground. However, damage from storms or flooding can still cause outages.
• Cable (Coaxial): Fairly resilient, but susceptible to damage from wind or flooding.
• DSL: Uses copper phone lines that can degrade in wet conditions, leading to slower speeds.
• Fixed Wireless: Can be disrupted by heavy rain, wind, or physical obstructions caused by storms.
• Satellite: Most vulnerable to rain, snow, and storms due to the long-distance signal path.

Steps to Protect Your Connection

1. Secure Your Equipment
   Ensure outdoor antennas, dishes, and cabling are securely mounted. In windy areas, use weather-rated brackets and regularly check for loosened fittings.
2. Use Surge Protection
   Install surge protectors for your modem, router, and any connected devices. This reduces the risk of damage from lightning or sudden power surges.
3. Keep Firmware Updated
   Manufacturers often release firmware updates that improve performance and stability. Updating your modem or router can help it handle signal fluctuations more effectively.
4. Optimise Your Internal Network
   If bad weather reduces your available bandwidth, you can still maximise your experience by:
   • Prioritising essential activities with your router’s Quality of Service (QoS) settings
   • Pausing large downloads or updates during storms
   • Using wired connections for critical devices
5. Have a Backup Connection
   For those who rely heavily on the internet for work or study, consider a backup connection. This might be a mobile hotspot, a second provider, or an alternative technology less affected by weather.

When to Contact Your Provider

If bad weather repeatedly causes severe slowdowns or outages, it’s worth speaking to your provider. They may:

• Offer advice on better positioning your equipment
• Recommend hardware upgrades
• Suggest alternative connection types that are more reliable in your area

For example, if you’re on satellite and experience constant rain fade, a fixed wireless or fibre service could offer more stability.

Managing Expectations

Even the best setups can still be affected by extreme weather. The goal isn’t to eliminate every slowdown but to reduce its frequency and impact. Knowing what to expect — and having a plan for when speeds drop — can help you avoid frustration.

Bad weather and internet slowdowns often go hand in hand, but you don’t have to accept poor performance as inevitable. By understanding how different conditions affect your connection, taking preventative measures, and working with your provider, you can keep your connection as stable as possible, rain or shine.