THURSDAY 13 MAY 2027 · 06:40
Your Blackout Day.
How long would your household last?
Answer ten quick questions. We follow your home hour by hour through the first three days of our forecast Blackout Day.
Your first 72 hours
The power goes off.
The lights, router and fridge go quiet. Mobile signal and home internet drop out across your area.
No news.
With no signal, no internet and no radio, you have no way to find out what is happening or how long it will last.
Shops take cash only.
Card machines and cash machines are down. The corner shop is open, but you have no cash to pay.
The fridge warms up.
Food Standards Agency guidance is that a fridge stays cold for up to 4 hours. Eat chilled food first and keep the door shut.
The taps run dry.
Pumping stations have lost power. You have 2 litres for 2 people, who need about 6 litres a day to drink.
Your drinking water runs out.
There is no tap water and nothing left in the bottles.
It gets dark. No torch.
Around 9pm the streets are completely dark. UK Be Ready guidance says torches are safer than candles.
Your last phone dies.
With no power bank, there is nothing left to charge it from. You have no way to get news or call for help.
Day two.
The power is still off. Shops that opened yesterday are empty or closed.
The freezer thaws.
The FSA estimates a half freezer keeps food frozen for up to 24 hours. With no way to cook, the thawing food goes to waste.
You run out of food you can eat.
What is left needs a fridge, a freezer or cooking.
Day three.
Repair crews are at work, but power and water are still off in your area.
Three days in.
The power is still off. Your household is relying on help from others.
How we work this out
This follows our Blackout Day forecast: on 13 May 2027 the power, mobile networks, payments and running water fail together across large areas. The scenario timings are ours: the power goes at 06:40, the taps run dry by mid-morning and nothing returns within three days.
Guidance figures come from official UK sources. Drinking water is 3 litres per person per day, and 3 days is the starting point for being ready (UK Be Ready ↗). A fridge stays cold for up to 4 hours; a full freezer keeps food frozen for up to 48 hours, or 24 hours half full (Food Standards Agency ↗).
Phone battery times, food from the freezer and the order of events are our estimates. Your household will differ. Use a camping stove outdoors only. Water for cooking, washing and pets is extra.
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