Sydney's main storm season runs from November to March — east coast lows, summer southerlies, hailstorms, and the occasional ex-tropical cyclone. If your private power pole is going to fail, it'll almost certainly be during these months. The good news: 90% of storm-season pole failures are preventable with an hour of work in spring. Here's the checklist we recommend.

1. Inspect the pole itself (30 minutes)

Walk around your pole in good daylight. Check:

Lean: compare to photos you took last year (or take new ones from the same angles). Any worsening lean is a red flag.
Base: for timber poles, press firmly with a screwdriver handle at the base — a sound pole feels rock-hard. For steel poles, look for pitting, flaking, or holes at ground level.
Hardware: visually check all bolts, brackets, and fittings at the top. Any loose or rusted through?
Cross-arm: on timber poles, look for rot or sagging where the cross-arm meets the pole.
Stay wires: if your pole has guy-wires, check they're taut and not rusted through.

If anything looks off, call an electrician before storm season hits. Corrected hardware or early replacements are always cheaper than emergency work.

2. Clear vegetation (1–2 hours)

Trees are the #1 cause of pole failures in Sydney storms. What needs clearing:

Any branch touching the pole, cable, or within 1 metre of live conductors
Trees or limbs directly upwind of the pole that could fall on it
Overhanging canopy above the service cable to your house
Climbing plants (ivy, wisteria) growing on the pole — they trap moisture and accelerate rot
Dead limbs in nearby trees, even if they're not currently close to the pole

Safety note: never DIY tree-trimming near live cables. If the tree is within 3 metres of a service cable, call a qualified arborist who is authorised for near-network work.

3. Check the service cable (5 minutes)

Stand at a safe distance and eyeball the cable from pole to meter box:

Is it sagging lower than before?
Any visible splits or cracks in the outer sheath?
Is it rubbing on a roof, gutter, or tree?
Are the fittings at both ends looking clean and tight?

Sagging or damaged cables should be replaced before storm season. Most damage to service cables during storms is caused by existing weaknesses, not the storm itself.

4. Clear drainage around the base (30 minutes)

Water pooling at the base is one of the biggest accelerators of pole rot and corrosion. Before storm season:

Clear any garden beds, pavers, or built-up soil pushing right against the pole
Make sure water flows AWAY from the pole, not toward it
Leave at least 30 cm of bare ground around the base
Avoid piling mulch or compost against the pole

5. Prepare for an outage (15 minutes)

Even a healthy pole can get clipped by a falling tree in a bad storm. Be ready for short outages:

Phone and laptop fully charged when a storm is forecast
Torch and spare batteries accessible (not buried in the garage)
Keep ice in the freezer — a full freezer stays cold 48+ hours without power
Know how to manually open your electric garage door
If you have medical equipment (CPAP, dialysis, oxygen), have a backup plan and contact your provider before storm season

6. Save the right numbers

When the wind is gusting at 100 km/h and a tree has just hit your pole, you don't want to be Googling phone numbers. Save in your phone today:

Ausgrid emergency: 13 13 88 (network supply issues)
Endeavour Energy emergency: 13 10 03 (western/southwest Sydney)
Your home insurer's claims line
A Level 2 electrician for storm pole work (we keep dedicated capacity during storm season)
A qualified arborist for fallen or leaning trees

7. Check the weather report habitually

BOM warnings for severe thunderstorms, damaging winds, or hail are usually issued hours in advance. Before any severe weather warning:

Put away outdoor furniture that could hit the pole or cable
Park cars away from the pole if possible
Close roller doors and shutters
Secure trampolines and anything that can fly

When to call a pro before storm season

If any of the below apply, book a professional inspection now:

Your pole is 20+ years old and hasn't been professionally checked in the last 3 years
The pole is visibly leaning
You've had a defect notice in the last 12 months
You've noticed any rot, rust, fungus, cracks, or hardware damage
Your service cable looks sunburned, cracked, or is sagging

A 30-minute inspection by a Level 2 electrician before storm season catches the vast majority of issues and lets us schedule any fixes at normal rates — not emergency rates.

Book early

We fill up fast in October and November as storm season approaches. Don't leave it to the week of the first warning.

Book a pre-storm pole check →

Storm Season in Sydney: How to Prepare Your Private Power Pole Before Severe Weather