If you live in an area with frequent weather changes, you may be asking yourself: does weather affect WiFi signal strength?
After all, you’ve probably heard someone say it can affect the internet.
However, it is a common misconception. Weather typically doesn’t affect the WiFi connection to the internet router.
However, several environmental factors can affect your internet strength. Consider these when addressing your WiFi speed.
Although harsh weather including rain, snow, fog, wind, and bright sunlight can cause disturbances to the internet in various ways, it cannot affect WiFi signal strength.
Weather and Your Router
WiFi travels directly from your home internet router to your computer, phone, and other devices.
If you are experiencing issues with your WiFi, you may want to check your router to ensure it is working.
Your Internet router is inside your house, and it does not have to send the WiFi a long distance for you to receive it.
Therefore, there is not much chance for the weather conditions outside to affect it.
If you are experiencing severe weather in your area, it will not affect your router.
You should be able to use your router smoothly in harsh rain, wind, or thunderstorms. However, contact a professional if you continue to have issues.
Humidity
High humidity inside your home can sometimes impact your router’s performance.
If there are increased water particles in the air, it can make it more difficult for the WiFi to travel through the air.
As a result, you may experience slightly slower internet speed.
In general, WiFi does not need to travel very far to reach your device, so there is not much chance for the humidity to disrupt the WiFi signal.
Tip: If you think the moisture in your home is interfering with your wifi speed, try moving your device closer to your router and see if it helps.
If it doesn’t, the problem is likely something else.
If you are experiencing severe issues with your WiFi, it is probably not due to humid weather. Search for other causes, like WiFi overload.
Weather and Internet Speed
Inclement weather can impact your internet speed. External issues can slow or stop your WiFi during harsh weather.
Thunderstorms can impact satellite internet signals. If you are experiencing a thunderstorm along with slowed Internet, you may blame it on your router.
However, it is probably an external issue like a satellite signal. Watch your local weather to determine if the weather is really to blame.
Tip: If the weather passes and your internet speed is still low, contact your service provider for advice.
Rain and WiFi Signal Strength
As discussed above in the section on humidity, water in the air has the potential to block radio waves.
If there is a lot of water in the air, it can affect the Internet speed.
Like humidity, rain can slow internet speed, especially if there is a window directly next to your internet router, the router can be affected when it rains.
Tip: Try placing your internet router in a more central location away from windows for better WiFi signal strength.
Rain can also affect WiFi if it affects the satellite signal. Wait for the rain to finish, and see if your WiFi improves.
Storms and WiFi Signal Strength
Storms can affect WiFi signals. Thunderclouds can damage WiFi hotspots, thereby affecting your WiFi signal strength.
Contact your Internet provider if the stormy weather is affecting the hotspots or if it is just an issue with your router.
If you are experiencing lower WiFi signal strength during a storm, they may be able to help you.
Bright Sunlight and WiFi Signal Strength
Unlike rain and humidity, bright sunlight does not affect WiFi signal strength.
Sunlight consists of simple electromagnetic waves, and this light runs at the same frequency as radio waves. It does not disrupt the radio waves.
Bright sunlight is not a weather issue to worry about when you are dealing with WiFi problems, so search for different issues.
Fog and WiFi Signal Strength
Fog can potentially affect your WiFi signal strength, but it is not usually a huge issue.
Water droplets in the air can disrupt radio signals and lower WiFi quality. However, fog consists of only a tiny amount of water in the air.
Rain or snow will disrupt the WiFi signal strength much more significantly, so look for another cause besides fog.
Snow and WiFi Signal Strength
Unlike fog, snow can affect WiFi signal strength. It does this by blocking the radio waves from transmitting.
Water is a powerful obstruction to WiFi transmitting.
If you are in a very snowy climate, consider placing your WiFi router away from windows, as this will keep the signals away from interference from snow.
Wind and WiFi Signal Strength
Wind generally does not directly impact WiFi signal strength.
However, high wind speeds often accompany rain or snow. Precipitation is much more likely to impact your WiFi signal strength.
Note: Harsh wind can blow down power lines and shut off your Internet.
If you’ve recently experienced high winds and your WiFi is down, check with your service provider.
While you are looking for the source of your WiFi problem, question if it is the wind causing the damage, or if it is just rain or snow.
Hot Temperatures and WiFi Speed
Hot temperatures can impact WiFi speed and signal strength. If the weather is hot, it can damage broadband cables.
The protective jacket on broadband cables is vulnerable and easily impaired.
Hot temperatures can degrade the protective covering, and slow your internet speed.
Unfortunately, there is not much you can do about this issue without professional assistance.
Tip: If you think your slowed WiFi speed is due to cable damage, please contact your Internet provider.
Cold Temperatures and WiFi Speed
The fiber optic and copper wires used to transmit the Internet are hardy, and they are not often vulnerable to cold temperatures.
However, ground heaves are something to worry about in low temperatures. Ground heaves cause damage to wires.
Another factor is internet overload. When the weather is cold, people stay inside and use the Internet more frequently.
If you believe cold temperatures and ground heaves are causing your slow Internet, consider if data overload is to blame.
Ask the other people on your network if they have increased their data consumption.
Does Weather Affect WiFi Signal Strength?
Yes, harsh weather can impact your WiFi. However, it may not be for the reason you might think.
The number one reason weather impairs your WiFi speed is not actually due to the weather itself.
When people experience harsh conditions like rain, snow, or sleet, they hole up indoors.
Since the weather is dreadful outside, people choose indoor activities that usually include WiFi consumption.
If the weather is not ideal, people spend more time inside using WiFi.
If there are a lot of people using the Internet, that can cause an overload on the Internet speed. As a result, your internet speed will slow.
If you are experiencing slow internet speed during a storm or harsh weather, it is probably not due to your WiFi.
It is most likely because many other people are streaming videos and using the data, and there is an overload on the Internet system.
Ask your housemates to reduce overload on the system by decreasing device use.
How To Fix Bad WiFi Signal Strength
If you are receiving poor WiFi signal strength, the first thing you will want to do is reset your router.
The Internet router is the source of your household internet.
Reset the router, and it can fix your signal strength. Routers can sometimes malfunction, and it is a simple issue to solve.
Your router may also be experiencing overload. If you live in a household with a lot of people, there may be an overload on the device.
Too many people streaming data or using the Internet can cause the Internet to become sluggish.
Try asking family members and roommates to reduce time online, and see if that increases your Internet speed.
If your slow WiFi signal strength is due to weather, you will have to wait until the storm is over.
Contact your Internet provider and see if they have a timeframe for fixing the issue.
If the router is near a window, rain or snow could be disrupting the flow. Move your router to a more central location, away from weather disturbances.
Read Next: Can I Charge My Phone During a Thunderstorm?
Final Thoughts
So, does weather affect WiFi signal strength? The answer is no, harsh weather is not a significant issue for your WiFi signal strength.
In some cases, it can affect your router or external internet cables.
Consider if another source is causing your slow WiFi. There could be a problem with your router or internet overload.
Contact your internet provider or router manufacturer if you continue to have problems.
