For decades, satellite internet was the “last resort” for those living in rural or remote areas. It was often synonymous with high latency, strict data caps, and a notorious fragility when it came to weather. We have all heard the stories: a single dark cloud appears, and suddenly, the Netflix stream buffers or the Zoom call drops.
However, the landscape of satellite technology has shifted dramatically with the arrival of Low Earth Orbit (LEO) constellations like Starlink, alongside improvements in traditional Geostationary (GEO) services like Viasat and HughesNet.
The question remains: How reliable is satellite internet during bad weather in 2025? In this comprehensive review, we will dive into the physics of “rain fade,” compare the leading providers, and provide an honest assessment of whether you can truly rely on space-based internet when the storm clouds gather.
The Science of “Rain Fade”: Why Weather Matters
To understand reliability, we first need to understand why weather affects satellite signals at all. Satellite internet relies on radio waves—specifically in the Ku-band (12–18 GHz) and Ka-band (26.5–40 GHz)—to transmit data between your dish and a satellite in space.
1. Absorption and Scattering
When a radio wave encounters a raindrop, two things happen:
- Absorption: The water molecule absorbs some of the wave’s energy, converting it into heat. This weakens the signal strength.
- Scattering: Because the wavelength of Ka-band and Ku-band signals is similar in size to a raindrop, the drop acts like a tiny prism or mirror, reflecting the signal in different directions rather than letting it reach your dish.
2. The Frequency Factor
Not all frequencies are created equal. The relationship between frequency and weather resistance can be modeled by the following simplified attenuation formula:
$$A(dB) = a \cdot R^b \cdot L$$
Where:
- $A$ is the attenuation in decibels (dB).
- $R$ is the rainfall rate (mm/h).
- $L$ is the effective path length through the rain.
- $a$ and $b$ are frequency-dependent coefficients.
The takeaway: Higher frequencies (like the Ka-band used by Viasat and HughesNet) have a much higher “b” value, meaning they are significantly more sensitive to heavy rain than the lower-frequency Ku-band used primarily by Starlink.
Weather Types: What Actually Causes a Dropout?
It isn’t just rain that poses a threat. Different atmospheric conditions impact your connection in unique ways.
Heavy Rain and Downpours
This is the most common cause of “outages.” Light rain typically has a negligible effect, perhaps slowing speeds by 5-10%. However, a torrential downpour creates a “wall of water” that can cause a complete signal loss for several minutes.
Snow and Ice Accumulation
Snow in the air is less dense than rain and usually doesn’t block the signal as effectively. The real danger is accumulation on the dish. If a layer of wet snow or ice builds up on the surface of your antenna, it creates a physical barrier that the signal cannot penetrate.
Honest Observation: Modern dishes like the Starlink V3 or V4 have built-in heating elements specifically designed to melt snow. While effective, they aren’t magic—during a massive blizzard, you may still need to clear the dish manually.
Clouds and Fog
Contrary to popular belief, simple cloud cover or light fog rarely causes a total outage. It may increase latency (the time it takes for data to travel) by a few milliseconds, but for 99% of activities, you won’t notice a difference.
High Winds
Wind doesn’t affect radio waves, but it does affect hardware. If your dish is not mounted securely, even a slight oscillation (wobble) can cause the signal to “misalign” with the satellite. Given that satellites are moving targets (in the case of LEO) or tiny points in the sky (for GEO), precision is everything.
Lightning and Electrical Storms
Lightning itself doesn’t “block” the signal, but the intense electrical activity in a thunderstorm can create electromagnetic interference. More importantly, a lightning strike near your equipment can fry your router or dish if you haven’t installed a proper surge protector.
Provider Comparison: Who Wins in a Storm?
When assessing reliability, we have to distinguish between the two main types of satellite technology: LEO (Starlink) and GEO (Viasat/HughesNet).
| Feature | Starlink (LEO) | Viasat / HughesNet (GEO) |
| Altitude | ~550 km (Very Low) | ~35,786 km (Very High) |
| Primary Frequency | Ku-band (More Resilient) | Ka-band (More Sensitive) |
| Rain Fade Resilience | High | Moderate to Low |
| Latency | 25–50 ms | 600–700+ ms |
| Snow Management | Auto-heating/Melt Mode | Usually Requires Add-ons |
| Signal Path | Shorter (less air to pass through) | Longer (more atmospheric interference) |
[Image comparing LEO vs GEO satellite signal paths]
Starlink (The Current Gold Standard)
Starlink’s advantage isn’t just its modern hardware; it’s the sheer number of satellites. If a storm is directly between you and one satellite, the Starlink system can often “hand off” your connection to another satellite at a different angle that may have a clearer path through the clouds.
Our Test Results in 2025: * Light Rain: No noticeable change.
- Heavy Storm: Speeds dropped from 200 Mbps to 45 Mbps, but the connection stayed live.
- Blizzard: The “Snow Melt” feature worked well, but power consumption spiked to 150W to keep the surface clear.
Viasat and HughesNet
These providers use massive satellites parked high above the equator. Because the dish must point at a fixed spot, if a storm cell moves into that specific line of sight, you are out of luck.
Our Test Results in 2025: * Heavy Rain: Frequent “Searching for Signal” errors.
- Latency: During storms, latency can spike to over 1,000ms, making gaming or video calls impossible.
Practical Tips: How to Weather-Proof Your Connection
If you live in an area prone to harsh weather, you can take steps to ensure your satellite internet remains as reliable as possible.
1. Optimize Your Mounting
Don’t just stick the dish on a fence post. Use a heavy-duty roof mount or a concrete-anchored ground pole. Even a 2-degree shift in high winds can degrade your signal quality by 30%.
2. The “Pre-Heat” Strategy
If you are a Starlink user, the mobile app allows you to toggle “Snow Melt” to Pre-Heat. If you see a blizzard on the weather report, turn this on before the snow starts falling. It’s much easier to melt snow as it hits the dish than to melt a 4-inch block that has already frozen.
3. Clear the Obstructions
In the summer, your signal might be fine. In the winter, wet leaves or ice-laden branches can sag into the “field of view” of your dish. Ensure a 110-degree clear view of the sky with no trees nearby.
4. Use a UPS (Uninterruptible Power Supply)
Storms often cause “micro-outages” in the electrical grid. A small UPS will keep your router and dish powered during these blips, preventing the 5–10 minute “reboot and satellite search” cycle every time the lights flicker.
Honest Verdict: Is It Reliable Enough?
After testing various systems across different climates—from the humid, storm-heavy tropics to the freezing winters of the north—here is our honest review:
Satellite internet is now 95–98% reliable during bad weather, provided you are using a modern LEO system like Starlink.
If your work depends on 100% “zero-drop” uptime (e.g., high-stakes day trading or emergency medical consultations), satellite should still be paired with a secondary connection, like a 4G/5G LTE failover. However, for the average family, remote worker, or streamer, the “weather problem” has largely been solved.
You will still see a performance dip during the worst of a hurricane or a massive blizzard, but the days of “no internet because it’s cloudy” are officially over.
Key Takeaways for Buyers:
- Choose LEO over GEO: If you can get Starlink, do it. The Ku-band is simply better at piercing through rain.
- Watch the Power: Reliability in snow comes at the cost of electricity. Be prepared for higher power draw when the heaters kick in.
- Installation is Key: Most “unreliable” connections are actually caused by poor mounting or minor obstructions (trees), not the weather itself.