New production data from CryptoQuant reveals the significant impact January’s US winter storm had on Bitcoin mining operations, as miners across the country reduced power usage to ease stress on energy grids during extreme weather conditions.
The storm, which brought snow, ice, and unusually cold temperatures to large parts of the continental United States, underscored how closely Bitcoin mining activity is now tied to energy availability and grid stability.
Bitcoin Miner Output Drops Sharply During Winter Storm
According to CryptoQuant, daily Bitcoin production among publicly traded miners averaged between 70 and 90 BTC in the weeks leading up to the storm. At the height of the disruption, that figure fell dramatically to roughly 30 to 40 BTC per day.
CryptoQuant head of research Julio Moreno noted that the decline coincided with widespread, largely voluntary curtailments as miners powered down operations to reduce strain on electricity networks. As weather conditions improved, production began to recover, indicating the slowdown was temporary rather than structural.
The data builds on earlier reporting that showed a decline in US Bitcoin hashrate during the storm, alongside a rally in mining stocks, highlighting how market dynamics can diverge during short-term operational disruptions.
CryptoQuant’s analysis includes publicly traded miners such as Core Scientific, Bitfarms, CleanSpark, MARA Holdings, Iris Energy, and Canaan, which also operates a self-mining business. Several of these companies have significant operations in the United States, alongside other major players like Riot Platforms, TeraWulf, and Cipher Mining.
Winter Storm Adds Pressure to an Already Challenging Mining Environment
The production slowdown comes at a time when Bitcoin miners are already operating under intense financial pressure. Declining Bitcoin prices, fluctuating network hashrate, and rising operating costs throughout 2025 have squeezed profit margins across the sector.
While miners are often praised for their ability to support grid stability through demand response and load balancing, events like January’s storm show how external shocks can amplify existing challenges. Industry analysts have described the current conditions as one of the most difficult periods miners have faced, marked by high energy costs, limited access to capital, and post-halving revenue compression.
Looking ahead, these pressures are expected to intensify into 2026, driving further consolidation and pushing miners to explore alternative revenue streams such as artificial intelligence workloads and high-performance computing to remain competitive.
