**A loose electrical connection is a serious possibility, and the flickering in several rooms warrants prompt attention.** The symptoms alone cannot pinpoint the fault. ESFI recommends having a licensed electrician inspect unexplained flickering lights. [ESFI guidance](https://www.esfi.org/home-wiring-safety-tips/)

Possible causes include:

- **A tripped or failed GFCI outlet.** One GFCI—the kind with TEST and RESET buttons—can supply several outlets. It could explain the two dead kitchen outlets while the panel breaker remains on. [Leviton guidance](https://info.leviton.com/l/48512/2021-05-18/87gmhl)
- **A loose or damaged connection feeding those outlets.** An intermittent connection could also explain flickering if the affected lights share that wiring. A breaker remaining on does not establish that the wiring is safe.
- **A problem with the incoming electrical supply**, including a loose neutral or a failing supply connection. This becomes more concerning when several circuits are affected, particularly if some lights become unusually bright while others dim.

You can check the accessible GFCIs with no testing equipment: unplug appliances from the dead outlets, look for a GFCI supplying them, and press RESET once. If it will not reset or trips again, leave it alone and have it checked. A GFCI that refuses to reset may have lost its incoming power. [Leviton troubleshooting](https://leviton.com/support/literature/blogs/led-indicator-light-diagnosis)

Also, some breakers trip into a middle position that is easy to miss. If you can identify the kitchen breaker and the panel has no signs of damage, reset it once by moving its handle fully OFF, then ON. If it trips again, leave it off. Keep the panel cover in place. [Schneider Electric instructions](https://www.se.com/ca/en/faqs/FA353467/)

**Contact your utility to report the partial outage and flickering, and arrange an electrician promptly.** Utilities treat this combination as a potential supply problem. Even if a GFCI reset restores the outlets, recurring flickering still needs investigation. [DTE outage guidance](https://www.dteenergy.com/us/en/business/emergency-and-safety/safety/outage-faqs.html)

If lights become markedly brighter or dimmer, stop using appliances and call the utility urgently. Burning smells, crackling, hot outlets, or sparks require immediate attention; smoke or fire warrants evacuation and emergency services.

The storms may be relevant, but the clocks cannot establish the cause. Different appliances can retain their time through different lengths of interruption. The stove keeping its time does not rule out an outage or a supply fault.