I think one of the first things you must know about outdoor electrical outlets is that after you install one you must install some sort of protective covering.
With regards to their protection, the inside electrical circuitry is very vulnerable to weather-related attacks such as wind, snow and rain.
A combination of these factors or even one singly can have highly detrimental effects such as short circuiting the internal components.
If this happens then the whole outlet will be rendered completely inoperable until the damage parts are replaced.
To prevent this from happening multiple types of outlet coverings have been produced to protect the vulnerable inside.
These are usually to protect it from the elements but will also work against young children or pets that may injure themselves accidentally.
There are essentially two basic types of protective shields, the first is a basic slot-in device and the second a more complex overall covering.
The first is a plug which slots into the outdoor electrical outlet and is very short with a wide end.
This wide end covers much of the enclosure and you can buy some that protect one of the outlets (so you may need two for two outlets) or you can buy larger double protection ones.
The second type is more complex and offers more protection because inside of being simple plugged in; it's similar to a small cabinet which slots over the outlet and has to be attached onto the wall.
They're usually screwed into the wall over the outlet, and to gain access to the outlet there's usually a spring-locked shield of steel or plastic which you open allowing you to add in the plug.