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Schedulingaka: adverse weather delayaka: force majeure weather

Weather Delay

In Plain English

A schedule delay caused by weather conditions severe enough that work legally cannot continue.

Definition

A weather delay is a period of time in which construction cannot proceed due to weather conditions that are unusually severe relative to historical norms for the project location and season. Most construction contracts provide a time extension (but not additional compensation) for adverse weather delays beyond the number of weather days assumed in the contract. The contractor must document actual weather days and compare them to the assumed baseline.

Why It Matters in Bidding

How weather delays are handled directly affects schedule risk in a bid, since contractors who underestimate the baseline weather-day allowance can find themselves liquidated-damages exposed when normal seasonal weather eats the float. Estimators must price float and crew standby into the bid because most contracts grant a time extension but no added compensation for adverse weather.

Example

An estimator reviewing the contract's stated allowance of 10 weather days for a winter foundation pour builds two extra weeks of float into the schedule and prices temporary heating and blankets into the concrete line item.

Related Terms

Concurrent DelayTime Impact Analysis (TIA)Baseline ScheduleFloat

Frequently Asked Questions

Base the allowance on local NOAA historical climate data for the project months, not gut feel. Compare expected precipitation and temperature days against the activities sensitive to them, like earthwork or concrete. If the contract names a baseline, match it; otherwise document your assumed count in the schedule narrative to support later extension requests.
Generally no. Standard contracts treat adverse weather as an excusable but non-compensable delay, granting a time extension only once actual weather days exceed the contract baseline. Compensation typically requires a separate concurrent owner-caused delay or specific contract language, so contractors should price standby and extended general-conditions risk into the bid.
Keep daily logs recording actual conditions, affected activities, and crews idled, supported by nearby official weather-station records. Tie each lost day to a critical-path activity, since non-critical work absorbs delay without extending completion. Submit notice within the contract's required timeframe and tally actual adverse days against the assumed baseline to justify the time extension.

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