Are you Ready for This Weekends Cold Snap?
Forecasts are predicting sub zero temperatures for the New England area this weekend, starting Friday night and running through Saturday. Temperatures are expected to rebound to more seasonable levels (30 degrees or so) by Sunday, but Friday/Saturday we are projected to run around -7 in the Boston area. Based on the timing of the cold, the major concerns on operability should mainly impact Saturday work, and obviously there is the potential for wider impacts in the event of power outages.
As a general reminder, the below is a helpful checklist we run through ahead of inclement weather that we find helps ensure everything goes as smoothly as possible:
General Winter Operability Checklist:
Ensure that your fleet/equipment is running an appropriate winter blended or additized product, dependent on general weather trends and your geographic location.
Ahead of both cold snaps, predicted snow, or other inclement weather, ensure generators are topped off and operational.
It’s a good idea to top off equipment/vehicle tanks, plug in as needed, and ensure lines are drained of water ahead of the freeze.
Make sure your staff has necessary equipment and weather appropriate gear so they are able to perform their jobs safely. (Don’t forget to factor wind chill in your assessment of gear – while wind chill won’t impact fuel operability, it certainly makes a difference in terms of driver/operator safety and comfort!)
In the event of predicted snowfall, ensure that fill ports are clear, marked per API specifications, and accessible. Below is a chart of the API specifications for reference:
As always, if you need assistance, don't hesitate to reach out to your representative or the office.
Stay Safe and Warm out there!