SITEWX FIELD GUIDE

How to keep a construction weather log

If Friday’s rain pushes grading into Saturday, the owner and superintendent will want to know how much rain fell, which operation stopped and when the crew got back to work. A weather station supplies the measurements. The daily report connects them to what happened in the field.

What to put in the daily report

• Date, time and location. Identify the project, work area, local time zone and where the reading came from. Label an off-site observation with its source and location.
• Rainfall. Record the accumulation in inches and both ends of the measurement period. A midnight-to-midnight total can include rain that fell after the crew went home.
• Wind. Record average speed and peak gust separately, with units and the observation window. Note where the station was mounted. A trailer-mounted sensor describes conditions at that point.
• Affected work. Identify the trade, activity and work area. Record the actual stop and restart times, who made the call, and any work the crew completed elsewhere. Attach dated photos or the relevant station history.

Example entry for a grading crew

Illustrative daily report. Tuesday, 7:00 a.m. Pacific. The trailer rain gauge recorded 0.42 in. between 5:00 p.m. Monday and 7:00 a.m. Tuesday. The superintendent observed standing water at the north pad. The grading crew moved to the south access road at 7:15 a.m. and resumed north pad work at 10:30 a.m. Photos attached.

This entry distinguishes the three hours and fifteen minutes of interrupted north pad work from the time the crew spent working elsewhere. A claim for added time or cost also needs the schedule, cost records and applicable contract terms.

Using a weather station on the jobsite

Choose a location with cellular coverage and solar exposure. Note obstructions such as a trailer roof that shelters the rain gauge or a wall that changes airflow. Record the mounting location in your log and update it if the trailer moves.

The SiteWX base station records rainfall, wind speed and peak gusts. Your team can revisit a time-stamped reading when preparing a daily report. Explore the SiteWX construction weather station or review station packages and proposed pricing.

Planning a station for your project? contact SiteWX with your site location and target start date.