Construction Weather Delay Log Template

Published September 12, 2026 by StormRecord

A weather delay log records what was observed at the site, when work was interrupted, which activities were affected and which supporting records were kept. Use this free template during the project to keep those facts together. It does not determine whether a contract allows extra time or payment.

How to use the log

1. Identify the entry. Name the project or site and the person completing the record. Give each interruption a reference number and record the local date and time when the entry was created.
2. Record local dates and times. Include the time zone and UTC offset, start time and end time. Include an end date if the interruption crosses midnight. Mark uncertain times as estimates.
3. Record site conditions and work impacts. Describe what you observed, name the affected activities, and say what stopped, continued or resumed. Add measurements only where available, with units and instrument context.
4. Attach supporting records. Reference photographs, daily site reports, weather files and schedule activity IDs. Record the source location, reporting period, time zone and retrieval date when available.
5. Review follow-up separately. Check the applicable notice and schedule requirements. Keep any notice and project-team assessment with the entry.

In Excel, each row contains the complete interruption record, including when the entry was created. The blank sheet starts with three editable rows. Press Tab in the table’s last cell or insert a Table Row to add another entry. Use the header controls to sort and filter complete records. The entry reference, site, author and column headers stay visible while you scroll across all 16 fields.

Use Excel as your digital running log. Widen columns or increase row heights for longer notes. Use the separate PDF for a printable form to complete by hand.

A fictional worked example

All details below are invented for demonstration. They are not historical weather observations or a real project record. The same example appears in the workbook.

Entry and site

EX-001. Fictional Cedar Yard, east work area. Morgan Lee, fictional superintendent.

Entry created

May 14, 2026 at 11:15 local. America/Chicago, UTC-05:00. Recorded after work resumed.

Local date and time

May 14, 2026. America/Chicago, UTC-05:00. Grading paused at 09:30 and resumed at 11:00 on the same date.

Site observations

Rain and standing water in the east work area. A fictional site gauge recorded 0.30 in from 09:00 to 10:00. Wind was not measured.

Work affected

Exterior grading, activity G-120, paused while water drained. Indoor work continued. The entry does not assign a completion-date delay.

Sources and attachments

Fictional gauge RG-1 at the east gate, read at 10:00 local. Fictional photo EX-01 at 09:40 and site diary EX-D1. No external weather record obtained.

Follow-up

Check schedule effect and contract notice requirements with the project manager. No extension determined.

Site observations and supporting weather records

A site account describes what a person observed. An instrument reading should identify the instrument, position, measurement time, reporting period and units. Write “not measured” when no reading exists; zero means a measured or reported zero, not missing information.

An external station record describes that station and reporting period. A location-based compilation has its own methodology. Keep those records separate from your site observations and explain differences. The NCEI Climate Data Online archive is one source of historical records; availability and time detail vary by product and station.

For a supporting weather file, keep the provider or station, source location, date range, time zone, retrieval date and saved filename or URL. Preserve original photos and reports. If an entry is reconstructed later, label when it was prepared and which earlier records it uses.

Does the log qualify a project for extra time?

No. The project and contract determine the applicable notices, weather definition, allowance and schedule evidence. A daily log is useful documentation, but it is not a delay notice, safety plan or decision about an extension.

For example, FAR 52.249-10(b) addresses certain federal fixed-price construction delays and written notice. Its terms do not automatically apply to another project. Read the actual agreement and follow the project team’s requirements.

For the broader workflow, see how to document a weather delay on a construction project. For interpreting supporting records, see how to read a historical weather report.

Need a supporting weather report?

The log works on its own. If a historical compilation would help your file, check the available records with StormRecord’s free preview. The optional complete PDF costs $9.99 for one U.S. address and one local calendar date. Search yesterday through the past three years. Available records and coverage vary.

StormRecord compiles Visual Crossing weather data and available regional records. It does not measure weather at every property or decide contractual entitlement. Review the source methodology before relying on a value.

Published by StormRecord. This template provides a way to organize records, not legal advice or contract interpretation.