Winter's Hidden Risk: What Snow Does to Your Business
Understanding these impacts is crucial for businesses to navigate the complex economic landscape following a snow-related shutdown.
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Carolyn and Dan Ellwood shovel snow outside Second Edition in Pierre, South Dakota, on Wednesday, Feb. 22, 2023. (AP Photo/Amancai Biraben)
Snow and ice storms can create significant operational and financial challenges for businesses. Hazardous roads, transportation delays, power outages, property damage, employee disruptions, and supply chain interruptions can reduce productivity and make it difficult for organizations to maintain normal operations.
Businesses that prepare before winter storms arrive can reduce disruptions, protect employees and assets, and make better operational decisions. Accurate, site-specific snow forecasts and earlier warnings can provide additional time to adjust staffing, coordinate snow removal, protect facilities, communicate with employees, and manage supply chain risks.
Executive Summary
Winter storms can affect nearly every part of business operations, from employee travel and facility access to utilities, logistics, supply chains, and customer service. Snow and ice can also create broader community impacts when roads become hazardous, power is interrupted, and emergency response times increase.
Preparation is essential. Businesses and communities can strengthen winter weather resilience by developing emergency plans, monitoring forecasts, preparing snow and ice removal resources, establishing communication procedures, and identifying operational decisions that need to be made before conditions deteriorate.
During the 2025-2026 winter season, AccuWeather For Business customers subscribed to the Snow Warning Service™ received snow warnings an average of more than 34 hours before snow began. AccuWeather data indicates this represented 61% more advance notice than the National Weather Service (NWS) and all other known sources during the evaluated events.
Key Takeaways
-- Snow and ice storms can disrupt transportation, utilities, supply chains, staffing, facilities, and daily business operations.
-- Power outages and infrastructure damage can force businesses to reduce operations or temporarily close.
-- Earlier snow warnings can give businesses additional time to adjust staffing, protect facilities, coordinate contractors, and make operational decisions.
<Virtually eliminate the chance of being surprised by snow and ice and turn winter challenges into profitable opportunities>>
A city plow helps keep city streets clear of snow on Friday, Feb. 7, 2020, in Montpelier, Vt. The storm that is packing snow and freezing rain is forcing some businesses, schools and government offices to close early across Vermont, New Hampshire and Maine. Some parts of northern Vermont were expecting up to 2 feet (.6 meters) of snow. (AP Photo/Wilson Ring)
How Do Snow and Ice Storms Affect Businesses?
Snow and ice storms can affect businesses before, during, and after precipitation occurs. The most significant impacts often involve transportation, employee safety, utilities, supply chains, facilities, and productivity.
A major winter storm can force businesses to modify hours, close facilities, delay deliveries, adjust staffing, or activate emergency response plans. Even businesses outside the heaviest snowfall zone can experience disruptions when suppliers, transportation networks, employees, or customers are affected elsewhere.
Understanding these risks allows organizations to prepare for winter weather before operational problems develop.
What Are the Biggest Business Risks From Winter Weather?
Transportation Disruptions
Snow and ice can lead to road closures, traffic congestion, flight disruptions, shipping delays, and vehicle accidents. These conditions can prevent employees from reaching workplaces and delay shipments of materials and finished products.
For businesses that depend on transportation and logistics, even short disruptions can affect production schedules, inventory, customer deliveries, and revenue.
Dangerous Road Conditions
Snow-covered and icy roads can reduce traction and visibility, making travel more hazardous for employees, customers, delivery drivers, and emergency responders.
Businesses should consider road conditions when making decisions about facility openings, employee travel, deliveries, and field operations.
Power and Utility Outages
Heavy snow and ice accumulation can damage power lines, trees, and utility infrastructure. Businesses may lose electricity, heating, communications, or other essential services.
Extended outages can interrupt production, affect temperature-sensitive inventory, limit access to digital systems, and make facilities unsafe or unusable.
Workers clear the sidewalk across from the MBTA station during a snowstorm, Tuesday, March 14, 2017, in Lawrence, Mass. (AP Photo/Elise Amendola)
Economic and Productivity Losses
Winter weather can reduce productivity when employees cannot travel safely, facilities close, deliveries are delayed, or customers stay home.
The financial impact can extend beyond the duration of the storm. Businesses may also face recovery expenses, overtime costs, lost sales, delayed projects, damaged inventory, and supply chain disruptions.
Property and Infrastructure Damage
Heavy snow and ice can damage roofs, buildings, trees, utility poles, vehicles, and other infrastructure. Ice accumulation and heavy snow loads can also create hazardous conditions around business properties.
Preparing facilities before a storm can help organizations identify vulnerable infrastructure and reduce the potential for costly damage.
How Can Communities Prepare for Snow and Ice Storms?
Communities can reduce winter storm impacts through advance planning, coordinated response procedures, and effective communication.
Emergency plans should establish clear protocols for monitoring winter weather forecasts, activating response teams, treating roads, communicating with residents and businesses, and coordinating emergency resources.
Important preparation measures include:
-- Monitoring detailed snow and ice forecasts before precipitation begins
-- Establishing emergency response and communication procedures
-- Preparing snowplows and salt-spreading equipment
-- Stockpiling salt, sand, and other de-icing materials
-- Identifying priority roads and critical infrastructure
-- Coordinating local government agencies, utilities, emergency responders, and businesses
-- Communicating anticipated hazards and travel conditions to the public
Collaboration between local governments and businesses can improve winter weather readiness and help communities recover more efficiently after significant storms.
<<READ MORE: WINTER DANGERS: Accumulating heavy snow increases risks of roof collapse>>
CHICAGO, ILLINOIS - JANUARY 25: Pedestrians navigate a heavily snow-covered sidewalk on State Street as winter storm blankets Chicago on January 25, 2026, in Illinois, Unites States. Temperatures in the city dropped to a high of â'7°C, with wind chills reaching as low as â'22°C. (Photo by Jacek Boczarski/Anadolu via Getty Images)
How Should Businesses Prepare for a Snowstorm?
Business snowstorm preparation should begin before winter weather threatens a location. Organizations should identify which weather conditions trigger specific operational decisions and determine who has authority to make those decisions.
A business winter weather plan can include:
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Monitoring site-specific forecasts and snow warnings
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Establishing thresholds for delayed openings, closures, or remote work
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Creating employee and customer communication procedures
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Coordinating snow and ice removal contractors
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Checking backup generators and emergency power systems
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Protecting critical equipment and infrastructure
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Reviewing supplier and transportation contingencies
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Identifying essential employees and operational functions
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Planning for potential power, heating, and communications outages
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Documenting post-storm inspection and recovery procedures
The goal is to establish decisions and responsibilities before a storm arrives rather than developing a response after conditions deteriorate.
<<READ MORE: Checklist: How To Prepare Your Business For a Snowstorm>>
Why Does Advance Notice Matter for Business Snow Preparation?
More advance notice gives organizations additional time to prepare employees, facilities, equipment, and operations for winter weather.
For example, an earlier snow warning can provide time to schedule snow removal crews, change employee shifts, reposition vehicles or equipment, modify delivery schedules, protect outdoor assets, communicate with customers, and activate business continuity plans.
Forecast details also matter. Businesses often need to know more than whether snow will occur. Decision-makers may need reliable information about:
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When snow will begin
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When the heaviest snow will occur
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How much snow could accumulate
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When snow will end
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Whether ice will accompany the snow
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How conditions could affect individual facilities or operating locations
These details can help businesses connect weather information directly to operational decisions.
AccuWeather Snow Warning Service™ Performance During the 2025-2026 Winter Season
During the 2025-2026 winter season, AccuWeather For Business customers subscribed to the Snow Warning Service™ were often provided with more advance notice and more accurate warning information, including expected snow accumulation and anticipated start and end times, compared with the NWS and all other known sources in AccuWeather's evaluation.
Customers received an AccuWeather snow warning an average of more than 34 hours before snow started. This represented 61% more advance notice than the NWS and all other known sources during the evaluated events.
Nearly every AccuWeather snow warning evaluated was issued before snow began. By comparison, the NWS and all other known sources either provided no advance notice or did not issue an advisory or warning 36% of the time in the evaluated cases.
AccuWeather also measured forecast timing accuracy during the winter season. Its average error for snow and ice start and end times was approximately 1.5 hours, compared with an average error of more than three hours from other sources in the evaluation.
What Is AccuWeather's Snow Warning Service™?
AccuWeather's Snow Warning Service™ provides businesses with advance warning and detailed forecast information designed to support operational decisions before snow and ice events.
The service can help organizations determine when winter weather is expected to begin, how much snow could accumulate, and when conditions are expected to improve.
These details can support decisions involving:
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Employee scheduling and travel
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Facility openings and closures
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Snow and ice removal
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Transportation and logistics
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Supply chain planning
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Equipment and asset protection
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Customer communications
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Business continuity procedures
A car is weighed down by heavy snow in the south Buffalo area on Nov. 22, 2014, in Buffalo, New York. (AP Photo/Mike Groll)
What Is the Business Value of More Accurate Snow Forecasts?
Weather information becomes more valuable when businesses can translate forecasts into specific operational actions.
Knowing when snow is expected to start and stop can help organizations determine when to deploy crews, modify shifts, close facilities, change transportation schedules, or activate emergency plans. More precise accumulation forecasts can also help businesses determine the level of snow removal resources a location may require.
AccuWeather serves hundreds of businesses and reports a 97% customer renewal rate. Its Snow Warning Service™ is designed to provide organizations with detailed, site-specific winter weather information that can support earlier and more informed decisions.
Independent forecast verification studies have evaluated AccuWeather's forecast performance, while AccuWeather's analysis of the 2025-2026 winter season found advantages in advance warning time and snow and ice timing accuracy compared with other evaluated sources.
Frequently Asked Questions About Snow and Business Operations
How can snowstorms affect business operations?
Snowstorms can disrupt employee travel, transportation networks, deliveries, utilities, facilities, supply chains, and customer activity. Severe winter weather can also force businesses to delay opening, close facilities, or modify normal operations.
Why are early snow warnings important for businesses?
Early snow warnings give businesses more time to prepare employees, facilities, equipment, contractors, and supply chains. Additional lead time can help organizations make operational changes before hazardous conditions begin.
What should a business winter weather plan include?
A business winter weather plan should include forecast monitoring, decision thresholds, employee communications, snow and ice removal procedures, backup power planning, supply chain contingencies, facility protection, and post-storm recovery procedures.
What weather information do businesses need before a snowstorm?
Businesses can benefit from knowing when snow will begin and end, expected accumulation, periods of heaviest snowfall, ice potential, and expected impacts at individual locations. Site-specific information can help organizations connect forecasts to operational decisions.
How can businesses reduce winter weather disruptions?
Businesses can reduce disruptions by preparing emergency plans in advance, establishing clear decision-making responsibilities, monitoring detailed forecasts, coordinating snow removal resources, protecting critical infrastructure, and communicating early with employees, suppliers, and customers.
The value of AccuWeather’s Snow Warning Service™
The value of AccuWeather's Snow Warning Service™, with proven Superior Accuracy™, can provide you with the most accurate forecasts and set you up to make the best decisions for your business. AccuWeather serves hundreds of businesses and has a 97% renewal rate. Our service cost is modest - while the payback is incredibly valuable to you.
To make the best decisions every time, you need the Superior Accuracy™ of AccuWeather's Snow Warning Service™. Study after study shows that AccuWeather provides the most accurate, precise, and detailed forecasts, which give you an exclusive umbrella of protection.
Independent studies show that AccuWeather’s forecasts are significantly more accurate and more valuable than all other sources. Last winter, AccuWeather’s average error for start and end times for snow and ice was just 1½ hours compared to an average error of more than 3 hours from other sources.
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