20
Learned the hard way about checking weather apps for wind gusts
I was setting up a 50-ton mobile crane for a job in Springfield last Thursday. The main forecast said 10 mph winds, which is fine... so I didn't think twice. Got the boom up about 80 feet and a sudden gust, must have been 25 mph easy, hit us sideways. The load started swinging like crazy and I had to set it down fast. We lost almost three hours of work time waiting for it to calm down, plus the stress on the gear. Cost me about $450 in lost time for me and my oiler. Now I use two different weather apps that show wind gusts, not just the average. Anyone else have a go-to app for real-time wind conditions on site?
3 comments
Log in to join the discussion
Log In3 Comments
the_wyatt5d ago
Remember that time on the highway with the billboard? My buddy was hauling a flatbed, forecast looked clear. Got hit with a crosswind that felt like a train. Whole rig shook, he said it was the longest ten seconds of his life. He swears by gust alerts now, says feeling it in your bones like @nina_hall mentioned is great until your bones are wrong. That kind of surprise is more than lost time, it's a real pucker factor.
4
nina_hall19d ago
Honestly that sounds like a normal Tuesday on most sites. I've been running equipment for fifteen years and you just learn to feel the wind change in your bones. Tbh checking an app for gusts seems like overkill when a flag or even looking at the trees tells you what you need to know. Lost time happens, it's just part of the cost of doing business outside. I'd be more worried about the gear if it can't handle a 25 mph surprise.
0