Extreme Winter Weather and Data Centers: 5 Questions You Should Ask Your MSP Right Now

With Winter Storm Fern bearing down on much of the United States, many businesses are bracing for bitter cold, snow, ice, and potential prolonged utility power outages. For those relying on data centers, either their own or via a managed services provider (MSP), this is a good time to revisit a simple truth: extreme weather doesn’t care about uptime promises. If you don’t have a plan, the cold will expose it.

Here’s my advice: now, before the next blast of Arctic air hits, ask your MSP a few pointed questions about their winter weather readiness. These aren’t “nice to know” questions; they are the difference between staying online and going dark.

1. How are your generators maintained, and can they start under extreme cold?

Cold weather is tough on generators. Diesel can gel, batteries can weaken, and starter motors can fail if systems aren’t maintained to manufacturer standards. We look at our generators as a system and not sure the generator unit itself. Any piece of the puzzle can fail. Backup power is the lifeblood of a data center when utility service goes offline, and the best operators run their tests regularly—not just before a big storm.

Your MSP should be able to explain their maintenance schedule and be transparent about redundancy. Industry best practice is “N+1” – having at least one additional generator beyond what’s needed to carry the full data center load. That backup can make all the difference if one unit fails when you need it most.

2. How much fuel reserve do you keep onsite and what’s the plan for replenishment?

Generators without fuel are just expensive pieces of cold steel. At our facilities, we keep at least 72 hours of fuel onsite and maintain emergency contracts with multiple vendors to deliver more fuel if an outage runs long.

When roads are icy or snow-covered, fuel delivery can be delayed. Backup plans, preferably with more than one supplier, are critical. Ask your MSP what their agreements look like and whether they have tested deliveries during prior winter events.

3. Are critical systems hardened against freezing temperatures?

Extreme cold brings its own set of hazards beyond just losing grid power. Fuel pipes can clog, cooling towers can freeze, humidification systems can fail, creating a cascade of environmental problems inside the data center.

Data centers designed for resilience will protect key infrastructure from low temperatures. In our facilities, these include heated supply lines, covered or insulated cooling gear, and monitored sensors that trigger corrective actions automatically.

Ask your MSP to explain how they monitor environmental conditions and what safeguards are in place for sub‑zero weather.

Having a thoughtful migration strategy — and the right operational support — can help avoid missteps that stall progress or inflate costs.

4. Do you have staff physically onsite for the duration of the storm?

Remote monitoring tools are great until a breaker trips or a valve “sticks” and the site needs hands-on intervention. In severe weather, travel can be impossible for several hours or even days.

We position experienced data center technicians onsite before the storm hits so they can respond immediately to any event. That might mean powering up generators, switching electrical loads, or simply making sure snow and ice aren’t blocking key infrastructure.

If your MSP says, “we’ll send someone if there’s a problem,” you may already be in trouble. Find out if they have a plan for on‑site presence under winter conditions.

5. How do you communicate status updates during a weather event?

The worst time to wonder how your provider will keep you informed is when the snow is piling up and you’ve just lost carrier service. A strong cold weather plan includes a communication protocol—who to call, how often updates are provided, and what information is shared.

We make it a point to proactively update clients based on the latest weather service alerts, utility notices, and operational information. This keeps clients informed and reassured and ensures they can make their own contingency plans if something changes.

Why These Questions Matter

Cold weather preparation isn’t just about comfort, it’s about protecting your mission critical workloads from power loss, temperature swings, and physical disruptions. The systems that keep your data center running in summer heat are not always the same ones that will save you in an ice storm.

Winter Storm Fern is a reminder that nature can hit us from all sides: hurricanes, floods, wildfires, and now polar vortex conditions. The specific risks may change, but the principles remain the same—redundancy, planning, on‑site readiness, fuel reserves, and clear communication.

If your MSP struggles to answer any of these questions with specifics, you should dig deeper. Confidence comes from proven procedures, regular testing, and a cultural commitment to resilience—not from vague assurances that “we’ve got it covered.”

Final Thoughts

In my years running data centers through hurricanes in the Southeast, ice storms in the Midwest, and blizzards in the Northeast, I’ve seen plenty of weather try, and fail, to take mission critical facilities offline. The difference is preparation.

Every storm is a test, and it’s far better to know your provider can pass before that test begins. This week is a good opportunity to have those conversations. If you discover gaps, address them now.

Because when the temperatures drop and the wind howls, it’s not the storm you’ll remember, it’s whether your business stayed online.