Weather-Driven Delivery Delays: What Are the Sender’s Options?6 min read
Marina Ryabchuk

The weather is a capricious lady that may sometimes cause a major change of plans both for private and for business shippers due to suspended parcel and freight distribution. In some countries, the logistics sector tends to be particularly weather-dependent. It often results in weather-driven delivery delays.

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How does weather affect delivery – Delivery delay

Whether you are sending small parcels or pallets, both domestically and internationally, you should always keep in mind that force majeure circumstances sometimes occur. Fogs, heavy rains, snowstorms, blizzards, tornadoes, volcanic eruptions, floods or other natural phenomena can affect all kinds of shipments: from standard ones to freight transport.

  • In the case of sea transport of goods, adverse weather conditions may lead to vessels failing to arrive at intermediate ports on schedule;
  • Air transport is particularly prone to shipping disruptions due to any kind of storms (nasty weather is the reason behind almost 70 per cent of cancelled flights);
  • Icy driving conditions and heavy snowfalls are a serious challenge to road transport;
  • Floods, fog and heat may seriously hamper rail goods transportation.

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Thus, the transport sector overall is heavily dependent on external factors. All the above-mentioned reasons may lead to shipping suspended due to adverse weather conditions.

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Shipping delayed because of bad weather: FAQ

Have you been notified that your shipping has been delayed or even cancelled because of bad weather? Now you must be wondering how much time it will take to solve this issue and what can be done in this situation.

Jump to your question:

It is raining, and it is stormy. Will the courier still deliver the package?

The courier drivers still deliver packages in heavy rain, but if it is otherwise, they will contact you.

Also, we suggest checking the status of your order in the tracking system. The couriers tend to inform their clients about possible delivery disruptions on their website even before the situation gets out of control. If you do not see any updates in the tracking system and on the courier’s website, we recommend contacting your logistics service provider directly to get as much information as possible.

My parcel was damaged during transit as a result of the bad weather. What should I do?

Even though the courier companies do their best to ensure that their clients’ packages and freight are kept safe and not exposed to the inclement external environment, sometimes bad weather results in parcel damage. That is why we always recommend our clients to check the parcel or the pallet contents in the driver’s presence. You can find a detailed explanation of such cases in our dedicated blog article. If you have booked your shipping through our platform, we recommend contacting our customer support team for more advice.

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Is there any insurance coverage for the parcels damaged due to bad weather?

It depends on the courier company in charge of your shipment and the contents of the package.

For example, if you are shipping goods with Eurosender, each standard parcel is automatically covered up to 200 EUR, and the freight is covered by the CMR insurance. The insurance doesn’t apply to fragile packages or those containing restricted and forbidden items. You should check the insurance options before placing your shipping order. Read more about the insurance here.

Could my parcel get lost because of the bad weather?

In some cases, adverse external conditions may lead to misdelivered or even lost packages, as the courier services have to manage a heavy workload and operate in a chaotic environment once the extreme natural event comes to an end. If this scenario materializes, you may find useful our blog articles dedicated to these problems.

My standard parcel shipping has been delayed because of the weather, but I cannot receive the package on another day. What to do?

  • The courier company may suggest changing the delivery address or leaving the package at a certain parcel shop upon the client’s request.
  • You can also ask your neighbours (or flatmate) to receive your shipment for you.
  • Many customers ask the couriers to leave the parcel in a place, which seems safe to them, for example, outside the front door or in the back porch.
  • The parcel will be stored at the courier’s depot for 5 to 10 working days and then it will be returned to sender.

The courier company refers to weather-driven delivery delays, but the weather seems fine. How is that possible?

Every shipment has a collection and a destination point. On its way from point A to point B there may also be one or several stops at intermediate locations (these are usually the logistics provider’s depots). Weather-driven delivery delays may occur at any of the above-mentioned points, especially when it comes to international shipments. The route selection depends on multiple criteria, and the shippers are not always aware of their parcel’s actual geo-location. Even if you enjoy perfect weather at the parcel collection or destination points, no one can guarantee that it is the same at every point of your shipment’s transit map.

Are weather-driven delivery delays inevitable?

Of course, the courier services always do their best to ensure a timely package delivery. They never interrupt their workflow or suspend the delivery process unless it is absolutely necessary. Be patient, remember that this situation is beyond any company’s control and all other senders and recipients in your country, town or village experience the same difficulties.

Hopefully, bad weather conditions do not last forever and there is always sunshine after the rain.

If your shipping booked with Eurosender has been suspended due to adverse weather conditions, our logistics experts will do their best to help you and solve this issue within the shortest possible period.

Here at Eurosender, we are committed to having all our customer’s packages delivered on time and will represent you in all the matters related to your shipment. We work only with reputable courier companies worldwide that are dedicated to our mission of providing high-quality services to our clients.

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My freight shipment is delayed because of the weather. What now?

If the transportation company’s employees have not called you yet to make the necessary delivery arrangements, you can contact their customer service to get renewed information regarding the possible delivery date and choose the option convenient for you. Meanwhile, your freight shipment will be stored at the courier’s nearest depot.

Still have questions?

Check our articles that answer the most common questions about shipping.