Weather Effects on Grilling

Cold weather would be considered close to freezing or below, 32°F (0°C) (30°F (-1°C) or lower).

Tips for Grilling in Cold/Snowy Weather

• Cook to temperature rather than by time.
  • The grill may run a bit cooler than the set temperature.
• Make sure your pellets are fresh and dry. They should have a shine and snap easily.
• Keep your grill clean so pellets burn more efficiently.
• Place the grill in a location out of direct wind.
• There may be a slower ignition; give the grill time
• The grill may use more pellets to maintain the temperature.
• If compatible with the customer's model and temperatures are below freezing, use an Insulation Blanket.
• Touchscreen Grills: If you’ve recently experienced snow followed by rain and the power button isn’t working, moisture may have gotten inside and prevented it from engaging. See Power Button Does Not Engage - Touchscreen Grills.

Traeger Grills are protected from water spray at angles less than 60 degrees from vertical. In other words, your grill can operate in the rain, but avoid placing it over a sprinkler or leaving the lid open during rainfall.

Common Effects:

• Slower ignition times from humidity

Tips for Grilling in Rainy Weather

• Cook to temperature rather than by time.
• Make sure your firepot is free of sawdust and ash for easier ignition.

At high altitudes, you may notice:

• Recipes may take longer or shorter than expected.
• For best results, cook food to its recommended internal temperature rather than relying on cooking time.

Keep in mind that grills are large, dark metal appliances that are often placed in direct sunlight. On sunny, warmer days, the sun can raise the grill’s internal temperature even when it isn’t turned on.

When grilling in hot weather, you may notice the following:

Common Effects:

• Running hotter than the set temperature
• If the outdoor temperature is above 85°F/30°C, you may have difficulty keeping the temperature below 225°F/107°C.

Tips for Grilling in Hot Weather

• Cook to temperature rather than by time.
• Keep your grill clean, especially from grease buildup.
• Move your grill out of direct sunlight, especially when grilling at lower temperatures.
• Consider beginning low-and-slow cooks when the grill is either not in the sun or when the sun has set, and the outside temperature has cooled.
• If your grill has a P-Setting option, adjust the setting to a higher setting to reduce the speed by which the pellets feed into the firepot.

Common Effects:

You may experience the following when grilling in windy weather:

• A slight increase in temperature swings.
• On grills with a downdraft exhaust instead of a chimney, strong winds may extinguish the grill's flame when the wind is stronger than 30 mph and is blowing directly into the downdraft for longer than 10 minutes. Should this occur, your grill may throw one of the following errors because the flame is out.
• Fan not Detected
• Flame Out
• Flame Sensor Disconnected
• Flame Sensor Error
• High Temp Error
• Low Temp Error
• Lid Sensor Error - This is not because wind is affecting the lid sensor, but because the lid sensor is connected to the Smart Combustion Harness, which also attaches to the flame sensor.

Tips for Grilling in Windy Weather

• Cook to temperature rather than by time.
• Place your grill out of the wind's direct path. 
• If the grill has a downdraft exhaust instead of a chimney, position the grill so the exhaust is facing toward a wall or at least so the wind is not blowing directly into the downdraft exhaust.