Grilling In High Winds
Grilled on February 23rd, 2007 in GeneralThe last few days in Maryland have been quite blustery and given the cooler temps I haven’t been grilling much outside, but the high winds sparked a thought in my mind about grilling and safety. Conventional wisdom warns against grilling on a wood deck because if you ever knock over your grill, there’s a potential for a fire, but clumsiness isn’t the only way you can knock over a grill - a strong wind at exactly the right height could blow a cheepie grill over just as an misplaced swinging hip.
I don’t know if this is a vote against light grills that are top heavy or a vote against grilling in the high winds but if you find yourself with either, just use extra care when you’re flipping those burgers.
Good thing to think about.
I’ll have to add one thing… if you do decide to grill while in some higher winds, don’t leave the grill.
I wasn’t grilling when this happened, but I was asked by my wife one day why had moved the grill. After telling her that I moved it like 3 weeks ago, she said, no, it was moved today.
I went and looked, and sure enough, it had been pushed off at an angle and one corner had dropped off the concrete. Nothing flipped over…. but I really hadn’t thought the winds had gotten all that high (maybe 20-30 mph gusts). But apparently they had just enough to get that fat bastard rolling.
Now an even better excuse why you can’t come inside…. “Honey, the winds may whip up and I’ve got to watch this grill… now get me a beer!”