Weathering the Storms: Building Winter-Resilient Infrastructure

Storms, showers, sun and snow. Yes, the UK’s seen it all within the first three weeks of 2026!

UK winters don’t behave the way they used to. Rather than predictable periods of cold, we’re now dealing with sharp swings in weather; cold snaps followed by heavy rain, flooding, high winds and rapid thaws, often within weeks of each other. For infrastructure, that change is far more challenging than cold weather alone.

Most of the UK’s infrastructure was designed around predictability. Assets were built using historical weather patterns, where extreme conditions were expected to be rare. Design lives assumed that systems would spend most of their time operating within a stable range, with the occasional shock along the way. That balance has shifted.

Extreme winter weather puts infrastructure under repeated stress. Freeze–thaw cycles speeeds-up damage to joints, foundations and surfaces, affecting assets such as bridges, roads and rail infrastructure. Flooding weakens embankments, drainage and buried services, while storms and high winds place additional strain on exposed assets like gantries, overhead lines and trackside equipment, often before systems have had time to recover.

When issues arise, it’s often not the most visible parts that go first. Problems tend to start at the edges - drainage, power supplies, control systems, or older components that were never designed for this level of strain. During extreme weather, small issues can escalate quickly, turning local faults into wider disruption.

Resilience is an increasingly important consideration in how infrastructure and assets are designed. Designing for modern winters means rethinking both performance and design life, as assets now need to cope with more unpredictable and changing weather patterns. This shift places resilience at the heart of design, with a growing focus on building in adaptability and extending asset design life wherever possible.

How KITE’s Systems demonstrate resilience in design:

• Stainless steel construction provides durability and reliable performance in harsh winter conditions.

• Resistant to corrosion and moisture, even during prolonged wet and freezing periods.

• Unaffected by freeze–thaw cycles, unlike porous materials such as timber or concrete.

• Designed for long design life, maintaining performance under repeated extreme weather.

• Reduced maintenance requirements, supporting asset reliability through winter.

• Well suited to exposed infrastructure, including highways, rail and drainage environments.

We can’t say how extreme future winters will be. But as they become more intense and less predictable, resilience and durability can no longer be treated lightly. Designing assets that can withstand repeated stress, recover quickly, and perform reliably in harsh conditions will be critical to keeping infrastructure safe, operational, and fit for the future.