4.1 Since coated pipe may be stored outdoors for long periods before burial, weathering tests of the type described in this test method are needed to evaluate the stability of these coatings stored outdoors. The results obtained should be treated only as indicating the general effect of weathering. Exposure conditions vary greatly from year to year, from one part of a year to another, and from locality to locality. The results of short-term exposure tests in the north are more meaningful if exposure is started in the summer followed by a winter season. In southern areas where climatic conditions are more uniform throughout the year, the time of year when short-term exposure is started is less critical. In all localities, the longer the exposure period, the more reliable are the results obtained.