Date: 202106
Local time of day: 1201-1800
Location: ZZZ.Airport, US
Flight conditions: IMC
Light: Daylight
Aircraft: B737-700
Operator: Air Carrier
Operating under: Part 121
Flight plan: IFR
Mission: Passenger
Flight phase: Taxi
Aircraft component: Nosewheel Steering
Component problem: Improperly Operated
Reporter organization: Air Carrier
Reporter function: Pilot Not Flying; First Officer
Reporter qualification: Flight Crew Instrument; Flight Crew Air Transport Pilot (ATP); Flight Crew Multiengine
Human factors: Workload; Communication Breakdown; Confusion; Distraction; Time Pressure; Situational Awareness
Second reporter function: Captain; Pilot Flying
Anomaly: Aircraft Equipment Problem Less Severe; Deviation / Discrepancy - Procedural FAR; Deviation / Discrepancy - Procedural Published Material / Policy
Detector: Person Flight Crew
When detected: Taxi
Result: Flight Crew Became Reoriented; Flight Crew Overcame Equipment Problem; Flight Crew Regained Aircraft Control; Flight Crew Returned To Gate
Contributing factors: Aircraft; Weather; Procedure; Human Factors
Primary problem: Human Factors

Narrative: Pushing off gate/listening to Ground. There was a lot going on with weather approaching the field; certain departure gates shut off and others open. Push crew cleared off/weren't using headsets due to [weather hazards]. We were clearly distracted with what was going on with Ground as it was a question of starting one or both engines and whether we were delayed or departing immediately. We thought we were ready for taxi and with the frequency very busy; I called when there was a break. As the Captain powered up #2; it became immediately apparent that there was no nose wheel steering. Captain stopped the aircraft immediately and set parking brake. We were both at a loss that we had skipped the whole Before Taxi Flow/Checklist. We took a minute to discuss how we got there and knowing we had been distracted; 'reset' ourselves and continued with the Before Taxi Flow and Checklist.[Suggest] Self awareness during high workload that things can unknowingly be skipped.


Second narrative: Pushed back and disconnected from tug. Only started one engine for departure delays due to weather at the field. As I cleared off the tug; we heard over the Ground frequency that all departure gates were closed for weather. The FO (First Officer) and I discussed our plan to taxi off ramp and wait for weather to pass. After that; I must have believed that he did the after-start flow and we did the Before Taxi Checklist. However; I was wrong. We cleared left and right and I started to move the aircraft; but immediately I knew the aircraft was not configured properly for taxi. I stopped the aircraft and started the after-push procedures again. The distraction of the weather delays got me out of my normal routine; as well as the FO's. Neither one of us trapped the errors until too late. We ended up with a return-to-gate event.While we start engines routinely and do Before Taxi Checklists several times a day; we can get distracted by outside factors. I should have delayed the discussion about weather or anything else until after the start flow and Before Taxi Checklist was complete.


Synopsis: B737 flight crew reported that complications and distractions due to weather led to the lack of proper checklist completion; resulting in the nose wheel steering being unavailable during taxi.