engie

The engine would be fine running for long periods in the cold/winter. In fact, the engine usually lasts longer than the snowblower it's attached to.

The conversion to a "snow engine" makes engines ill-suited for summer duty. Removal of the air cleaner is the biggest concern here - The engine would be sucking in whatever dust/debris happens to get near the carburetor. On top of that, the heat box/trim on the engine might cause overheating...Snow engines usually have max temperature ratings on them for these reasons (That, and emissions requirements change for summer duty vs. winter duty).

It's a better idea to get a standalone generator.