Severe Weather Approaching ?

Peg Leg wrote:
I'd roll up the awning pick up the chairs and any loose items. Then I'd watch the sky. Having done some spotting with SKYWARN for the National Weather Service I know some things to watch for. Local radar, and a scanner would be on.

Where you gonna run to? Out on the road is one place I don't want to be.

I'm with Peg Leg, I would never try and get out on the road. It's way too dangerous out there pulling that big box. Most campgrounds has some kind of storm protection. Most that I have stayed in is the bathrooms.

Crowe wrote:
How severe? Bad T-storms? Tornadoes? Hurricane? For t-storms that may have heavy winds, pulling in your slides does help stabilize. Tow vehicle/toad is probably safer if you have one. Tornadoes-lowest point possible. Head into interior of bath houses or other buildings, preferably made of cement or brick. Hurricanes-evacuate.

Rule #1: Keep a battery operated weather radio handy. You may have a TV in the unit but if the power goes out it's useless.
Rule #2: Know what county you are in. Severe weather reports are given by county.
Rule #3: Be safe, not stupid. Accept that quite often when it's man vs. mother nature, man loses.

Campgrounds and "Designated Shelters" - NOT!

Was in large campground in Rapid City, SD.

NO "designated shelter".
NO directions, suggestions or signage for any such thing.

Some severe weather moved in - my (our) personal choice for "designated shelter" was the restroom/s which had cinder block walls.
Fortunately, didn't get to that point.

BTW - my "Weather Spotters Class" was first hand, up-close and personal at Sheppard AFB for the Wichita Falls, TX tornado in 1964.

Once you've heard the "freight train", and experienced the devastation
(death & destruction).....you *are* a believer!..:W

I'll take CA EQs anytime!

~

All my local campgrounds have a tornado shelter. It's the bathroom, it's always built out of cement or blocks. I think it's a law in MN.

Take a Weather Spotters CLASS now.. they teach you what to do if no shelter.

Seriously, I think campgrounds are required to have designated shelters.. Often the restrooms.. I know that is where I was told to go if it got hairy here.

If you are in Tornado or himicane country ask when you register, do not assume,, And keep a weather-all hazards radio operating (At least in standby) mine has gone off several times so far this spring,,, Since it is in travel mode where I am parked I get alerts affecting like 4 different states, Some have come as close as 20 miles to where I was parked, but none closer (Thankfully) but I can tell you that those radios are credited with saving many lives since their invention.

Short story: Factory, I think in Ohio, had one.. It went off, they closed down operations and retired to the storm celler.... Storm passed, the all clear sounded, they came back "Topside" and found... Nothing.

NO factory, No machines, No cars in the parking lot (Though there was one big block chevy engine,,, just no car or truck surrounding it) I mean nothing.

Total dead or injured at that factory: ZERO.. insurance rebuilt, bank account kept the employes paid (Slightly reduced but enough to keep their bills paid) and they are back in operation... With a brand new weather radio.

How severe? Bad T-storms? Tornadoes? Hurricane? For t-storms that may have heavy winds, pulling in your slides does help stabilize. Tow vehicle/toad is probably safer if you have one. Tornadoes-lowest point possible. Head into interior of bath houses or other buildings, preferably made of cement or brick. Hurricanes-evacuate.

Rule #1: Keep a battery operated weather radio handy. You may have a TV in the unit but if the power goes out it's useless.
Rule #2: Know what county you are in. Severe weather reports are given by county.
Rule #3: Be safe, not stupid. Accept that quite often when it's man vs. mother nature, man loses.

If time - leave the area.

If no time - unplug from shore power and get in tow vehicle.

I'd get in the car and go to the nearest safe place. No way would I hook up to that big box and have that pull me around as its tossed by the wind until its eventually obliterated sending flying pieces my way.

I have a Recom weather radio which is used at home as well as when camping, The advantage to the Recom is that it turns it self off after giving the warning and living in the mid west it gets a work out with multiple warnings in a 24hr period during serious weather.
The one problem while camping is that you have to have it set for a certain location (we don't) and you have to know enough about the location to know if where you are is in the path of what ever is serious and coming.
I have a line coming from the battery of the trailer to power the radio with proper plug for when we are boondocking.

With enough lead time, hook up and leave.
With no lead time and no shelter, look for a ditch or a boulder.
Seems trailers are always the first thing to be destroyed.

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