RV's in a storm

[ky-newbie]

***DISCLAIMER***
I know an RV is not where you want to be during a storm. Find a secure location, like your home or another building. Keep good insurance on the RV.

Question:
I'm just curious, not having an RV yet (but hopefully soon!). Suppose I'm boondocking somewhere fairly flat in a TT or FW, not in a campground, and no buildings around. The weather forecast is for 50-60mph wind gusts tomorrow morning, for at least 300 miles around you. What do you do?

- Hunker down and say your prayers
- Hook up now, and move the RV to _______
- Jump in your TV, and wave to the RV as you leave
- Stay in the RV overnight, but find the best protected spot for yourself outside the RV tomorrow morning (before the wind starts)
- Something else

Thanks!

[rockhillmanor]

JaxDad wrote:

JiminDenver wrote:
Turning it into the wind is great accept most campgrounds have you locked into a position.

In the face of severe weather threatening I doubt anyone would object to you breaking camp and moving.

Been there done that sadsly several times and all the seasoned RV'ers would pull out of the CG immediately and went to a side of the CG that was open and parked pointed into the wind. Just like you will always see horses out in a pasture all parked butt to the wind in a storm.

When I had my sticks and bricks all I had to do was look out the window and see which way the horses were pointed to know which way the wind was blowing. Same as an RV'er in a storm. Just a useless FYI!!:W

[bjcarpetguy]

The 1st year we were in our MH at Quartzsite we had sustained winds that clocked at 97mph. No issues. Just put the awning in and rocked a little.

At that point there isn't anywhere to go.

[JaxDad]

JiminDenver wrote:
Turning it into the wind is great accept most campgrounds have you locked into a position.

In the face of severe weather threatening I doubt anyone would object to you breaking camp and moving.

[puttd]

If really bad weather is in the offing and you don't know where to go for shelter, look for the nearest hospital. Likely built to withstand bad weather and open to the public.

[JiminDenver]

Turning it into the wind is great accept most campgrounds have you locked into a position.

[spoon059]

stetwood wrote:

westend wrote:
In 50-60 mph winds and hooked to the truck, I don't sweat a thing. After all, I probably drove that speed to get there.

Not if the winds are parallel to you, you just might find that trailer at 30 degrees form your direction of travel.

So turn into the wind. I don't see why this is such an issue of contention for some people in this thread. I assume the trailer is on wheels, thus moveable... TURN THE THING AROUND.

If you are in a tornado and the wind is swirling, all bets are off. Leave the trailer and collect insurance money.

[stetwood]

westend wrote:
In 50-60 mph winds and hooked to the truck, I don't sweat a thing. After all, I probably drove that speed to get there.

Not if the winds are parallel to you, you just might find that trailer at 30 degrees form your direction of travel.

[TyroneandGladys]

IMHO If it is forecasted and you have time travel out of the area.

[Redterpos3]

On our maiden voyage last year we were on the Ohio turnpike when our weather radio went crazy with a tornado warning. We had an earlier warning as well, so we saw a pull-off and hunkered down. We both made sure our seatbelts were fastened, and were ready for our entire rig to blow over in the ditch to our right. The van and trailer swayed like a amusement park ride. Everytime a tractor-trailer slowed down next to us, we were hoping they would just stop to buffer the wind. We survived, but are very glad we had that radio, and that we actually paid attention and hunkered down.

[Lumpty]

I rode out the June 29, 2012 Derecho in my Class C, a storm that originated in the midwest, rolled through the DC area, across Delaware Bay and then southern NJ, where I was parked in in the NJMP paddock for a race that weekend. It hit at about midnight with straightline winds estimated at 70-80 mph. I was fortunately parked in close proximity to others, with my enclosed trailer still hitched to the RV, oriented purely by luck so the winds coming from the rear.

It was a hell of a rock and roll for about 30 minutes until the front passed through. My 16 year old son and I sat on the floor for the duration. I was most worked about flying shrapnel from awnings and canopies, and there were plenty that were ripped to shreds. I was lucky someone near where I was parked, from the DC area, who had gotten a call from his wife letting him know they had just gotten blasted and it was heading our way, so I packed up anything that I had outside.

I've been through plenty of severe thunderstorms, even in the midwest, but never anythiing like that.

[Jim_Shoe]

Warnings have happened to me twice in 10 years. In Sarasota, the RV park where I stayed, had shelters throughout the park and instructions in the literature they passed out as you registered. That included unhooking the electric in your RV and storing the cord. The other time was in Georgia, south of Atlanta. The owners went from RV to RV, telling us about the reinforced tornado shelters which were also the restrooms and built out of solid concrete. The tornado didn't happen at either place, but in both cases, I was where they happen often. For that reason, I have a battery powered weather radio.
At least in the Florida, many of the rest areas have reinforced weather shelters. If I had to pull in, I'd park between a couple of semis, and go inside the shelter.
Almost anyplace is better than staying in the RV, even a ditch.

[rockhillmanor]

Whatever you do don't get in an argument with the DW when she says she wants to leave the TT and head for cover to the storm safe building in the CG.:W

Guy parked next to me in a TT did just that when a tornado eventually did touch down in the CG.

The DW got out unhooked the TT and drove off in the truck leaving him behind in the TT............it flipped over and over in the storm not having the truck to hold it down!!

[Veebyes]

There is always the thought of applying some sailing skills. Extend the slide on the windward side. By itself it puts weight outboard of the wheels. If you can add the additional weight of the 2 of you, so much the better. RV hiking out.

[JaxDad]

We've ridden out a few nasty storms over the years. The one linked below was probably the worst.

There were lots of folks camping in various RV's at the show, nobody was hurt.


2011 Sun 'n' Fun Storm Damage Clickey