State Park destruction in Michigan's UP

That's Not gonna "Buff right out" !!!:E


Glad sounds like no one hurt.


I try not to camp in Direct line with large trees, some ask me WHY ---That is why.

Keep alert, stay ready.:W

Some spots in Upper Michigan would have very spotty weather radio signals.

Those in tornado areas go through precautions constantly.

For travelers, first thing is to know what county you're in. Then monitor your weather radio (you do carry one, don't you?).

If your county is mentioned, head for the bathhouse/restroom. They are built of concrete block usually. In a campground that's your best refuge.

Never stay in your RV. They're like matchsticks.

When we stayed in Alabama state parks during weather warnings, the rangers would knock on each door alerting us and asking us to get to the restroom.
Once there we found many others - men, women and children and pets in the same restroom. :) If you go through this enough you know to have things ready at your RV. You grab a folding chair, weather radio, perhaps snacks, a deck of cards and you have an instant get-together. It lightens up the concerns.

I just want to add that if you're watching bad weather approach on radar - if you see a "Bow Echo" - a part of the storm that is bowing forward like a backward "C"?? Get ready to take cover because those can pack the same kind of winds produced in smaller tornadoes.

We had a storm that rolled through our seasonal campground last year that damaged 5 RVs, totaled 2 of them and did damage to a few screened porches/rooms. We lost our Gazebo, but the camper was fine. Every single electric pole in the campground had damage. Without power for 5 days. We have family within minutes of our seasonal site, so if we lost our camper, we'd stay with them until we got the camper replaced.

-Michael

Since we live in the southern end of tornado alley, we are well aware of how violent the storms can be. The first thing I do when arriving at an RV park or campground is find out if there is a designated storm shelter. Some in storm prone areas do have them. If not, I look to see where the nearest sturdiest building is located. This is often a concrete/cinder block restroom or shower building. If there is no other option, I find out where the nearest big box store such as Walmart, Home Depot, or similar is located as they typically have designated "safe" areas for their employees and customers. With storms in the area we monitor the TV and radar apps on our phones so we know what to expect. Staying in the RV with a severe storm approaching is the last thing to do. In a car or truck is very little better but with advance warning, at least you may be able to move out of the path to a better area.

Each morning I check NOAA's Storms Prediction center for probibilities
http://www.spc.noaa.gov/

I carry a NOAA alert receiver set for the county and surrounding counties I am in.

Watch the radar if something is brewing.

Carry trip interruption option on my RV insurance just in case.

If I don't have Internet access or smart phone service, then I use the TV, if no TV then I keep an eye on the sky.

Storms cant be avoided! however a couple of those downed trees could have been. look at them and you can see the rot where they broke! the people in the RV`s were very lucky they walked away! I`ve told park employees about dangerous trees and all I get is "well until it falls there is nothing we can do" I was at a site where I noticed I could see through a large tree right over our trailer, I went back and told them to give me another site. they did, I just hope when that tree came down in a storm there was no tent or RV there!

Wow, glad no one was injured, but I'll bet it was exciting while it was happening!

It sure is dangerous, this "living" business. We try to pay attention to the weather. Last fall we stayed (twice, going and coming) in a campground in western Kansas, smack in the middle of "tornado alley" and at check in, the owners made sure to tell us that if the tornado siren sounded, it meant run like hell to their bathhouse, which was the official tornado shelter, and if we had a pet, take said pet to the men's room, without the pet, go to the ladies room, and do please ignore the "men's" and "women's" signs. In case of tornado, they were keeping pets and pet unfriendly folks separate, sex meant nothing. Oh, and did we mention, run, don't walk.

We try to pay attention.

Feeling lucky right now.

In June, we were in the UP, Wisconsin, and Minnesota, and had nothing but great weather. Stayed 5 days in McLain SP which is one of the state parks mentioned in the article.

It is not a pretty site and luckily no one was hurt, or worse.
I had something happen similar in the Fl panhandle years ago, except it dropped the tree on the RV next to me and ruined the roof of a 1 day old RV. I intended to get that site when we arrived but was informed that the site was saved, luck was with us in our pop up.

When the weather gets bad we go into something solid, even the bath house if that is all, but we do not stay in the RV