What do you do in a tornado warning when in the RV?

[LangsRV2]

I have been undertaking a big rebuild on my 5th wheel and yesterday had the whole front end torn off when we got the tornado warning. We did our best to frame it up and tarp it for the upcoming storm. Then decided that if the wind trashed the trailer we could just take the insurance check and run! However, later in the middle of the night when we were awakened by the tornado sirens during the actual storm it got me thinking... What do you do if you are at a campground in the RV and a big storm comes up? What if they have a tornado warning? What if you happen to be close enough to town to hear the tornado sirens and they go off? What do you do? Where do you go? At what point to do take action? Do the park rangers tell you what to do or where to go? Or are you on your own to fend for yourselves? Do you have a plan? Has anyone had any experience with this kind of thing?

[doxiemom11]

If ever on the road and you need a place of safety and are around businesses, look for a bank. They will take people into their big safe during a tornado warning.

[down_home]

Three years ago and then again two years ago we witnessed strong tornadoes right on us. The one two years ago was less than a hundred feet from the carport. All we could see was a wall of white going sideways. All it did was uproot a huge walnut tree. Everybody else up and down the lane had trees in roofs across yards and the road and power lines. Year before it devastated whole lot of north Georgia and Alabama and Tn. Neighbors and people from all over brought tractors with buckets and saws and other equipment to clear roads and to get to people. Amazing, everybody pulling together like that.
We never had tornadoes, in our area before. It was something we read about in school.

[INBellbuoy]

Experienced one in MN a few years ago, we went to the shower house that was built with concrete blocks. Sad to report we were the only ones there. Had another in Door County a year or two later, most of the campground was in the shower house.

[ngreen]

We had a EF 2 tornado cross in front of us on Hwy 65 south of Little Rock. We were 45 degree angle from it and luckily had no damage.
In Joplin a lot of people survived by going in the walk in cooler of a restaurant or convience store

[Jim_Shoe]

I was in a KOA just north of Atlanta when a Tornado warning was issued. The host went to every RV in the park to tell them and invited all of us into their central room of the office until the warning was over. Most folks, including me, didn't even know one was in the area.

[GizmosMom]

We were camping a few years ago and storm warnings came up and we went to the shower house. The campground was full and we were the only people who left to go there.

Also, it took us a while to find out exactly what county we were in so now I always pay attention to that because the warnings (here in Texas anyway) always seen to be by county...

[rfryer]

I saw my first tornado when I was 18 and in the service in KY. It woke me up in the middle of the night because the roof bowed up and separated from the side and rain came in on my face. Then a freight train came through the barracks.:D There was so much lightening it was light outside with flashes of dark and I could see garbage cans, shingles and other junk going horizontally past my second story window.

We just sat it out because there was no place to go, but it made a real impression on me. I wouldn’t want to be anywhere near an RV or vehicle if one came through. In the boonies I’d probably head for the nearest roughest ravine, otherwise I’d head for a shelter. But actually, where I typically camp isn’t tornado country although I’ve been through some pretty ferocious storms in the mountains.

They have a pretty effective tracking mechanism in tornado country and a lot of experience dealing with them. You can merely ask what the procedure is and where to go if one comes through and you should get good information. My experience is limited. One of my son’s family lives in Edmond, OK and we visit every year. Invariably at some point we’re watching the tv tracking tornadoes in the area and preparing to head for a shelter. So far so good though we’ve had some get uncomfortably close.

[lizzie]

We were camped at DeSota State Park in Alabama in April 2011 when a devastating line of tornadoes came through. The park rangers came by about an hour earlier and told us we would hear the sirens from nearby Ft.Payne if there was a problem and directed us to the bathhouse. When the alarms went off all the campers and pets stayed in the ladies room. In addition to the usual emergency supplies, we usually grab a sleeping bag just to keep us off the cold floor. I must say that the bathhouse was one of the most substantial buildings I have ever seen and we felt safe there. We have also been evaculated because of flash flooding, for high winds in a heavy forested area, and for a forest fire. In each case we were alerted by rangers and told where to go. lizzie

[Bumpyroad]

another old midwestern tornado warning was if you were watching TV and it started to have lots of static something was amiss. don't know about nowadays with digital, cable, etc. however.
bumpy

[magnusfide]

Outstanding topic and ideas! This is the forum at its best!

We too ask about storm shelters. We keep all our meds in our dock kits so they're in one place. All wife has to do is grab her dock kit and purse, me my dock kit and the dogs.

We also have a NOAA weather radio in the mh.

[JoeTampa]

One other point to mention - stay away from windows in whatever place you seek shelter.

I also recommend that everyone look for and take a Skywarn spotter course that is offered free of charge by the (US) National Weather Service. It will teach you how to recognize (and report) severe weather signs.

[WandaLust2]

LangsRV2 wrote:
What do you do if you are at a campground in the RV and a big storm comes up? What if they have a tornado warning? What if you happen to be close enough to town to hear the tornado sirens and they go off? What do you do? Where do you go? At what point to do take action? Do the park rangers tell you what to do or where to go? Or are you on your own to fend for yourselves? Do you have a plan? Has anyone had any experience with this kind of thing?

If we had time enough we'd leave the TT at the CG and head for the nearest town and whatever shelter we could find. If the bathhouse was cement block, well built or we had little time, we'd head there. It's hard to know until you're in that situation.

[norre]

After riding a storm out in a mobil home as a kid I can tell you to get away from the rv. We got trapped as the vacume from a tornado sucked doors shut to the point of not being able to open them as I laid in the floor pushing the door with by feet while my mother turned the door knob. At that point it was to late the mobil home lifted off the ground on one end swug around and dropped like a ton of bricks. The blocks under it came up thru the floor and everything inside toppled like a deck of cards. I slept in our car for three months after that being only 11 years old I was to scared to sleep in the mobil home. To this day at 48 years old nobody has to tell me to get out of any type of trailer in a storm. We now fulltime in a 27ft Award TT and our truck is the bug out location. I much rather roll over in that than a RV of any type. To much stuff in their to fall on you. Not to mention LP gas and electrical power. I dont even want to think about what that mixture would do.

[Kittykath]

Watch the weather yourself. Don't rely solely on someone else telling you what to do. Comes up too fast. Any doubt, head to the storm shelter. Chances are, you'll already have company.

We shared a single stall brick bathroom with 10 other people and 3 dogs. Got to watch our neighbor's tent fly by like a giant kite. Glad our 3 day old camper was spared. Everyone else got lucky too. Out came the chainsaws and we got to work. Never again will I ask my DH why he keeps such things in his truck!

[AprilWhine]

Make sure you're wearing your ruby slippers :C

We were traveling on US 65 in Missouri a few years ago when I got a Weatherbug alert tornado warning. A minute later, we heard what sounded like a train, then the wind pushed us into the median! And that was in a 40' diesel pusher towing a 6,000 lb car on a trailer! Scary! :E Took a while to clean both seats!