[sourdough]

Bring the awnings in if the wind is "blowing" and whipping. The right whip will pop it and ruin it. Tying it down will just let it tear it up. Sat across the road from a guy all winter that never brought his awning in and used tie downs. When the breezes came that awning would raise one end or the other, billow etc......but at least it was tied down. And, both ends of that awning were ripped off the track on the trailer for about 2' on both ends - he didn't seem to care but I would.

Also I bring it in if there is a heavy downpour. I keep it tilted but at some point I figure there will be enough weight to harm it and then it would be my luck a whipping wind would hit it and twist it right up on top of the trailer. Plus, if you leave the awning out in the rain you probably have an "auto dump" feature. If so and it's like mine when that awning finally gets bulging with rain water and decides to dump you'll jump out of your skin if like me, sounds like someone shot a 12ga. right next to you.