Protocols for Storm Safety in Fifth Wheel (or any RV)

[johnnybadger]

Jasin, we did get a storm, but was not of the severity where we needed to run to safety. Tornado watches, but no warnings issued. Storm hit around 3:30 AM. I got up and monitored things and returned to bed around 5 AM.

Thanks to all for your suggestions. I packed up everything into our storage compartment, brought in awnings, dumped all my tanks and put about 20 gallons of water in my fresh water tank. Kept the slides extended. I did not hitch the fifth-wheel. The comment about not wanting to pull rig through the storm made a lot of sense to me.

[WDPatterson]

I'm not certain, but I think some people are missing the point of why to hook the trailer up to the tow vehicle. It is, in case you need to leave immediately. Not because you want a more stable platform.
If things get dicey, you want to move out of the path of any oncoming bad weather. That would even mean, abandoning your camp area and coming back to it later. You can always Park under an overpass, or someplace safe. But you cannot repair or replace, in any immediate fashion, what you leave in the path of bad weather.
Always think ahead, always be prepared.

[gearhead]

We are at Bristol Motor Speedway. Yesterday and last night we had some of the highest straight line winds I've been in in quite a while. The system was traveling west to east and had a lot of media coverage. We could see the black clouds as they approached. We got here 4 days ago and I never put out awnings knowing it was on the way. Several rv's got here after us and immediately set out tables, chairs, etc. Yesterday when the first line hit they were still unaware and were scrambling to secure their equipment. I counted 6 men trying to do something with a full length awning. I think they tried tying it down then gave up and rolled it back in.
I don't understand how when it's all over the media, and you can see it coming, you wait until it hits.

[jasin1]

Originally Posted by gearhead

We are at Bristol Motor Speedway. Yesterday and last night we had some of the highest straight line winds I've been in in quite a while. The system was traveling west to east and had a lot of media coverage. We could see the black clouds as they approached. We got here 4 days ago and I never put out awnings knowing it was on the way. Several rv's got here after us and immediately set out tables, chairs, etc. Yesterday when the first line hit they were still unaware and were scrambling to secure their equipment. I counted 6 men trying to do something with a full length awning. I think they tried tying it down then gave up and rolled it back in.
I don't understand how when it's all over the media, and you can see it coming, you wait until it hits.

The bad part is when people are so unprepared and there stuff blows into YOUR rv or truck..I was in Delaware and the rv site next to us was occupied by a family with a tent and a few portable popup canopy’s with plastic covering the sides..they had the tent stakes going into my site and everything was blowing around,I thought the canopy would fly into my brand new rv..they even left to go somewhere in heavy winds..I was so glad when they finally packed up to leave...they looked to be from a foreign land and were not speaking English so it was no use trying to have a conversation
They probably had $100 in there whole camping setup so didn’t care if the wind took it all away..why do they let tent campers book an rv site? If it’s for the electric then that seems dangerous to me..having extension cords laying all over the ground and going into the tent

[Javi]

We were in Rockport, Texas between Christmas and New Year's and had 70 mph straight line winds one night. Someone's trash can cost me the ladder on the new trailer. We heard it hit but since nothing was sticking through the walls of the trailer I didn't go out in the sideways rain to see what it was.
Next morning I saw the twisted ladder and got a younger fellow to go up on the roof and check it out. He threw down a bunch of old rusty fishing leaders and line. So we figured it was a trashcan.

Anyway, I was glad it was confined to the ladder, was only $350

[jasin1]

Originally Posted by Javi

We were in Rockport, Texas between Christmas and New Year's and had 70 mph straight line winds one night. Someone's trash can cost me the ladder on the new trailer. We heard it hit but since nothing was sticking through the walls of the trailer I didn't go out in the sideways rain to see what it was.
Next morning I saw the twisted ladder and got a younger fellow to go up on the roof and check it out. He threw down a bunch of old rusty fishing leaders and line. So we figured it was a trashcan.

Anyway, I was glad it was confined to the ladder, was only $350

That could have killed you if you were outside when it was flying around

[Crookedread]

Whenever I am going to weather a storm and it’s going to be windy, I fill the water tanks and may carry more black and grey water than normal. This creates a lot of weight between the frame rails, down low and makes the trailer much more stable, on the road or parked. 100 gallons is 800 pounds of ballast. Dump it after the storm. Saved my butt in South Dakota once!!

[gearhead]

Originally Posted by Crookedread

Whenever I am going to weather a storm and it’s going to be windy, I fill the water tanks and may carry more black and grey water than normal. This creates a lot of weight between the frame rails, down low and makes the trailer much more stable, on the road or parked. 100 gallons is 800 pounds of ballast. Dump it after the storm. Saved my butt in South Dakota once!!

I thought about that but vetoed it. I would have to go out in the storm.
My nightmare was needing to go to the restroom and a storm hit. Yep there I was with jeans down to my knees covered in....

[notanlines]

Brent, you sorry dog! You didn't tell us you were headed to NASCAR's newest foray into dirt track! We watched this badly planned fiasco unfold on TV and then had medical visits when the darn thing finally unfolded yesterday. And then had to be won by 'Lips Logano!' At least it was a Ford!
Did you have any grief getting out and around with the storm that came through? Like actually getting out of the RV park?

[Crookedread]

Thanks for not finishing that last sentence!!