fanciesmom
in our dreams
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Okay - this has come twice in our life in less than two weeks. On the way through Wyoming we pulled off the freeway to let a thunderstorm with tornadic activity get ahead of us.
Today we had severe thunderstorm warnings with tornado watches. Bob put the Dolphin in the quonset more to protect it from hail than anything - but what do you do??? I'm sure that the quonset wouldn't have been much protection in a tornado - so anyone have information on what to do. We live in a mobile home, next door to an old farmhouse with a basement - but if we're on the road . . . ?????
Paranoia is only hindsight in advance.
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More To See
San Diego Area
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When in tornado country have a weather radio with S.A.M.E. capability. You have to program in the county where you are. A good radio will alarm to warn you. You don't have to be listening to it. When checking into a campground, scout out where you'd want to be in a tornado. And ask when checking in. Maybe a concrete bath house, etc.
One poster here recently pointed out that all those nice tornado videos you see on tv are typically taken from the southwest side of the storm. You can see the funnel from that side of the storm. If it's coming at you (you are NE of the storm) all you see is a big rain cloud coming at you. The funnel is well hidden until it's too late. Maybe some old timers from tornado country will have some better ideas.
And let's not even talk about a tornado bearing down on you after dark.
95 Winnebago Vectra 34 (P30/454)
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louiskathy
Oregon (presently)
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fanciesmom wrote:Okay - this has come twice in our life in less than two weeks. On the way through Wyoming we pulled off the freeway to let a thunderstorm with tornadic activity get ahead of us.
Today we had severe thunderstorm warnings with tornado watches. Bob put the Dolphin in the quonset more to protect it from hail than anything - but what do you do??? I'm sure that the quonset wouldn't have been much protection in a tornado - so anyone have information on what to do. We live in a mobile home, next door to an old farmhouse with a basement - but if we're on the road . . . ?????
Pray. I'm not being cute here.
Kathy
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Sailbad
Bernardo, New Mexico or Quartzsite
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If you are on the road information is key. Use whatever you have to stay well informed. TV, local radio, weather radio, computer, ect.
NEVER try to ride out the storm in a RV or mobile home. If it's possible get below ground. Next choice is interior of a sturdy building. Your last resort is being caught out in the open. There if you can find a culvert, get in it. If not find a ditch and cover your head.
Tornatic winds are very destructive but the real danger is the debris that is being carried by the storm. I had a neighbor that came out of his shelter only to find a strange car in his living room.
Dave C.
2005 Silverado 2500 CC
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btilfan
springfield NE
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You have a better chance of getting hit by lightning... but the above precautions should be taken.
1990 Cobra Malibu
My new hobby.
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bsinmich
Holland, MI
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btilfan wrote:You have a better chance of getting hit by lightning... but the above precautions should be taken. In this case does "Better" mean a greater or lesser chance? I really don't have a preference here. My choice is avoiding the whole thing.
2003 Newmar Mountain Aire, Workhorse W22, 2008 Saturn Vue, Falcon 5250, & US Gear Unified Tow Brake
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Savannahsv
Lakeland, FL
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One stay at Stone Mountain GA we heard the Tornado sirens go off as the weather darkened. We, and many others gathered at the block bathhouse and waited it out.
While on the road in East Ga. many years back I stopped in bad weather at a Mom and Pop store just to find no one there. They came up from the basement and ushered me underground with them. Frightening but was glad to have the option.
Matt.
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sowego
northwest panhandle of Nebraska
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Definitely have a weather radio on 24/7. The alarm will sound when an alert is posted and tell you where the storm warning are. The main problem you will find...you must know what county you are in, local land marks and local towns. Unless you keep a GPS going that shows that or you have a map open and can track your location constantly -- in a day's drive you'll cross hundreds of counties! So, if you are listening to a local radio station (best advice) that warns of severe weather, drag out the map to look up your location and take actions as needed.
Many RV parks in tornado zone do have shelters near by. When you check into a park always ask where the nearest shelter is.
We watch the weather channel every chance we get to track heavy storms and plan our route/travel time around it. You did the right thing to wait out a storm.
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rk911
Wheaton IL
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More To See wrote:When in tornado country have a weather radio with S.A.M.E. capability. You have to program in the county where you are. A good radio will alarm to warn you.
actually, you don't HAVE to program in a county code in order to receive a weather warning on these radios. if you don't you'll simply get warnings for other nearby areas that are covered by the radio station you're monitoring. i prefer to do that as i like to keep abreast of severe weather that may be approaching the area, not just when it has arrived.
More To See wrote:When checking into a campground, scout out where you'd want to be in a tornado. And ask when checking in. Maybe a concrete bath house, etc.
good luck with that. in west texas earlier this year i had one campground owner laugh when i asked where the storm shelter was. go ahead and ask but don't be surprised at the answer. of course, just about anything is better than staying in the RV.
73,
rich, n9dko
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Two Jayhawks
lenexa ks
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We encountered tornadic weather on the road in 2003 and again this last April. Both CG's had a shelter and everyone was hunkering down in there. Both times we were lucky but tornados did touch down only miles away and we saw the damage the next day. We pay very close attention to forcast's and plan accordingly.
2002 Safari Zanzibar
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