Wind

[Airabel]

What's a safe wind speed to be traveling with an Airstream in tow?
We're planning to leave the winter conditions of northern Wyoming tomorrow and head south towards Grand Junction, Co. Traveling with a 16' Sport and wind custs are predicted to be sw 30 mph tomorrow afternoon in Rawlins. Increasing to custs of 40 mph on Sunday so we'll be trying to get through Rawlins before Sunday.

[Lumatic]

IMHO
Depends on wind direction, your tow vehicle, your sway control, and your trailer weight. Airstreams do better in wind than other trailers.

Driving in 30 to 40 mph wind requires a little more attention and a little less speed.

You will find the most wind in the bow wave of a passing semi. It will pull you toward the semi then kick you the other way. Watch your mirrors, pull all the way over to the right, let off the accelerator, cover the brake, eep both hands on the wheel and if you start to sway hit your trailer brakes.

[Airabel]

We use a load distributing with sway control hitch but the Sport will not be fully loaded as it's still winterized. Winds will, for the most part, be right quartering head winds but may be right side winds too.

[DBinSD]

We have found above 35 gets too frustrating.

Can you? Yes.

I have seen 45+ gusts from the side take out semis, and small trailers.

[Isuzusweet]

Road and weather conditions with the wind will also play a part. Will there be a possibility of icy roads from windchill, or slick roads from rain? Both could exacerbate problems with windy conditions and make life exciting for you.

Watch out for driving fatigue, as compensating for windy conditions will mean lots of steering inputs and strain on your muscles; especially if you're looking in the mirrors all the time checking on the trailer for sway.

At the end of the day, if your trailer beats you to the campsite.....it was probably too windy.

Cheers
Sidekick Tony

[azflycaster]

over 30 MPH depending on the relative direction is an issue for me, Various apps like Weather Bug will give you hourly estimates of the wind speed. Planning your travel based on these estimates can be helpful.

If is does not feel safe, stop and hunker down, be safe!

[Foiled Again]

Originally Posted by azflycaster

over 30 MPH depending on the relative direction is an issue for me, Various apps like Weather Bug will give you hourly estimates of the wind speed. Planning your travel based on these estimates can be helpful.

If is does not feel safe, stop and hunker down, be safe!

Hunker down when you START WONDERING if it is time to do it! There is NO event or deadline that is worth the stress. I learned that trying to outrun the "great s***storm last December. Lucky to have an intact body and Airstream. Seeing 26 vehicles wrecked in the center of I-95 ... and needing 12 hours of almost stationary traffic to get to the next exit is not an experience I ever want to repeat.

[Fly at Night]

I have always thought that highways should have intermittent wind socks. Would be a great help to those "piloting" trailers, RVs, and eighteen wheelers.

[Airabel]

Well we made it to Grand Junction, Co. last night in a driving rain storm!
Started yesterday with snow and 15 degrees. The wind started midway through Wyoming at about 30-35 mph (right quartering headwind ). Rain started about Rawlins, Wy. Winter Storm Warning through Craig and Meeker Co. but only rain and wind the last 200 miles. Sport towed like a champ and stayed dry inside but I was a nervous wreck.
Sunny and mid 70s today in Capital Reef NP makes it all worth it.

[Lumatic]

A wee bit windy here in Estancia today, Saw a prairie dog in a cloud of brown dust trying to dig his way back down.

Also got the idea for a new video game. I will call it "Tumbleweed". You drive down the road and score points for dodging the tumbleweeds. Points are deducted for those that hit you.

[slowmover]

Originally Posted by DBinSD

We have found above 35 gets too frustrating.

Can you? Yes.

I have seen 45+ gusts from the side take out semis, and small trailers.

The worse the TV, the worse the problem. And there’s nothing “worse” than a straight-axle 4WD pickup. The TT is far better.

The constancy of the wind is the real problem (versus speed) and then over what kind of terrain. Have spent last two weeks crossing the Texas and Oklahoma Panhandle out of New Mexico to those states or Kansas and Colorado.

High, flat terrain, and winds without cessation is hardest. The number of steering corrections per 100-miles, is the measure.

For a given vehicle design, weight can help. But it’s length, versus design, that should inform caution. There comes a point where speed relative to wind is too low for highway travel.

25-mph constant is the warning. (And three-quarters off bow is the worst wind).

[CDONA]

I've "played" Tumbleweed before, rolling back to Ca. from Sturgis.
Outside of Battle Mountain Nv. night falling, lightening, wind, the smell of sage, lightening strikes, and rain in the air.
Wind is blowing 20 + got a semi on my butt, and a tumble weed the size of a washing machine bouncing at me from the left. I nail it as it crosses the freeway, I do want to think the semi guy backed off a little.
One time example of when that Harley road holding weight helped.