Hurricane Anyone?

[darryl97420]

Has anyone full timing in an Airstream deal with a hurricane force winds?

Here is the weather statement I received today from NOAA for the Oregon Coast for tonight and tomorrow Jan 17 & 18, 1012.


"The National Weather Service in Medford has issued a high wind
watch... which is in effect from Wednesday evening through
Thursday afternoon. A High Wind Warning remains in effect from
1 am to 7 PM PST Wednesday.

* Winds: south winds of 45 to 60 mph with hurricane force wind
gusts of 70 to 85 mph are likely. Gusts above 100 mph are likely
at headlands including Cape Blanco.

* Timing: winds will increase tonight and peak during the day
Wednesday. A decrease in wind is expected Wednesday night...
but another increase to possible warning criteria will occur
Thursday.

* Locations include: Bandon... Port Orford and areas along
Highway 101.

* Impacts: high winds will pose a hazard to motorists traveling
along Highway 101. Winds will also be accompanied by very heavy
rain. Power outages and damages to exposed structures are
likely."

Where did I put my foul weather gear???

[slowmover]

Our normal high winds in Jan-Mar keep my elderly neighbors indoors oftentimes, for fear of being knocked off balance. But that is with steady 25-30 mph winds, and sustained gusts past 40-mph (sometimes to 60-mph and more). A year ago January with an 80-mph "storm" found all the loose shingles on my roof.

"Hurricane force" is more open to subjectives of place, not just wind mph: flying debris, leeward shelter, etc. It's common enough to hook the TV back to the TT to add some stability when xtra-high winds are forecast. There are some stories in threads on this forum about hurricane experience in Florida since 2005 (but a good bit of that also involves water).

Be careful.

.

[GetOutDoors]

One of the less known secrets: the west coast often gets really bad weather that's comparable to what we know as big news when it happens down south/east.. Must be because the lack of destruction or maybe because of the amount of rainfall?

Anyway, here is a Link to get you started (http://www.airforums.com/forums/f314...ane-81540.html).

If you search for hurricane or Irene, you will find a few other threads from last season that provide educational reads.

[sk8r29]

I lived in Bandon for 10 years and know all about the winter storms that can hit that area very hard. I lived inland about a mile but up on a hill that overlooked the ocean. I weathered one storm in an old Winnebago that blew away the wind gauge at Cape Blanco after the gusts exceeded 100 mph.
My suggestion if you are parked in a protected area like Bullards Beach State Park is to leave your trailer there, pull in your awning, close your windows and head for the bluff above the beach to watch the storm. Winter storms on the coast are a blast, literally, as people come from miles away to watch Nature have at it.
If you're parked in an open area, particularly where you can see the ocean, I would want to turn my trailer into the direction of the wind and I would leave my truck attached.
The big question you have to think about is flying debris and falling trees, neither of which is necessarily going to happen but I would sure be looking around me at loose junk or big trees that are in the storms path. Don't get paranoid but just get smart about what's around you.

[Lily&Me]

We saw that weather forecast this morning. Yikes!

Reminded us of our last trip to Ireland, January 09 I think, driving the countryside in what constituted a blizzard there---including "GALE FORCE WINDS"!

Good weather to be inside looking out.

Fire going and hot drink in hand.


Maggie

[Protagonist]

I've lived on in hurricane-prone south Louisiana for thirty years, and seen my share of damaged/destroyed trailers after storm events.

My recommendations for a high-wind storm event— too late for the storm described by darryl97420, but for future reference— if you have enough advance warning:
1 - If you can get your trailer out of the area before the storm, do it.
2 - If you can't get your trailer out of the area, then disconnect all hookups, remove the propane tanks, protect the windows as best you can, remove any documents and valuables that you can't afford to see destroyed, hop in your tow vehicle, and relocate it and yourselves someplace safer. Come back and survey the damage when it's all over.

Turning your trailer into the wind and leaving the tow vehicle attached, as suggested by sk8r29, seems intuitive; after all, you tow your trailer at highway speeds and it survives just fine, but remember what happens to your trailer while you're towing it and there are wind gusts. Tail wagging the dog. Same sort of thing would happen if you turn your trailer to face into a storm, especially since there is no guarantee that the wind will hold steady without strengthening or shifting direction. Storms are turbulent by definition. And if high winds should strike broadside to the trailer, that can be enough to move it, or even overturn it, even if the towing vehicle is still attached.

[GetOutDoors]

Looks like the wind reached 110 mph - Oregon Coast wind gust hits 110 mph | KTVB.COM Boise

[valmog]

I heard Cape Foul Weather had 110+ winds...hope you rode the storm out okay

[darryl97420]

yesterday we hit 113 mph gust

113 mph wind gust recorded in Charleston

I am more protected then I thought because even though the Argosy has been rocking it hasn't been that bad regardless of the gusts.

[sempi2]

We've been watching in Gresham. Sounds like all roads to the coast are cut off for now, at least the north end roads. Hope you are doing well and have no damage. Our snow is mostly gone and the rain is here and some winds, but nothing too bad. Susan

[GetOutDoors]

Though it looks like the west coast took the brunt of the storm, it will be interesting to see how much strength this storm has once it hits the Midwest and east coast.

[kb0zke]

YIKES! I just looked at the satellite view, and it looks like that is quite a monster! I'm glad we're in SW Missouri, as it looks like that thing will stay mostly north of us. We're known for ice storms here, though, so I think I'll load up the fireplace and stack some extra logs in the house, just in case.

Those of you north of here ought to be paying attention to the weather, too. Looks like it will be worse the farther north you are.

[Boondocker]

Airstreams do really well in high winds. Its the crap the wind is blowing about that you have to watch out for.

[darryl97420]

Like Ron White says "It's not THAT the wind is blowin, it's WHAT the wind is blowin"

Well, The storms are over and my little Arogsy28 did great! Lots of rockin and rollin but that was it. My neighbor had their shed blow over some houses had their shingles blown off their roofs.

This was a three day storm and I am glad that its over. I feel for those up the river as there has been a great deal of flooding.

[flygrrl]

Originally Posted by darryl97420

Like Ron White says "It's not THAT the wind is blowin, it's WHAT the wind is blowin"

Well, The storms are over and my little Arogsy28 did great! Lots of rockin and rollin but that was it. My neighbor had their shed blow over some houses had their shingles blown off their roofs.

This was a three day storm and I am glad that its over. I feel for those up the river as there has been a great deal of flooding.

Now there are some out there that believe that AS's can float! Somewhere in these hallowed pages one of us had a conversation with a member of the general public that said that. His logic was impeccable, Land Yacht, blue stripe=can float=no problem. I almost choked on my coffee when I read that. Maybe you should paint a blue stripe on, that might help. Then again, on another thread I read, one of our members went through a flood (Katrina?)and her AS did float, the other SOB's in the area were smashed to bits, so maybe....