Handling Severe Weather on Open plains roads

[Colliemom]

Am sitting here watching the Weather Channel tracking tornadoes in KS, LA and TX to mention a few. I will be driving out across those open plains in a bit over a month and wondered what the best course of action is if weather starts to look threatening. Keep driving and hope you pass through it, get off and park someplace if there's an exit handy or start praying

I know. They say drive at right angles to a tornado, but on miles of open farmland, that's pretty hard. And cutting across median about he same, especially pulling a trailer.

[JudyJB]

My suggestion is to pull over until the storm passes. This is based on two incidents when I did NOT pull over. The first was when I went out of a Walmart with a load of groceries. It was nasty looking and starting to rain. I got into my rig and started putting groceries away. It looked a little better to me, so I pulled out and onto the freeway. Bad decision. I had only driven a mile or two and the main part of the storm hit--with hail and heavy winds. I slowed down along with everyone else, but visibility was about 30 feet. I pulled over to the shoulder, but was terrified that someone would come barreling up behind me, especially a big truck. Also it was really hailing hard, and I was also afraid of damage. Managed to find an exit and get off, but it was very scary. Lesson learned was that I should have waited in the parking lot until I was absolutely sure the storm had passed. Winds might have tossed me around in the parking lot, but I would not have been rear-ended by another vehicle.

Second time was when I saw a big, low storm cloud in southern Colorado. It looked like the wind was kicking up dust like it does in Michigan before the rain. I found a sheltered spot along some buildings in a small town and stopped there, but again, I pulled out before the storm was really past. And the worst part was that this was a dust storm, not a rain storm kicking up dust. I was on a two-lane road and when it passed, I could see nothing and barely avoided cars coming toward me. I also ended up with dust infiltrating all of my storage areas.

As you can see, the common thread is my impatience! I think a tornado is much less likely than high winds, but I suppose if I actually saw a tornado I might try to drive at angles to it, but I really think you are safer to try to find a low area or somewhere slightly sheltered. If you keep driving, you increase the chance of being hit or hitting another vehicle.

By the way, I have a terrific app on my cell phone for radar. It is called NOAA Hi-Def Radar. It allows you to scroll in to see your current location and the rain and storms headed your way, in real time, and animated. It was $1.99 and has no ads. I absolutely love it. https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/noaa-hi ... 25159?mt=8

[bluepinecones]

If a warning is issued, it is always suggested that you get out of vehicle:
Get out of mobile homes or vehicles. They are easily tossed about by strong winds in the tornado. Take shelter in a substantial structure. If there is no shelter nearby, lie flat in a ditch or low spot, with your hands shielding your head. Never stay inside the mobile home or vehicle.
More from National Weather Service:
http://www.srh.noaa.gov/tsa/?n=dsp_safetyMain

[Bethers]

At least get off a freeway/expressway - those are the worst places to be when bad weather hits. I highly recommend finding a place to stop and wait it out, for however long it's necessary. Kind of how I watch just the wind. If I'm not going to drive if they predict winds too high, I'm definitely going to get off the road if something else bad, but unexpected happens. Sometimes I haven't been able to get out of the rv, but I have, usually been able to get a better place to park, especially with winds.

[JudyJB]

I agree with Beth. My assumption was that you were caught out on the road driving. I should have stayed in the Walmart parking lot and gone back into the building. The second time, I ended up in a tiny town and could see no open businesses.

I think the scariest thing about plains storms is that you can see them coming so far in the distance. I have been caught a couple of times in cars many, many miles from any towns.

[Acadianmom]

I have wondered what it would take for me to get out of a dry vehicle and lay down in a wet ditch. I guess if I saw a tornado coming I might do it. I carry a NOAA weather radio but the warnings they give are by counties and if you are in a different state you probably don't know what county you are in. Now most of us can get the weather if we can get a cell signal. When I'm on a trip I try to get the local weather on TV or on the Weather Channel. It would probably be a good idea to ask where you should go if there is bad weather when you check into a campground but I never think to do that.

Martha

[JudyJB]

Usually the bathhouse, Martha. I was once woken up by police with knock on door and flashing lights on car at 2 am for a tornado warning. Had to get dressed and walk in rain to bathroom/shower house. They even stuffed some of us into a utility corridor with all the pipes and water heaters. Spent an hour there.

[Carolinagal]

I agree with Martha, if you're in a state and they give the counties and warnings, I've set and wondered just where I was to that area. Not good, they need to do something, maybe mention nearby towns, instead of just county.

I pay particular attention to weather conditions as I travel, just second nature now, done it so long. If bad, I stop somewhere and one thing I have noticed, especially in Kansas, the CG's will tell you where to go when checking in for bad weather. On interstates going through Kansas, they have weather speakers at the rest areas, that continuously keeps giving weather conditions. Kansas being my most traveled through state in my years of traveling to my son's in Co.

Its not anything to get real uptight about, just stay aware, (not worried aware) and do what you need to to keep yourself safe if the need arises. Know you're worried about weather and all kind of conditions in the states in the west, but won't be anything to worry about any more then just staying in home area. You may not even run into a rainy day, don't look for problems, just deal with it IF you might have some bad weather.

Enjoy your trip !!!
CArol
I'm not sure I like the thought of laying in that wet , yukky ditch either, Martha, another reason to pay attention to weather ahead each morning. I have the weather channel Icon on my Ipad which is so handy wherever I am.