Big Storm!

[JudyJB]

Drove 315 miles today, so this is the first time I had to post.

Had a really scary evening last night. Weather reported a 30% chance of rain, but there was this storm that i kept seeing on radar, but it looked like it would go north of us at Wilson Lake in Kansas. Anyway, 15 minutes before it hit, they put out storm warnings, but no sirens or anyone notifying us. It was about 10:30 pm when it hit. Worst storm I have ever been in--really. We were right in the center and winds were supposedly 60-70 MPH! And my campsite was on a 20' rise, right on the lake. (I will post photo in a minute.)

I waited a bit too long to put in my slides, but the whole motorhome was rocking so bad I thought it might tip over. I put in the slides, grabbed my purse, and buckled myself into the drivers seat in case we turned over. You cannot imagine the noise and vibration/banging/rocking. When it showed down, I lurched back to the bathroom. Water was pouring in through locked windows, under my slides, and between my refrigerator and the drawer it sits on! I grabbed towels and threw them on the the floor. I then grabbed my rain coat and big flashlight and checked everything out. It looked OK, although I later discovered a 6" tear in one slide awning.

FInally, I put slides back out and cleaned up the water mess. All my rugs were wet, including the one in the bathroom. No water in through vent, so it came from hall. Bet it would have come in vent if I had not had vent covers. I cannot believe how much water came through my locked windows! Anyway, we had 1.9" of rain in one hour! Two 5th wheels were knocked off their front supports and one trailer was turned 90 degrees. I have no idea what happened to any tents or popups, because none were in my area. Power was out for two hours.

Got to get my towels from the dryers and then will post photos. Here is where I was camped:



And the blue dot is where I was on the radar map. Note the red and purple in the middle:



The camp host said he and his wife had been there seven years, and their trailer was fastened with chain to eye-bolts in the concrete!

[cnq50b]

Wow. That sounds like one terrifying night! Glad to know that you are ok. I know Sandy experienced a pretty bad storm when she was in Kansas a few years ago.
Looks like such a peaceful setting - that's one thing about the weather in the midwest, it changes so suddenly.
Hope you have a calmer night tonight.

[JudyJB]

I was really lucky to be in a heavy motorhome. I was also lucky not to have more damage. Based on the horrible flapping, I was sure I had lost the entire slide awning.

Now that I think about it, I remember a horrible storm in the middle of the night in the plains of Nebraska about 35 years ago. I was driving our full-sized van while my husband and two kids were sleeping as we were driving all night to get home from a trip to Colorado. I found a rest area in a valley that sheltered us. Everyone else slept through the whole thing.

I checked the roof today by standing on a rise. No damage to anything up there, luckily. I really recommend vent covers to anyone purchasing any sort of RV. The lids on most of them are so flimsy. They did a lot of flapping during the storm, but none were damaged and no water came in through any of the three I have.

[Bethers]

I'm so glad you're safe and that the actual damage, considering, is minimal.

[Rufflesgurl]

Way more excitement than anyone needs - especially anyone in an RV. Glad you made it through safely.

Linda

[BarbaraRose]

I am surprised they didn't send everyone to the bathroom shelters! That had to be very scary! Especially by the lake in the open like that! I would have been worried about getting blown into the lake! Glad you are OK and that your rig only got minimal damage.

[MandysMom]

So glad you are ok!

[gypsyrose1126]

Sounds scary! Glad you are ok

[SoCalGalcas]

WOW!!! What an experience! Not fun! Glad you and your rig are OK....lyn

[monik7]

Wow. That sounds like one terrifying night! Glad to know that you are ok. I know Sandy experienced a pretty bad storm when she was in Kansas a few years ago.

That's exactly what I was thinking Catherine. That was exactly 3 years ago. I don't ever want to be in that area again in May/June in my life. Scared the heck out of this California girl. Glad you made it through OK Judy.
Sandi

[Birdie]

The storms are one of the reasons I prefer to not head up into the valley of scary things until mid June. They are not totally through scaring you silly, but it has calmed down some. I really hate when you get a new round every 2-3 hours. That is kind of standard in tornado alley for April, May and early June.....normally. I would have gone to the bathroom in the middle of a storm like that one. But I am a chicken when it comes to twister. And I was a storm tracker for Dallas County when I lived there. I have seen 18 wheelers picked up and pitched around like plastic toys. I really hope they are nearly through as I am about ready to be OTRA! (On The Road Again)

Best wishes for smooth driving with rain in the distance, over that way!

[beazle]

Wow, glad you're undamaged! Beautiful site, too. Hope that NEVER happens to you again.
Eileen

[elkriverrats]

Wow Judy! What a long and terrifying night. So glad you and your rig are ok. Hope you have a calmer night tonight!
Safe travels to all.
Kelly

[JudyJB]

The thing is, I really was checking the weather. It was sunny and pleasant, except for these dark clouds over to the northwest. I have a radar app on my phone, and it looked like it would head north of us, based on how it was moving. And even the weather channel was only predicting a 30% chance of storms that evening. It was literally no more than 15 minutes before it hit us that the prediction changed to 100% and they posted a storm warning with up to 70 mph winds. And it was just that one round storm, with others maybe 3-4 hours off. It was not like their was a line of them where you knew you would get hit.

I have had rangers and camp hosts come around in campgrounds to send us to a shelter when there were tornado or storm warnings, but there just was not enough time in this situation. And I was probably the only one watching the radar constantly. A lot of people were sitting around campfires.

My lesson-learned it to put my slides in as soon as I see any storm approaching. And I NEVER go to bed with an awning out--learned that in Zion 4 years ago when I had to get dressed in middle of night and go outside.

Catherine, I also will be really leery of the plains in May and June!

[Colliemom]

Just like that one I was in, in Kennebec, SD. Came in the middle of the night, no chance to head for the bathrooms either. Left my trailer and got into my truck for same reason you got into drivers seat. Pop up and 5er were blown over and another pop up was turned sideways. Roof was peeled off campground office and all the computer equipment was damaged. Winds at the campground were 90 miles an hour, some gusts up to 105 in the area. I think the fact I was hitched to my truck and had a big tree near me, helped keep my trailer from going over, but it was moving around. All my jack blocks were scattered around and a picnic table had flipped and put a hole in my siding. I'm a little paranoid about night storms in open areas in the trailer now.