Spring and summer storms can make RV camping a scary experience rather than the fun and pleasant one it should be.
What’s an avid camper to do? Fortunately, there are ways to ensure you and your family stay safe while also fully enjoying the camping season. Here are my top tips for camping during storm season.
1. Create a storm-smart route
Your tiny home has wheels, after all. Why not use them?
By avoiding areas such as Oklahoma, Texas, and Kansas during tornado season and places where hurricanes tend to crop up during hurricane season you can reduce your risk by quite a lot. Instead, choose to travel to those areas during other times of the year and focus on different destinations during times when storms are likely to come around.
2. Pay attention to weather reports
No matter when or where you decide to travel, you need to pay attention to the weather forecast. Knowing if and when a storm might crop up is important because it allows you to watch for it and get out of harm’s way if needed be. I recommend keeping a weather radio on hand for this purpose.
More on severe weather: Lightning and Thunderstorms: Safety Tips for RVers
It’s also a good idea to install an app such as Weather Bug on your smart phone. This app will send you an alert should severe weather be headed your way.
3. Stock up on the right supplies
Besides your weather apps and a hand-crank weather radio, there are a few other things you’ll want to keep on hand just in case you end up camping in a storm. These include:
- Flashlight and spare batteries: This will help you see should the power go out
- First aid kit: You never know what kind of injury you might need to tend to
- Water: Being thirsty in a storm shelter is no fun; avoid it by packing bottles of water and be sure to stay hydrated
- Snacks: In case you get hungry while waiting out a storm, you’ll be glad to have a few non-perishable snacks on hand
I recommend putting all these things into a tote bag. This should be kept in an easily accessible location near the exterior door. It will ensure you’re well prepared. Then you can get to safety quickly.
Make sure your family is fully dressed with closed-toed shoes. Grab your smart phone and any important documents in the rig. Then head to shelter. If you can, grab helmets and/or pillows to cover your head. They also protect you from flying objects.
4. Know where to go
Of course, if you’re going to head out when the weather gets bad, you don’t want to be confused about where to go. Always establish where you will go in case of a storm when you arrive at a new campground.
More on severe weather: 5 Tips for Avoiding Extreme Weather While RVing
Numerous RV parks in tornado alley have storm shelters. As an alternative, head to a bathhouse or another sturdy structure with as few windows as possible.
When you get to the place where you will wait out the storm, find a place that is far from windows and potential projectiles. Wear your helmets. Keep your important items under you. Use the weather radio to track the storm. Have your pillows close at hand in case you need them.
5. Check your site
If you have enough notice of an impending storm, there are also several things you can do. If you plan to stay in your rig while camping in a storm, following these fairly simple steps can make a big difference. Take time to follow them. They include:
- Take pets inside: Dogs and cats deserve a safe, dry place to weather the storm as much as you do—take them to the shelter with you
- Remove projectiles: If you have chairs or other potential projectiles on your site, stow them; you don’t want one to go through a window
- Close storage bay doors: Ensure your storage bay doors are closed and secured
- Retract the awnings: RV awnings can’t stand up to much wind and rain. Keep yours intact by retracting before any kind of storm. As a word of caution, always retract the awning when leaving your rig or retiring for the night.
- Close the windows: Obviously, you’ll also want to make sure all windows are closed and securely latched
- Park away from trees: If possible, move your RV out from under trees that could break and fall on your roof causing extensive damage
- Retract the slides: Slides can catch the wind causing an entire trailer or motorhome to flip
- Fill the water tank: If it’s going to be very windy or if a tornado is headed your way consider filling your tanks to add more weight to your rig
6. Use common storm sense
Of course, you’ll also want to use your common sense when it comes to storms. Don’t hang out outdoors in a lightning storm. Avoid pools or other bodies of water. Especially if there is lightning in the area. If there is hail, get away from skylights and windshields.
More on severe weather: Hurricane Season: Staying Safe in your RV
Finally, you will want to watch for flooding and evacuate quickly. Head for higher ground if it looks like water is headed your way.
Worth Pondering…
In the spring, I have counted 136 different kinds of weather inside of 24 hours.
—Mark Twain (1835-1910)