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mweiner

High winds? When do you pull over and sit it out?

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RV's are more prone to high wind conditions due to their profile..so, how fast does the wind speed have to be BEFORE you consider pulling over for safety and waiting for the weather to get better? 

Have you had to do this on long distance trips and where do you look first? Rest areas ? 

Fortunately, I didn't have to do this on my cross country trip, but, there were a few times I considered it...

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Fortunately have never had a high wind issue. 

Have had my fair share of stopping during sever thunderstorms/rain though..

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I drove in a 25mph gusting to 35mph wind today and never considered stopping. Driving from Big Bend recently we had wind warnings of gust to 50 and we didn't stop. The Newmar comfort steer and a tag axle make for a pretty comfortable drive in high winds. Just another benefit of a heavy class A motorhome. 

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In my previous 40 footer we drove in 45 mph quarter winds.  Awning stop had come off so the awning would billow out. DW noticed it first so I set my passenger mirror to view the topper and when it billowed I slowed down and it retracted. Did that all the way to the CG and then replaced the stopper.

Other than that we have driven in 35-40mph winds and before Safe-T-Steer I would notice it just like I noticed when truckers passed me.  After Safe-T-Steer it just felt like someone walked on the floor of the coach without the jacks being down. Very minuscule movement.

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The only time I have pulled into a CG early, or a rest area, is in blowing dust/sand on I-10.  Twice in NM by Deming, winds where way over 40mph.  They shut down the Freeway! Zero visibility....Same thing, one time, between Barstow, CA. and Mohave, CA.  No rest area, we all stopped on the road in both directions....had to replace my side windows after that one!  Like big trucks (18+ wheelers) I just keep rolling along as long as I can see, when they start pulling off, so do I.  

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Since this is in General Discussion now I figured I would chime in as it does apply to large and small vehicles. I have driven in winds up to 60 MPH gusts, I slowed down but haven't pulled over. The most I have felt was a twitch in the steering wheel in the highest of those wind gusts, that was traveling across the farm lands of PA where you can see for miles.

I have to agree with Jim that being in utmost comfort while operating a 18 ton vehicle makes every road trip relaxing, quiet, smooth and enjoyable. Love my big comfy coach and all of its amenities, after all its our home away from home and there is no roughing it at either home or especially while traveling this great country. 

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I drive in 35-45 mph winds, any higher it depends on the direction its coming from whether I stop.   One time back in the 70s I had a 25 ft Pace Arrow and was headed east around El Paso and had a 50 mph head wind, my mpg readout showed 2.5 to 3 mpg so I parked it for 2 days until it let up.

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Last spring we were headed to Chandler AZ. The winds in west Texas were blowing fairly hard but not enough to slow me down. I didn't think they were all that bad till we came out from under a overpass and the small "C" ahead of me changed lanes from the wind. It just buffeted us a little  but not bad. That is some thing to note overpasses can create  a venture effect with the wind. This will make it dangerous  for a small Vehicle. 

Bill

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Carl, last year on that same I-10 route we were headed East towards home. I saw what caused the freeway to close down as it closed about 2 minutes after we passed the area.

A farm was tilling his area and the dust it kicked up was blown by the wind causing the highway to not be seen by drivers.  There was no way to drive through that stuff.

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2011 I think we drove in 75 mph sustained winds in north Texas into Oklahoma.

Not because we wanted to but didn't find any place to pull over.

The slide out awning billowed out continously.

In Texas Folks drove on the shoulder if the ydidn't want to keep up with the traffic.

75mph on state or county road, I don't remember. Semis approaching went onto the shoulder as did we. The wind could suck us together.

No one was driving over ten to fifteen mph, perhaps. Finally found a nice campground, where the ground was red rock and washed the coach after our nerves settled down. If we knew the next day was going to be a repeat we would have stayed put. Day started off calm and clear as a bell but within an hour or two the winds came back hard from the west. It was white knuckles once we hit Oklahoma, and the road turned into a 2 lane narrow  interstate, with 60 mph, speed limit, I think. The wind did  not know there was a border.

We had west wind on our drivers side for a long way, until we or the road made a turn toward Hutchinson. Our fuel mileage  was about 22 mpg, as the wind pushed us along and on the brakes more than the throttle.

Don't want to repeat that again. On I 40 west of Feet Worth according to our GPS, we ,have seen many semis headed east usually, on their side or top, from the wind, in that 20 mile stretch or so. Most right as a slight inside curve on the east bound side is encountered.

We will be traveling real early or real late depending on weather info, in that area and the Big Bend area or Az from about 75 miles east of Tucson to Phoenix.

We won't be traveling  in 40mph winds or higher on purpose or at all if we can help it again.

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On our trip to Chandler last year we, three coaches, left Demming NM early (6:30) headed West. This was due to the forecast of very high winds. Just after we left Lordsburg, NM and crossed into AZ. We saw on the East bound side of I-10 they were stopping traffic due to the wind and dust. Three friends of our, also going West were caught in the Detour and had to go over 100 miles out of their way to avoid the wind and dust.

At one time the coach in the lead, I was tailgunner, pulled over so quite suddenly. I had to pull past them. It turned out the the Middle coach saw the front coach lose his flat dish antenna. He said it looked like a flying saucer flying. But they did find it. But all in all it was a great trip with very good friends.

Herman 

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Wow....sustained hurricane force winds in north Texas. I was 250 miles inland when the eye of Hurricane Ike came over and never had sustained winds higher than 40mph.  Plus, I don't know how I could drive a high profile rv in a hurricane. 

  • 73 + mph: Hurricane 
    Widespread structural damage; roofs torn off homes; weak buildings and mobile homes destroyed; large trees uprooted.

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8 hours ago, timetraveler said:

until we or the road made a turn toward Hutchinson. Our fuel mileage  was about 22 mpg, as the wind pushed us along and on

Timetraveler..is this a typo?

22 mpg in a 39.5 foot coach?  Sounds way too good to be true..

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11 hours ago, IanBullock said:

 

Timetraveler..is this a typo?

22 mpg in a 39.5 foot coach?  Sounds way too good to be true..

Well if he was being pushed by hurricane force winds it could be possible. I would think you could shut the engine off and let the 75 mph winds push you north.  Of course, after the eye passes the wind direction will change and you'll have a 75 mph headwind. 

There may be more than one typo in his post.

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Herman.  Linda and I was a day ahead of you.  We got hit on the El Paso to Deming and then 20 miles East of Casa Grande to just south of Chandler, got better on the way to Camp Verde.

Jim S.  Across the board, my reaction also...on all of it!  Where I live, from Hurricane Andrews in 92 to IKE in 2008, I have seen it all...No way your driving a Class A, C or B in anything over 45 sustained! 

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I was staying at Oasis RV park on I-40 on the West side of Amarillo  on 4-29 of last year. They had a storm come in where they shut I-40 down. I was glad I had a spot as there were trucks everywhere and no place for them. I believe the wind gust were over 75mph. Hear is a picture looking out at the nice weather.

timetraveler said

"Don't want to repeat that again. On I 40 west of Feet Worth according to our GPS, we ,have seen many semis headed east usually, on their side or top, from the wind, in that 20 mile stretch or so. Most right as a slight inside curve on the east bound side is encountered." 

Well actually I-40 doesn't go through Fort Worth. There is a section of I-287 from where it splits off I-35W going North West to Amarillo that is known for being dangerous because it is slightly elevated and exposed to wind gust. That is for about 10 miles from the I-35W split.

Bill

 

 

20170430_083940.jpg

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Herman.  Looks like the snow has been there a while.  April 29, 2017 !  High of 37, Low 34, light rain and fog.  Wind 25.807 mph from North.  April 30, same, but 32 mph out of West North West.  No major traffic problems!

Bill, maybe earlier? ?

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I don't know why the record I found doesn't match the reported local news nor my observations. Next time I will make a video of the local news and weather. The snow started on Friday evening the 28 APR and was over by Monday the first. 

https://www.timeanddate.com/weather/usa/amarillo/historic?month=4&year=2017

I must have ben delusional.:o 

Bill

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2 hours ago, hermanmullins said:

Bill,

Looks like you also had a bit of Snow. Willing to bet the wind chill was quite low also.

Herman 

Quite a change as we had ben in Palladio Canyon until we heard the front was coming. The rangers were warning people they may be stuck in the canyon for a couple of days. That is why we moved to Oasis, it was warm and sunny till late Friday afternoon. 

Bill

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That canyon has some strange weather...been in there in mid June and had snow, while on top it was in the 80's and rain!   Last time we where there, stuck for 2 days, due to flooding!

All I did was type in was.  Weather Amarillo Texas April 29, 2017...

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Eastbound on I-70 in Kansas a few years back. The headwinds were very high. One could almost see the fuel gauge move towards empty while driving. Stopped at the KOA in in Wakeeny . Great park cable selection by the way. Left the next morning just before daylight in order to beat the sun driven  wind. Hit McDonalds for carry out and "hauled ***." Funny! I have fought east bound winds when heading west and on  the return trip west bound winds when headed east. Only in Kansas! Go figure!😳

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