When is it too windy??

[gratefulj]

I see it's an Auto - Sleeper you hafe we have had a few A-S lift up roofs our current Trooper is a newer version roof to yours we have not yet found a wind we have been so unhappy to drop the roof in bad winds I try to park with the rear facing the wind to stop the front stay strap from singing. I have modified the lift up sides to seal with the roof better and cut out draughts. We use the van all year round mostly over winter on the North Yorkshire moors

Alf

Yes, I have decided to overhaul the roof/rubber seals in the spring as over the years these have become worn and there is also a bit of play in the structure allowing draughts to come through.

 

[gratefulj]

Would driving elsewhere actually be a good idea though unless the area parked in is REALLY exposed. if the winds are big enough to be a concern when static, driving would be more risky surely? Moving vehicle into the wind to present the smallest area would be best as said, I'd have thought.

You're absolutely right. It was definitely a 50/50 call as it's a skinny strip of tarmac and of course pitch black (never mind the loose sheep and horses) but it wasn't that far from town so I literally crawled down at 15 miles an hour

 

[gratefulj]

Undoubtedly best avoided but sometimes you just can't escape completely, so I've been told the best bet is to try to avoid crosswinds hitting the sides of the van and turn the nose into the wind. Also, sheltering behind a hill or tree-line can help as a windbreak. Over the past couple of years, I've had to sit tight and find the best shelter I could in Storm Hector up in the Orkneys in June 2017, Ex-Hurricane Ophelia on Shell Island in October 2017 and again in October this year with Storm Callum on Shell Island. Callum brought gusts of up to 86 mph for most of the first day but we managed to find a slightly calmer spot in the lee of a hill/bank. One of my door hinges suffered a bit when the wind slammed the door that day but other than that we were fine. Personally, I don't think I'd worry any more about 20mph winds but I don't deny that the full force of nature can be pretty hair-raising!

Wow, it sounds like you're a lightning rod for big winds.

 

[witzend]

Silves 2012

This is after a windy night in Silves

 

[gratefulj]

This is after a windy night in Silves
View attachment 68925

Something like that would be curtains for us. We are basically a plywood caravan stuck on the chassis of a mk1 trafic :scared:

 

[Penny13]

Just to lighten the mood, it’s often very windy in our MH but as we read fart fumes are good for dementia all is well

 

[Debroos]

And it can be warmer out of the wind too if you have single glaze windows. We were really cold on a windy headland in Cornwall, drove a couple of miles inland and the temp went up by about 4 degrees.

 

[stewheeler]

I think you might encounter Squalls!

Hi, there. I have spent lots of nights out in all Seasons. One thing not picked up on Tech or by your average head is Squalls. They are related to Sea Fairing folk mainly. Though if you choose pretty spots in some seasons they can also have a unique land topography, (I.E Surface, Hills, Altitude etc). This and stronger than average wind or air pressure makes the Squall. They can be weirdly local to one spot and very strong. So strong that Classic motors can end up with bent door frames and other oddities. They are also fast and sometimes just stop. Hence being a bit unknown. They can also just hit you when driving despite no particularily high wind speed at the time. You will get used to them eventually, though they are noisy and keep you awake. I think moving is a good option and also when you scout a place to stay, see if best, that you avoid overhead tree branches. I have learned from experience (fortunately not my own) that they can fall in Autumn/Winter due to pure weight of sogginess or weakened by Snow Ice combined with wind or squalls. Other than that you are wise to keep flexible in new places anyhow. Sometimes also you can find some places fill with deep water like trenches more than others, another little thing worth getting used to. The good news is as scary as places can be, they can also match it with pure fun. So just use your instincts and mainly enjoy yourself, we all have our own version of it.lane:

 

[jeanette]

We were parked up in a car park on our way to Durness a couple of years ago when the first weather warning came about 100 mph winds to hit the east coast of Scotland we’d had no radio or internet at the time and the weather had been lovely earlier that night the wind started not too bad we thought,then it slowly started to get worse Malcolm moved the van once and then he had to move it again later on we thought the sides were going to come in,he moved it three times I never slept all night when he saw his arms the next day it was bruised,where I had been holding him! That was the scariest moment for me we spoke to a couple that came down and they said even though they were a bit sheltered they were still getting buffeted all night!

 

[gratefulj]

Went back last night

I've recently spent a few nights in the Brecon Beacons (I highly recommend). The first spot I had chosen was Gospel Pass which is a few miles from Hay On Wye on the edge of the national park. Unlike my normal MO I had actually gone and checked it out in the daytime (I'm learning from my mistakes) and found it to be on too much of a slant but I'd passed what I would call a viewing platform type car park about half a mile down the road and so decided I would stop there instead. So I went back into town for a mooch about and returned just before dusk. When I pulled up the whole sky was black and I could see the rain falling in cone like shapes on the tops of the mountains all around me and so I knew we'd be in for a stormy night (I don't mind the rain) however I thought it pertinent to check the weather app on my phone. In the main picture I think it said showers but in the small hour by hour forecast all it had right through the night was the swirly wind symbol. I scrolled down a bit further and it said 20 mph winds. Now I'm only in my second month of motorhoming and have no idea what 20 mph winds are but they didn't sound like much so I popped the roof and put the kettle on.
Now my van is 34 years old and I'm pretty sure it wasn't designed in a wind tunnel, it's also noisy at the best of times though I've sort of got used to it and the spot we were on was pretty exposed. I wasn't too worried (tiny bit) about getting blown over the edge, I had the handbrake on tight and I'd left it in gear but the wind really began to hit us hard so much so that at about midnight I took the roof down as it was getting really noisy and the van was really rocking every time a gust hit us. By about 2.30 am I'd had enough. There was no way I was gonna get any sleep and my tiny fear about getting blown off the top had grown so I decided that I would slowly drive back down in to Hay on Wye and park in the main carpark.
So I have a couple of questions that I hope you guys will answer

When is it too windy?
Would you have stayed up there once you'd seen the weather forecast?

Cheers
J

I felt I had unfinished business up at Gospel Pass so went back to the same spot last night. No real wind though the forecast was saying -3. Had an uneventful night but it was bitterly cold. must have still been below zero this morning though the dog did't care when he had his run.

 

[colinm]

I felt I had unfinished business up at Gospel Pass so went back to the same spot last night. No real wind though the forecast was saying -3. Had an uneventful night but it was bitterly cold. must have still been below zero this morning though the dog did't care when he had his run.

That's another reason to have the poptop closed, it should be much warmer inside.

 

[Floridaphill]

normally gusts of 50Mph are the limit pointing into the wind, after that then I go home !
too much rocking.
saying that it depends on the terrain, we had a good night in the van thought storm Desmond.

 

[Nesting Zombie]

I've recently spent a few nights in the Brecon Beacons (I highly recommend). The first spot I had chosen was Gospel Pass which is a few miles from Hay On Wye on the edge of the national park. Unlike my normal MO I had actually gone and checked it out in the daytime (I'm learning from my mistakes) and found it to be on too much of a slant but I'd passed what I would call a viewing platform type car park about half a mile down the road and so decided I would stop there instead. So I went back into town for a mooch about and returned just before dusk. When I pulled up the whole sky was black and I could see the rain falling in cone like shapes on the tops of the mountains all around me and so I knew we'd be in for a stormy night (I don't mind the rain) however I thought it pertinent to check the weather app on my phone. In the main picture I think it said showers but in the small hour by hour forecast all it had right through the night was the swirly wind symbol. I scrolled down a bit further and it said 20 mph winds. Now I'm only in my second month of motorhoming and have no idea what 20 mph winds are but they didn't sound like much so I popped the roof and put the kettle on.
Now my van is 34 years old and I'm pretty sure it wasn't designed in a wind tunnel, it's also noisy at the best of times though I've sort of got used to it and the spot we were on was pretty exposed. I wasn't too worried (tiny bit) about getting blown over the edge, I had the handbrake on tight and I'd left it in gear but the wind really began to hit us hard so much so that at about midnight I took the roof down as it was getting really noisy and the van was really rocking every time a gust hit us. By about 2.30 am I'd had enough. There was no way I was gonna get any sleep and my tiny fear about getting blown off the top had grown so I decided that I would slowly drive back down in to Hay on Wye and park in the main carpark.
So I have a couple of questions that I hope you guys will answer

When is it too windy?
Would you have stayed up there once you'd seen the weather forecast?

Cheers
J

Hey you, Hi ya,
Yes I know that area a little, Hey on why has got a massive 2nd Hand book shop, I spent a few nights at a Cpl of park ups by ‘Lord Herefords Knob’ on the Offas Dyke path, Bought fish from the fish farm just down the road from there where I stayed another night, & Even stayed at a pub carpark called ‘The Crask’ (i Think it it was called) !. Lovely part of the Boarders,,,
As far as too windy goes, Well its All about being sensible, Understanding both the Current & Forcasted Wether data & Choosing Park ups that suit. After all as a Livaboard decisions are often ‘Flexible n Fluid’ to take advantage of / or combat weather & other Local paramittors that may affect a Safe good nights sleep.
It’s just almost an unconscious thought process as you get more use to the life.
Enjoy

 

[Caz]

I see it's an Auto - Sleeper you hafe we have had a few A-S lift up roofs our current Trooper is a newer version roof to yours we have not yet found a wind we have been so unhappy to drop the roof in bad winds I try to park with the rear facing the wind to stop the front stay strap from singing. I have modified the lift up sides to seal with the roof better and cut out draughts. We use the van all year round mostly over winter on the North Yorkshire moors

Alf

I've had 3 hard sided pop top Autosleepers. Luckily being short I can still stand up with the roof down so I never put it up in winter. At other times, if very windy I put it down. Less chance of it blowing over, lower centre of gravity, as well as being warmer.