As an RV driver, whether you’re driving a motorhome or towing a trailer, winds, especially high winds, can be very scary. Sometimes driving in high winds can even force you to pull off the road.
Have you ever been driving and had to pull off the road because of high winds? If so, can you leave a comment and tell us about it?
Also, if you haven’t read this article by Nanci Dixon, please do. In it, she tells you the best wind apps that all RVers should know about and have downloaded on their phone—just in case! Better safe than sorry! Additionally, here’s some wind-driving advice from truckers. This may come in handy.
Yes, 1 time, on the way to the 2012 Sturgis bike rally, we were driving through West Virginia on I 64 west when the wind just picked up as we rounded a curve in the mountains and it blew us over onto to just the left side tires, just knew we were going over as the curve was to the right and i was in the left lane but there was just enough space to turn left enough to get the coach back on all wheels before I had to turn back right again to stay out of the median guardrail. That was the only time I was that scared driving. We slowed way down, found an exit and pulled into a gas station to wait out the wind. While there we were told an 18 wheeler had been blown over.
Wow! Very scary, all right! Glad you stayed upright. Have a good night, Mike. 😀 –Diane at RVtravel.com
Thanks! You too.
It was, I just knew it was going over.
Thanks, Mike. 😀 –Diane at RVtravel.com
Was going to Kentucky 7 years ago in an old class C, friends of ours were in front in a class A, winds were so strong it flipped my wiper arms over. Blew roof vents off of their camper and nobody could stay in fast lane. Wind pushed us all over 1 lane. Local rv dealer had several pop ups blow into other campers on the lot. We would have been in a more dangerous situation had we pulled over.
I have a Rockwood A-Frame so driving in the wind is not an issue but one night while staying in a Cracker Barrel parking lot in Virginia, it got so windy that we lowered the sides and roof and slept in travel mode. It was tight but it worked.
No but we’ve slowed down considerably or delayed leaving on occasion.
Same here.
Westbound on I-40 in Oklahoma. Doing about 65 into a 40+ mph headwind, pulling our 5th wheel toy hauler. The 105+ mph wind ripped about half of the corrugated belly cover right out from under the trailer. I had this huge piece of black plastic flapping out from under the rig, and you can bet I pulled over. Narrow shoulder, no breakdown lane, and 75 mph tractor-trailers whizzing by right next to me made the work of cutting the stuff free and stuffing it into the trailer rather exciting. I had the wife 100 yards back down the road trying to get the TTs into the passing lane, with minimal success.
Me and a big butcher knife had the belly surgically removed in a few minutes, and we hauled it down the road to the nearest dumpster. Not an experience I will soon forget!
Driving through Utah last year, the wind was really bad. Cross winds in the 60 to 75 mph range. Saw a travel trailer, semi and box truck on it’s side and decided we did enough driving for one day!
Never in a RV, but when I first started driving 18 wheelers I had picked up a load of empty Coors beer cans in CO headed to Memphis, TN the trailer and it’s contents weighed less than 32,000 lbs. driving east with a 40mph north wind my trailer was off tracking about 3’. In other words the tractor was in the lane and the trailer was running half in the lane and half on the shoulder, I had to move into the passing lane every time I came to a bridge to keep the trailer from sideswiping the bridge. The first truck stop I came to I pulled in and waited until later that night when the wind died down to continue the trip. That was a weird feeling looking in the right side mirror and seeing nothing but trailer sidewall. My speed had also decreased to 45 mph. Lol
Returning from TX driving across LA on I 10 the south wind caught in the awning and started ripping the fabric enough to billow out the awning breaking the forward support bracket causing the awning to rip halfway off. I limped it the next exit where I was able to remove what was left and put it in a dumpster.
Yes I have pulled over maybe 3-4 times due to strong winds. Looking back there was probably another 3-4 times when I didn’t but should have. Stupid is as stupid does.
No, but haven’t been in that windy of a situation. That said once we did have to slow way down for a couple hours. I would not hesitate to stop if it was that windy.
I have watched enough video’s to find a nice peaceful spot and wait it out.
On I 55 in Mississippi coming from a wonderful week in New Orleans. My wife was driving with a 38 ft fiver in tow. Wind and driving rain came up suddenly so naturally she slowed down. Rain was so bad we could not see the front of the truck! Limbs of trees started blowing across the hood. She turned on hazards and we slowly eased over to the shoulder. Wife stayed calm, we communicated well so we safely left the road. This lasted over 30 minutes and there were times I thought the fiver was going to be blown over.
I had a similar incident like Wayne, but didn’t have limbs of trees blowing. Driving south down Interstate 81 coming from 4 Mile Creek State Park NY. I hit a sudden downburst of torrential rain with high winds. Road seemed like I was driving thru a creek with My 34’ Jayflight 29RKS. Couldn’t see much past the hood. Travel trailer seemed to be rocking back and forth. Had to have wife put on emergency flashers while I held onto steering wheel. Bad thing, I couldn’t pull over because due to a guard rail there wasn’t enough room to pull off the road and be safe. Thought I drove into a hurricane, but I believe they call it a downburst.
Nope! There is a short stretch on I-75 in Michigan’s Upper Peninsula where the winds blow you all over the road. After one adventurous trek to a UP campground we got a Hensley hitch! What a difference that makes!
Pulled off the highway due to flash floods, high winds, snow storms, car crashes, train wrecks, police chases and occasionally for a cathouse I hadn’t visited yet.
😆 And what did your wife think of that, Paul? Have a great day. 😀 –Diane at RVtravel.com
Maybe she likes cats too.
😆 And then there’s our writer, Karel Carnohan, DVM, who has 10 or 11 cats that she rescued so they wouldn’t be put down. So, I guess she actually lives in a cat house, eh? Have a great day, Chuck! 😀 –Diane at RVtravel.com
Crossing the Throggs Neck Bridge in 2015 as a hurricane approached I slowed to the recommended 20 mph and was glad I did. It was somewhat tense. Once off the bridge and heading west things got a lot better.
Fortunately we have not run into winds strong enough to pull over. We do watch the weather and what the ‘big guys’ are doing if winds are picking up
We live in NM and do much of our travel these days in the 4Corners States. Wind is common. I started out for Tucson one spring, and hit head winds just south of ABQ. By the time I’d refueled an extra time or two, and then turned west on I-10, I was exhausted, and stopped in Lordsburg. Good thing, they closed I-10 west of there about that time, due to no visibility in dust storms.
I do not like the wind.
No but I’ve pulled over because it was raining I couldn’t see the hood of the truck. And once in NM because of the tumbleweeds that came across the highway stuck under truck and trailer.
I check before I ever leave if there will be high winds.
Part of pre-planning for a trip or the travel day, is checking weather. High winds are unsafe and make a trip exhausting.
Yes, in WY, NE, NM, and TX. One March trip, we spent two days at a NM state park waiting for 50 mph wind to die down so we could get back to Denver.
We shut down one time in Deming, NM because of the wind.
Interesting that the majority have never shut down in a wind storm. In a two-year period I witnessed 3 RV’s that wrecked due to high winds and speeding past the herd. These occurred in MO, NE, and Canada.
I think most of us who said no…. did so because we stay in tune with the local weather reports and if high winds are predicted, we stay put until the weather is suitable for travel.
Some of us do not travel very frequently in high wind areas which may account for the majority of folks saying they have not had to stop. I know that is the case for me.
I guess I’ve just been lucky not to get into really high winds. When the winds are up I just normally slow down so that the winds don’t push me around as much. But then again I don’t normally tow my 5th wheel all that fast anyway so it isn’t an issue.
A couple of times going north in Nevada on US95. First time was 1st experience in Chevy chassis class c with stabilitrak. No experience with either of those and scared me pretty bad, and I was going pretty slow. Luckily I was just south of Searchlight and was able to hold there for several hours till it calmed a bit. Report was 50mph gusts. Second time was same area, same solution. Unfortunately, that area is pretty sketchy on getting a good forecast. Actual reports just a little late!
We did in Kansas and also Wyoming, normally we try to leave early or stay put if the winds are forecast to be high.
We have not had to pull over in our RV due to high winds, but we have spent a few extra days in the RV park because we knew the high winds would be coming during our journey.
If you’ve driven through SD or WY, you most likely have.
A nearly 80mph gust brought our Class A up on two (three) wheels in Wyoming about eight years ago. We were lucky, as I-80 was littered with flipped semi trailers and more than a few travel trailers after that one.
On a trip to Glacier NP last summer we ran into some pretty stiff winds west of Devil’s Tower WY. A squall was moving through the area accompanied by ~50-60 mph winds. Instead of trying to get ahead of the weather we chose to stay behind it and pulled over at a wayside on I90 where we could point into the wind. Waited about 40 minutes for the squall to pass through watching a guy in a Class B on the east bound side wrangle with his awning compartment that was hanging by a thread. Back on the road, not 5 minutes ahead of where we parked, a tractor-trailer was on its side with the driver climbing up out of the driver side door of the cab. That could have been us if we hadn’t stopped. Funny thing, my husband had a dream the night before that we were blown over on our side on the interstate…sometimes it’s good to take those dreams to heart!
No, but I have slowed down in strong cross winds. And I’ve (safely) passed several bumper pulls with my truck/5th wheel in strong winds following for miles watching the drivers slowing down to less than 30 mph and being pushed all over the road. We went from a 1/2 ton pick up & bumper pull for camping to a 1 ton dually & 5th wheel for living in 8 months each year. What a huge difference. There should be laws restricting bumper pulls to only towing below a specific safe wind speed. And don’t get me started on those fools who run with the rest of the 75-80 mph vehicle traffic. I see them all the time, living right on the edge of disaster. They can’t figure out why they have so many trailer tire blowouts.
Not yet but I’m sure the day is coming. I will get off the road and find a safe place to park until the winds subside.
I have never had to pull off just for wind. We have left early from Santa Fe to go south due to a prediction of strong winds out of the mountains.
I’ve not pulled off for wind but after pulling off my arms and hands were in pain from hanging on to that steering wheel . Wish there would have been a place to pull off earlier. I could hardly hold my fork to eat supper.
We had a memorable trip from Flagstaff, AZ to Page a couple of years ago. 45 MPH with 75 MPH gusts, mostly tail winds. It sounded like the ACs and awning were being ripped off the coach. We were on our way to Kanab, UT but were worn out holding the road just getting to Page, and didn’t fancy those winds hitting us broadside. Stopped at Walmart with lots of other RVs, some of which had wind damage. BTW, we are used to the winds of the Columbia River gorge. They don’t faze us.
Yes, 50 mph winds coupled with 80 mph gust on the backside of Hiway 395 near lone pine. Stayed one day too late in Lone Pine, gorgeous non windy day. Woke up to winds you could barely stand in. After waiting it out half a day decided to try to make it to Carson City. Pulled over after an hour and waited it out…. white knuckles for sure. Made it to Carson City on St. Patrick’s Day and this started what we refer to as a shot and a beer day henceforth….if the day is hellacious it’s time for a shot and a beer….. Never again in that kind of wind…..
Haven’t encountered that situation yet.
2 times. once the trailer tire lifted off the road. 10 years later our canopy broke loose. had to stop and finish taking it off. was it a mess.
Wife and I were driving back from a visit with family early Am one day many years back and the wind was at least 60 mph. It was a side wind and we were not sure we were not going to have to pullover to wait it out, but had a time crunch to beat. Luckily a good distance the wind turned more to a headwind. As we drove I had to floor the gas pedal getting 5 mph and not going all that fast. About 55 mph at best due to strong headwinds. Finally made it home with no real issues. I credit our success to our equalizer hitch. Without it I’m sure the wind would have caused havoc, causing us to pullover and wait it out.
We haven’t had to pull over because of high winds but would if needed. We use an App called Drive weather. It shows wind speeds and weather along a route. This app helped us avoid a snowy situation last April. We extended our stay by a day. Later we learned the highway we were going to be on was closed because of snow and ice.
We had to pull off the highway in Nebraska, years ago. The wind was so strong, it lifted a huge semi’s wheels off the ground, in front of us. We found an RV park but, it was a scary night, with the RV rocking all night.
Yes a few times because it causes fatigue, fuel economy goes in the tank, and it can be dangerous. But usually stop at an RV park or a suitable place to park usually over night
I have pulled over because of my travel trailer hydroplaning. Mostly I will slow down when there are cross winds but not so much for head or tail wind.
Pulled over once because high winds were causing the bedroom slideout topper fabric to unroll while going down highway. Had to park & manually unroll fabric, then manually re-roll the fabric. It caused a tear in the fabric which we repaired with gorilla tape. Finished our trip & then had the topper fabric replaced when we got back home.
The very best thing besides pulling off the road to do is ….. SLOW DOWN!!! As a former long haul trucker and current full-timer with a fifth wheel is slow down, find a wind block such as a bridge or bank of trees and get off the road!
Safety first and foremost… You are dangerous to all other drivers in that situation.
Yes, several. New Mexico. It was exhausting trying to drive so stopped early at an RV park for 3 days as the winds stayed crazy. Even driving around in MINI Cooper was difficult. Wyoming, awning unfurled. In the middle of no where, but we had stopped just before an exit that turned out to have an RV Park. Texas, yesterday. Spent Monday night and woke up to rain, wind. Checked the weather winds where we were and where we were going 25 to 45, gusts 45 to 55. Lots of rain (got 6 inches where we were staying) plus where we were going had severe thunderstorms & tornado warnings. The weather was worse the direction we were traveling. Stayed an extra day. We would have had to pull off had we tried to make a run for it. Lucky had the tools to make adjustments. Today….all is well. Had to change a few reservations. No problem.
once in southern Saskatchewan during a rainstorm, unfurled the awning but no damage, and once in southern Alberta during a severe hailstorm. Pulled into someone’s yard and got behind his windbreak. wind hit 70 mph