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Quote: Originally posted by Sceptical Camper on 09/9/2010

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Quote ...gusts of more than 40MPH could be considered as strong

I think that is an understatement.

On the Beaufort scale, a steady 40mph wind is Force 8 (described as gale or fresh gale) and the signs are whole trees (not just boughs) swaying, twigs breaking off, cars veering on roads, and difficulty walking.

Here is the UK Met Office guide to the Beaufort scale and here's another one from the Australian met office. I'm sure a bit of Googling will produce more info.

In my experience, there's potentially more threat to any tent if the wind is gusty (rather than steady) and if it changes direction a lot.

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Well thank you everybody, but as the maximum gusts expected are 14mph I am not going to worry to much this weekend.

Thanks everyone

Jo

When I camped in C&CC's Salisbury site in Jul 10, there was a severe weather warning for strong winds.

I did not sleep a blink the first night. The second night was even worse with heavy rain. The wind was so strong the tent was swaying from side to side! I do not believe pitching it another way would have made any difference!

The dog got really scared and kept wanting to be cuddled and assured.

In the end, I said sod it, and we both went to sleep in the car instead!

We could have gone home as the site was only 45min drive away, however, I did not want to be defeated by the weather, and the car looked solid, warm and cosy.

And we had a really good night's sleep!

The tent, tarp, windbreak etc. all remained standing, so I must have done a good job pegging them down. The only thing that got blown over was the windbreak surround on my concertina kitchen.

I would sleep in the car again in future with the dog in really bad weather without any hesitation. 

My colleagues and friends thought I was bonkers to sleep in the car instead of going home. Who cares?!

DK

Quote: Originally posted by force ten on 09/9/2010

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I thing we should invent a rotating platform with a weather vane type thing on top of the tent and as the wind changes then the tent will automatically turn to remain bum to the wind  

 

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Don't let Mr F get ideas. He's already mentally planned a footprint of folding plywood, with wedges, so we can have a level tent whatever the pitch is doing. He'd very easily stick some sort of turntable under it so you can change your orientation with every gust.

He was bad enough when we took windbreaks, constantly tweaking and readjusting them.

Quote: Originally posted by CatieB on 09/9/2010

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P.S how do you take a tent down in bad wind.. we stood there thinking whatever we do this tent is going to take off or damage itself before we can get it all out of the ground and down. In the end we had to jump on it despite the wet and mud (terrible weather) and go home soaked!

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When we took our dome tent down in very strong winds, we left the corner guys and the ones that held it to the ground in while we took the poles out. Then we put anything heavy we could find on it, scrunched it up any old how and slung it in the car, and packed it up properly back at home.

Quote: Originally posted by dk168 on 09/9/2010

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The tent, tarp, windbreak etc. all remained standing, so I must have done a good job pegging them down. The only thing that got blown over was the windbreak surround on my concertina kitchen.

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I have to say here that if the wind was strong enough that you were sleeping in the car then all your loose gear should have been in the car with you, or at least inside the tent. Windbreaks, gazebos,chairs, tables etc can turn into missiles in strong winds and go into other folk's tents. It doesn't bear thinking about what might happen if windbreak poles go through a tent wall into a sleeping pod when there are folk inside.

Canopies are not quite as dangerous to other campers but should still come down in windy weather. The wind will get under the canopy and lift it up and even with Deltas the canopy can break free. If the canopy zips onto your tent it can rip the front of your tent up while doing this and even  if it doesn't actually attach directly it can thrash around against the main tent and cause a lot of damage. Take it down.

In fact it's the old saying of "batten down the hatches" that comes to mind in windy weather. Take a few precautions and you'll be fine most of the time though.

Oh, and for taking down a tent? If the tent has actually collapsed in the wind and is lying on the ground thrashing itself to bits, park the car on the windward edge! You can't damage the tent that much more after all and loose tents are dangerous. Be very careful while striking a tent in strong winds ..tents can and do drag people along the ground in their folds and there can be steep slopes and barbed wire fences on campsites. NEVER let small kids near the tent in this sort of situation and be extremely cautious yourself. It's only a tent after all and it can be replaced.

Val,

I was confident that the gear would stay up. I was happy to stay in the tent, however, I only went to sleep in the car because the dog was unhappy.

DK

I managed 54mph winds in hurricane Bill on Shell island last year in my Cabanon, the tent billowed from side to side all night, and a really massive gust managed to knock over the camp kitchen and lit gas stove, however, we managed to live to tell the tale ( taking close friends on their 1st camping trippy!!) I love that tent, rock solid!!

This year we did shell island in our new tent, (Columbia 600) and on the last night I spent the small wee hours in the car with my dog as the wind was whipping about us so much I couldn't sleep, 1st time I have ever given in and slept in the car, had a fantastic crick in my neck in the morning! but at least the furry friend was happy and settled down when he realised we weren't actually going on a journey!! LOL

Delta pegs are fab for keeping you tethered, but still don't solve the problem of the whip/crack of tent sides in really high winds!!

Quote: Originally posted by melandted68 on 11/9/2010

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I managed 54mph winds in hurricane Bill on Shell island last year in my Cabanon, the tent billowed from side to side all night, and a really massive gust managed to knock over the camp kitchen and lit gas stove,

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I do hope you don't mean you were using a lit gas stove inside a tent that was being battered around by high winds???????? Because that's real Darwin Award territory if so.

(I really cannot belive that you did this...tell me I'm reading it wrong. Please?)