Preparing for Hail Storm in RV

**CWSWine** · 04-21-2019, 08:52 AM

A few days ago we were in Waco Texas and the RV park management made rounds warning us of golf ball size hail with high winds and thunder storms. We check the watch boxes and the covered from almost from the gulf up to Kansas and coming from the west so not much chance to out run it. We didn't want to get caught on the road in high winds and hail so we decided to ride out where we were at. There was a 4 to 6-hour window so find cover in a gas station, a car wash or underpass was out the question. We made sure the RV point west to protect most of the windows. Pull all the slides in during the storm.

All we had with us is couple rolls of Gorilla tape, two buckets, moving blanket, and two 9 X 12 tarps. We put the moving blanket on the windshield or our vehicle hoping it prevents breakage of our windshield. Other than that there much you do to protect a 40 foot RV from golf ball size hail traveling at 100 MPH. All I could do is use the tarps to cover holes or broken windows to prevent more water damage. I would probably lose my three ceiling fan covers and the skylight over the shower and who knows what the roof would withstand.

The hail went north of us so we made the right decision. We are going to add a couple of tarps and Gorilla tape to our collection. How could you be better prepared for and what else could someone carry with them?

**D2Reid** · 04-21-2019, 08:32 PM

You did good.

Growing up in Kansas and Nebraska hail was always devastating, mostly because of the destroyed crops. They and tornadoes kind of cover the same thing. You can't prevent them, you can only react to them. In my experience only about 2% of a warning area actually has damage. Yes, it is devastating when it happens, but the reality is it usually doesn't.

So I carry nothing extra for prevention. My philosophy on the subject is to get persons and pets to a shelter, then let insurance companies take care of the rest. It is definitely a hard time. And it is survivable except in the very rare extreme situation.

**jkwilson** · 04-21-2019, 09:17 PM

Large hail means life threatening winds. Forget the RV and find a safe place for the only thing insurance won’t replace.

**el Rojo** · 04-22-2019, 06:33 AM

Yep get in a safe spot and let the insurance company handle the material stuff. Other than that you did a good job with positioning.

**AustexGP** · 04-22-2019, 07:07 AM

You did a good job of protecting the RV. We were in Austin and our neighborhood looked like a patchwork quilt. Most of the cars had tarps, blankets, air mattress (never thought of that one) tied to the cars. We were lucky that it bypassed us and all we got was rain. As stated take care of yourself and all loved ones and let the insurance take care of the other stuff. We stayed in Corpus Christi during a hurricane in 1970, a big tree fell thru the living room we spent the rest of the storm being battered by high winds and rain. We couldn't leave the house until the storm moved out. I'll never do that again, I'd much rather watch the storm from Austin, San Antonio or Waco rather than risk my family again. Rv's, boats, jet ski and cars can be replaced, your family can't. If you can leave the area if you can't find a safe space to ride out the storm. There was a video on YouTube showing a trailer storage area during that same storm, you can see the flat line winds take a trailer and blow it across the trailer lot. Very little left of that one or the ones it hit, luckily it was at a storage lot if it would have been in a rv park with people there probably would have been several sever injuries.

**Steven@147** · 04-22-2019, 09:05 AM

Originally Posted by AustexGP

You did a good job of protecting the RV. We were in Austin and our neighborhood looked like a patchwork quilt. Most of the cars had tarps, blankets, air mattress (never thought of that one) tied to the cars. We were lucky that it bypassed us and all we got was rain. As stated take care of yourself and all loved ones and let the insurance take care of the other stuff. We stayed in Corpus Christi during a hurricane in 1970, a big tree fell thru the living room we spent the rest of the storm being battered by high winds and rain. We couldn't leave the house until the storm moved out. I'll never do that again, I'd much rather watch the storm from Austin, San Antonio or Waco rather than risk my family again. Rv's, boats, jet ski and cars can be replaced, your family can't. If you can leave the area if you can't find a safe space to ride out the storm. There was a video on YouTube showing a trailer storage area during that same storm, you can see the flat line winds take a trailer and blow it across the trailer lot. Very little left of that one or the ones it hit, luckily it was at a storage lot if it would have been in a rv park with people there probably would have been several sever injuries.

Yup that was the same storm that came through the Austin area later. We store the RV at our home, its kind of hard to hide a 38 ft trailer. The wife asked if we could do something to protect the windows, we don't have enough padded whatever to protect the wind facing windows. It wouldn't have really mattered, the rest of the RV would have beat to a pulp so the result would be the same. If its possible to positioning the RV so the wind hits the nose is a good idea but its not always possible and with swirling winds may not matter. I told the wife with the RV at home, it would be the same risk if we were at a camp ground or outside storage facility some place.

In short you do what you can and hope it misses you, deal with the after the storm damage later when its safe. In any case wait out the storm in a more safe place like inside a camp ground office or a more reinforced structure. Worst case like at a camp ground with very little reinforced structures, I would think your tow vehicle would be a better place to be than inside an RV.

Well in case of a hurricane, you know its coming and the general area where it will hit, just get out of dodge! Do it early before the roads become jammed with traffic and fuel becomes limited or carry extra fuel with you. At least that is our escape and evasion plan.

Looks like we are in for it again later this week.