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Posted by Bill S on October 8, 2006 at 8:18:35 pm EDT
In reply to Re: Thunderstorms posted by ministercreek on October 8, 2006 at 1:51:16 pm EDT

Ah, yes, you have a bunch of the tornado magnets and tornado generators in the Midwest, as Dorothy found out. My son (an atmospheric scientist by trade, specializing in severe weather) is a researcher at UW Madison.

The VE25 will survive 70 knot winds, if properly pitched, although windwalls help. On the other hand, at the Denali 17,000 foot camp, there was a VE25 that was lifted out of its windwall enclosure at what the NPS wind meter at the camp measured at about 70 knots. Proving that there are right ways and wrong ways to pitch even a top-level expedition tent and right ways and wrong ways to pitch one. There were several tents shredded in that particular storm (we were nice and cozy at 14,000 feet during those 3 days, with "only" 50 knot "breezes").

I have been carrying a pocket wind meter for most of my backcountry and expedition treks for several years now. I was curious how strong those "hunnert mile an hour" winds were that people kept telling me about. Turns out that most of the ones people were calling that while I was present with the various meters were more like 30-40 knots (35-45 mph). At those speeds, it starts getting hard to move around. By 75 mph, it is hard to stand, and if it were really 100 mph, people are getting blown off their feet.

Several reasons I would not suggest trying to ride out a hurricane in a tent - main one is storm surges and flooding (tent won't keep that kind of water out). Another is the flying debris (tents won't keep flying branches or, in urban areas, flying pieces of roofs and walls). The wind per se is one of the least of your worries. Highest wind I have measured when staying in an exposed tent (on a mountain ridge) was a bit above 50 knots, and there were stronger gusts I did not measure. The flapping and general noise was great enough that it was uncomfortable, to say the least. That was in a Mountain Hardware Trango. I have had similar experiences in a VE25, but not with a direct measure of the wind.

Replies

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• Re: Thunderstorms - ministercreek 00:29:05 10/09/2006
  • Re: Thunderstorms - Ed G 03:29:40 10/09/2006
    • Re: Thunderstorms - ministercreek 18:04:02 10/09/2006
      • Re: Thunderstorms - Bill S 19:13:05 10/09/2006
        • Re: hurricanes.................... - ministercreek 21:25:55 10/09/2006
          • Re: hurricanes.................... - adam g 10:38:38 10/10/2006
            • Re: hurricanes.................... - ministercreek 14:59:56 10/10/2006
              • Re: hurricanes.................... - Bill S 18:40:13 10/10/2006
                • Re: hurricanes.................... - ministercreek 20:02:13 10/10/2006
              • Re: hurricanes.................... - Dave 15:20:04 10/10/2006
            • Re: hurricanes.................... - ministercreek 14:47:51 10/10/2006
              • Re: hurricanes.................... - adam g 17:31:15 10/10/2006
          • Re: hurricanes.................... - Ed G 03:42:51 10/10/2006
            • Re: hurricanes.................... - Blackbeard 05:16:12 10/10/2006

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