# Advices/experience in hail/lighting storms?



## Turbo E (Mar 19, 2018)

Obviously theres the given, stay low, get in a ditch etc.

But lets say Im out in a storm at night, should i stay under my tarp or should i haul my ass out in the rain and find some ditch to jump in? (no stupid questions lol)

I'm just looking for info that might save my life in these situations, I don't want to die from something I easily could have prevented.

Anyone know how to fight tornadoes?


----------



## Jerrell (Mar 20, 2018)

Ditches are for tornadoes. They don't stop hail. 

Good question though. I've wondered what people without a roof do in bad weather my entire life.


----------



## Deleted member 125 (Mar 20, 2018)

Diopher said:


> Obviously theres the given, stay low, get in a ditch etc.
> 
> But lets say Im out in a storm at night, should i stay under my tarp or should i haul my ass out in the rain and find some ditch to jump in? (no stupid questions lol)
> 
> ...



so uh...yea theres really no fighting a tornado. a tarp/tent/lean to/any kind of make shift shelter is not going protect you from a tornado. 

a tornado and a storm at night arnt even in the same league, during a regular thunderstorm a proper tarp set up you will be fine. you might get a bit wet depending on yer tarp/how you set it up, but you wont die.


----------



## Coywolf (Mar 20, 2018)

For tornados, either a very narrow, deep ditch, a freeway underpass/overpass, or Indoors.

For lightning, I've spent many a terrifying thunderstorm outdoors. Just lay low.

In my experience it's safer to be in a GROVE of trees. Not only like, three, than to be out in the open.

If your zippers start ringing, GTFO at all costs. Or into lightning position. (Crouch)


----------



## Turbo E (Mar 20, 2018)

I appreciate the advice everyone!

Love this damn website


----------



## TheWindAndRain (Mar 20, 2018)

Not enough campers consider lightning like you, despite it being probably the biggest hazards for people who live outside in southern areas. You want to be in an area without super tall trees while not in an open field nor on the edge of a treeline. Low lying shrubby areas or clearings in woods are good choices. I hesitate to recommend camping under bridges but they can be safe havens in storms.


----------



## Dameon (Mar 20, 2018)

Diopher said:


> Obviously theres the given, stay low, get in a ditch etc.
> 
> But lets say Im out in a storm at night, should i stay under my tarp or should i haul my ass out in the rain and find some ditch to jump in? (no stupid questions lol)
> 
> ...


If there's a bunch of rain, a ditch is a horrible place to be. Under a bridge can be good shelter from tornadoes, but be aware that even if you're well above the water line, a jam upstream could get washed out leading to a flood where you're at, so only use them if you have a ton of room between the waterline and where the bridge starts, and a lot of visibility upstream. In fact, a ditch or a wash is the absolute worst place to ever, ever camp or be in. Flash floods can show up to kill you even when the sky is totally clear where you're at. All it takes is a good rain upstream, a bit of blockage, and even a relatively small amount of water turns into a wave of death.

If there's no bridge, and no kind of storm shelter nearby, you might have to do a "best of the worst" choice. You don't want to be under trees in any kind of winds, because a heavy branch could get knocked off, land on your skull, and break your neck. Widow-makers are a real danger. If there's lightning, though, you stand a good chance of being struck if you get out in the open and there's nothing taller than you to make a more attractive conductor.

A lot can depend on how much information you have ahead of time, too. If tornadoes are predicted, clearing out of the area is the best option, if there's time to be sure you don't just get yourself in a worse spot. If you're in a town/city, seeking a storm shelter can be a good idea, so talk to the local law enforcement (pretty much the only time you'll hear me say that). If you're camping, try to find a hill or something with a side that you can take shelter against (keeping mudslides in mind), ideally getting some shelter from flying debris. There's no good excuse not to keep an eye on the weather in your area/intended destinations these days, and the kinds of weather patterns that form storms and tornadoes are usually predicted days ahead. Be informed, be safe.


----------



## creature (Mar 20, 2018)

super good advice, all above..
look at what is coming down..

look at the clouds & how close you are to them..

tornadoes come out of shit that looks like an upside down pot of boiling fucking grey water..

look for culverts..

not bridges, per se, but where water will drag your ass away, if hail & rain come down like hell..

just keep your eyes peeled for them.. a place to hide, a place to get away from wind, a place to shelter in, perhaps discreetly..

typically more common than bridges or overpasses..

as above, by @Dameon , but using 'culvert', instead of 'bridge':


Dameon said:


> so only use them if you have a ton of room between the waterline and where the bridge starts,



a culvert is a hella lot smaller, but tornadoes can form in 20 minutes or less..

if there are no houses or people or suitable buildings.. concrete block, steel frame, cellars, etc., see if there are culverrts...
concrete box culverts or 36 inch correlated metal pipes you can scramble towards, if the funnel is fucking coming at you..
never ever had to do it...
had to hide in a concrete box culvert, though..

__________________
___ / \ ___/ \___

one or two.. just keep your eyes peeled...

.


----------



## creature (Mar 21, 2018)

BTW, whenever you crawl into any drainage or transportation structure, check for whatever may be living there..
snakes, ants, spiders, racoons, rats, scorpions, dogs, feral cats, wildebeests, etc.


----------



## thedrty (Mar 21, 2018)

Jerrell said:


> Ditches are for tornadoes. They don't stop hail.
> 
> Good question though. I've wondered what people without a roof do in bad weather my entire life.


Ye..same


----------



## Turbo E (Mar 21, 2018)

Appreciate the info people, I certainly will work to always be in the know for the weather but just wanted the knowledge to know what to do if I get caught unawares.


----------



## creature (Mar 22, 2018)

Diopher said:


> Anyone know how to fight tornadoes?



scream at them, very loudly..

carry a long, steel pipe to attract their anger..

then, when the lightning hits?

call them all motherfuckers & hold on, since it is actually an Act
of
Communion...


----------



## DoctorZ (Nov 1, 2018)

Turbo E said:


> Obviously theres the given, stay low, get in a ditch etc.
> 
> But lets say Im out in a storm at night, should i stay under my tarp or should i haul my ass out in the rain and find some ditch to jump in? (no stupid questions lol)
> 
> ...



Sorry I wasn't yet a member when you posted this. As a Storm Chaser, we are often caught out in the open during severe weather; however, being caught out on foot is really tough.

*Lightning: * Don't be the tallest thing around. Find cover. If you can't find cover; Get wet, the wetter the better, but don't stand, sit or lie in water. Why get wet? Lightning is conducted by moisture and will tend to travel along the wettest part of anything it strikes. If you are dry, and you get struck, the electricity will be conducted THROUGH you by your blood; but if you are soaking wet, the lightning will travel (hopefully) along your skin outside your body.

It is the same reason why some trees are struck by lightning and blow up; as opposed to some trees getting struck with no visible signs of damage. It all depend on the path the bolt takes. Stay away from heat sources and if in a group, spread out. Lightning is attracted by heat.

Power lines also can provide some protection, but don't stand directly under a power pole or power tower. Standing 50 feet away is a good distance.

If you are freight hopping, a boxcar with a wooden floor is an excellent place, but a grain hopper with it's metal floor is very bad. It actually is more dangerous than standing outside, because the metal will conduct the lightning and electrocute you. Trains usually stop during very severe weather, so standing 20 or so feet away should provide some protection from lightning.

*Tornadoes:* Tornadoes form in the left rear quadrant of Supercell Thunderstorms. You can spot them during lightning flashes at night, but don't rely on this. It is also common for hail to precede a tornado, but not always, and when close, tornadoes sound like the rumble of a speeding train, or large waterfall gush.

The best shelter is reinforced concrete or steel and low ground or underground is possible. A cave deep inside would be great! If there is nothing around, lay as flat as you can with some immovable object between you and the direction the tornado is come at your from. This can be even the ditch along side a dirt road or cement divider of a highway. If you have any kind of head covering put it on, and turn your head away from the approaching funnel.

If you are on a freight train, the Locomotive is the best place crouched in the bathroom. Pad yourself, because a strong tornado can tip over a locomotive. Do NOT stay in a railcar! Even a 100-ton fully loaded one is no match for a tornado. If you are directly in the tornado's path (You can tell this by the funnel appearing to grow in size but not moving) you could lay between the rails closest to the rail facing the tornado. This of course, assumes the train has stopped during the storm. Be aware that the wheels are NOT attached to the train car, so if it does tip, those wheels could roll off and crush you.

Make sure your backpack is OFF.

If you do have to lay down out in the open to avoid a tornado, make sure you lay down upwind of any heavy objects that could roll on top of you. This could be a stopped car, large boulder, or even wooden structure nearby.

I think that about covers it.


----------



## Coywolf (Jan 15, 2019)

creature said:


> scream at them, very loudly..
> 
> carry a long, steel pipe to attract their anger..
> 
> ...



That shit is fukin' funny right der!!


----------

