Camping in Thunderstorms?

[ridetheworld]

Greetings,

Given that overlanding takes us to places like remote mountain ranges and lonely open flood plains, miles away from shelters or indeed, weather reports, what are your experiences with camping when that Thunderstorm suddenly appears on the horizon? Is it best to just pack up, and head out, what are the risks of staying put compared to trying to drive away? Is it best to stay in your tent, camp near a high object, or out in the open? Is it anything worth worrying about? Any experiences would be great, as heading deep into the Andes and will no doubt end up in some terrifying storms...

[stephen.stallebrass]

Good question. I guess I've been lucky, I've never had to camp during truly massive thunderstorms. If I can out ride an avoid a storm I will but you have to stop at some point. I would avoid avoid flash flood areas like the plague, they can be seriously dangerous.

In the rainstorms that I have camped, when an urban structure like an abandoned building or bridge or whatever is out of the question, I have tried to find high ground and ideally with good overhead shelter from something like a cave, overhang or the canopy of a forest. Trees and woods are also good for concealment if you're wild camping. I've found that the roots of trees suck up the water and give the soil strength and structure, which makes them less susceptible to becoming boggy. Just be sure there are no trees or overhanging branches that will come crashing down upon you in a storm.

Thunderstorms tend to make dirt tracks muddy swamps, which means getting about can be difficult, so I try to pick a spot that I can get out of if I need to without too much trouble. I use a tent but I also have a poncho which is not only great to wear but makes a good groundsheet and even better shelter to get out of the rain (or sun) in order to carry out your personal admin without being couped up in your tent like a prisoner.

I always try to keep a dry set of clothes just for the tent/emergencies. There is nothing worse than not having any dry clothes. Don't be tempted to wear your only set of dry clothes the following day because you can't bear to put the wet ones back on - suck it up, you'll appreciate the dry clothes when you do stop. If you use down sleeping bags/jackets etc it's vital to keep them dry - they provide zero insulation when wet. Don't neglect your hydration, it's easy to forget or become lackadaisical in a rainstorm.

I like to let someone know when and where I camp using a SPOT tracker. I enjoy camping, even in the rain; lay back and enjoy the rain beating the retreat on you shelter. The good news is you're unlikely to be disturbed in a rainstorm.

[backofbeyond]

I've been caught out in or been camping in so many thunderstorms it frightens me to think back. And they are frightening. And dangerous. Every bit of advice I've ever read about what to do in a thunderstorm has seemed sensible until I've been in circumstances where the lightning ignored it.

Camp under trees? - lighting hit a tree about 20yds away and it just blew up like it was hit by artillery. Sounded like it as well. Luckily none of the bits hit us.

Abandon the tent and head for a real building? - lightning hit the building next door and electrified the common water pipes. I was leaning against the sink and must have jumped about six feet.

I've never been caught on open ground but I have been caught on open water (in two canoes with the rest of my family!). That was really frightening as you could see the lightning bolts come down. It took us the best part of an hour to get to somewhere safer. What do you do? What can you do?

Ride away from it? - tried that a few times but the storm often develops faster than you can go and overtakes you. Lightning hit the roadside phone lines on poles virtually above our heads in one storm in northern Spain when we were trying to ride round it and it didn't work. You're supposed to be safe enough in a car in a lightning storm - Faraday cage and all - but on a bike? You're on the outside of the conductive metalwork and covered in water.

It's not only the lightning in storms that you need to worry about, it's the volume of water that suddenly appears. I've been flooded out of tents many times but it's not usually by water coming through the top of the tent but up through the bottom. Either there's loads of run- off when it comes through as a torrent or so much soaks in that previously dry ground becomes a swamp. Having a foot of water suddenly appear isn't that unusual and if it happens at night (and you're sleeping off a great night in a bar ) it could be fatal. Don't ask me how I know.

If you're near a river the levels can rise so fast you won't believe it, particularly if the river is in a cutting or a gorge. We spent the night in an evacuation centre once when the river came up almost instantly and we had to climb up the side of the gorge at night to escape (not quite rock climbing, there was a donkey track we could follow). Three other people were not so lucky and died. When we got back to our campsite the next day there were small dead fish everywhere from where the river had flooded through it.

So, lessons to be learnt? I've no idea, particularly with lightning. Flooding, and the effect of torrents of water uprooting and bringing down trees you can probably make some sort of guess at but most of the time with me it's been a case of hoping the odds are in my favour.

[g6snl]

The wife and I were in Croatia last year and stopped at a camp site which was quite strange. It looked as if it was built on the site of bomb craters ! All the camping areas were in deep depressions surrounded by paved roads. Looked very photogenic, but my immediate thoughts turned to the practical implications. Do we pitch on the side and sleep on a slope or pitch at the bottom where it might flood, if it rains.....? The weather looked good, as did the next day so on this occasion went for the bottom. We were tired and could not arsed to go on. ( mistake )

Next morning? you guessed it. F*** me! did we have a storm!
We did manage to avoid flooding .......... just. We avoided the lightening by sitting in the shower block. We then had the problem of getting the vstrom up the slope of the bomb crater. That took a while and many strong men and much mud! We only had a bike, there were cars trucks all sorts.

What a stupid place to make a camp ground. Who came up with that idea ?!

A valuable lesson learnt. Even if the weather looks great now and tomorrow camp for the worst event ! And if it aint right move on.....

Had we been somewhere more remote it would be more disastrous, but to be fair I would not have picked a bomb crater to pitch in, no one would! would they?

[ridetheworld]

Well,

Setting up camps to avoid washouts is something where one can use common sense, i.e. don`t camp on dry river beds, or in craters

However, I was more interested in thunderstorms, i.e. the chances of being exploded in your tent by a thunderstrike, if they can be mitigated.

i.e. Is it better to camp in an abandoned roofed building or better in your tent or if getting hit is really anything to worry about, given probability?

[g6snl]

I'm sure you've done it, but just for interest I googled and found an itneresting website discussing this topic. On of the things they say is " find a low spot or depression in the ground" CHECK ! Bomb Craters !

The other interesting bit is you will know when it's about to happen ( not sure if it's better to know ? ) copied below >

"Lightning strikes are preceded by a sensation of tingling or by your hair standing on end. If you have this feeling and are in or near a thunderstorm, your body has likely sent what is called a positive streamer. If this sudden charge connects with the electrons pooling beneath the storm clouds, lightning will strike you or within a very close proximity. If you feel this sensation, immediately crouch on the balls of your feet. Head between knees. ( not sure if you kiss your ass goodbye at this point) Hold your breath as to not breathe in the superheated air that surrounds a lightning bolt."

Apparently never lay flat, which is what I would have done.

I have heard about this tingling from survivors of strikes on the news etc...

Just to make you feel better USA figures say 90% of people struck survive.

But 80% of those are not quite the same after

Oh yes ..........never stay in your tent they say too. It gets wet, is the highest point in a field and conducts like crazy due the good earthing of the wet guy lines . Scary stuff !

[brian p]

Originally Posted by backofbeyond

I've been caught out in or been camping in so many thunderstorms it frightens me to think back. And they are frightening. And dangerous. Every bit of advice I've ever read about what to do in a thunderstorm has seemed sensible until I've been in circumstances where the lightning ignored it.

Camp under trees? - lighting hit a tree about 20yds away and it just blew up like it was hit by artillery. Sounded like it as well. Luckily none of the bits hit us.

Abandon the tent and head for a real building? - lightning hit the building next door and electrified the common water pipes. I was leaning against the sink and must have jumped about six feet.

I've never been caught on open ground but I have been caught on open water (in two canoes with the rest of my family!). That was really frightening as you could see the lightning bolts come down. It took us the best part of an hour to get to somewhere safer. What do you do? What can you do?

Ride away from it? - tried that a few times but the storm often develops faster than you can go and overtakes you. Lightning hit the roadside phone lines on poles virtually above our heads in one storm in northern Spain when we were trying to ride round it and it didn't work. You're supposed to be safe enough in a car in a lightning storm - Faraday cage and all - but on a bike? You're on the outside of the conductive metalwork and covered in water.

It's not only the lightning in storms that you need to worry about, it's the volume of water that suddenly appears. I've been flooded out of tents many times but it's not usually by water coming through the top of the tent but up through the bottom. Either there's loads of run- off when it comes through as a torrent or so much soaks in that previously dry ground becomes a swamp. Having a foot of water suddenly appear isn't that unusual and if it happens at night (and you're sleeping off a great night in a bar ) it could be fatal. Don't ask me how I know.

If you're near a river the levels can rise so fast you won't believe it, particularly if the river is in a cutting So, lessons to be learnt? I've no idea, particularly with lightning. Flooding, and the effect of torrents of water uprooting and bringing down trees you can probably make some sort of guess at but most of the time with me it's been a case of hoping the odds are in my favour.

jesus H christ you need to write a book on your misfortunes,highly entertaining man,the next time you go travelling bring one of these

[zandesiro]

A thunderstorm find me late at night about 3 in the night in an open field at 1800 meters elevation,i couldn't do a lot of things...

I stay inside my tent watching my bikes shadow like a cinema from the lightnings and couldnt sleep of the thunders noise...
The tent was moving left and right hard enough..
I made a check for water leeks-none-.
So i put my earplugs in my ears and continue my sleep..

Earplugs give you a feeling of security from the heavy sounds of a thunder..

[skip]

There is nothing better than being in a nice dry tent a cupper in hand while there is a raging storm outside, thunder lighting blizzard snows at -30 sand storms hail hurricane winds I've camped in them all and have never worried. Enjoy mother nature at her best. Skip
PS A bloody good tent help (Thanks REI)

[ridetheworld]

I guess it is at least a funny way to die, somehow seems less tragic than dying in a motorcycle crash, though neither are preferable. Here's to hoping there are no storms in winter up in the andes :afraid:

[brclarke]

I've camped out in a thunderstorm in the middle of nowhere. Where are you going to go? You might as well stay warm and dry in the tent and wait it out.

[ridetheworld]

Originally Posted by brclarke

I've camped out in a thunderstorm in the middle of nowhere. Where are you going to go? You might as well stay warm and dry in the tent and wait it out.

That's my point. Most advice says return back to your car or enter a building, hardly an option in the middle of the Atacama. I suppose I'm looking for information on the best place to put your tent in event of an electrical storm and probability of risk of being hit, ie is it better to put your waterproofs on and get out of your tent or not, etc.

[photographicsafaris]

I've had a lightning strike hit somewhere very very close whilst camping in a Canvas metal framed safari Tent. No adverse effects to us or the tent, and no identifiable strike point nearby
On open ground in Shaba Kenya, a very sandy area, the only identifiable difference being there was what appeared to be a petrified area of sand that was effectively solid rock.

As there was no burn marks I assume it did not actually strike the tent. But was an unfathomably frightening experience. It was in open ground and the Tent was the highest point around amongst scrub bushes.
This was in the very lowest point of a river valley on a sealed road - Kenya

Separately I had a lightning strike the chain between two vehicles whilst I was being towed. and on yet another occasion I had a lightning strike hit so close to a moving vehicle we were bounced sideways off the road.
Zimbabwe near a massive granite outcrop.

As I figure it you are completely fine in a steel frame shell tent provided you sleep on soft ground - where you can put in a tent peg. Stay away from substantially different rock strata and taller structures.

For Graphite / Fiberglass tent poles, I guess just hope that the Lightening hits the bike and not you because it provides a far better earth through the side stand.

Oh and isolate yourself from any metal things in your pockets, small change keys etc.

[alan.ayers.336]

We where on a cross country ride with our 2 kids. (. 7&10 at the time ) and camped on Imegrent pass in Oregon .A thunderstorm rolled thru and was so close to us that the thunder and wind knocked over both bikes and ripped open our tent.The kids were FREAKED out, as were mom and dad.If at all possible I will NEVER do that again. !!.


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[Pongo]

Originally Posted by ridetheworld

Greetings,

Given that overlanding takes us to places like remote mountain ranges and lonely open flood plains, miles away from shelters or indeed, weather reports, what are your experiences with camping when that Thunderstorm suddenly appears on the horizon? Is it best to just pack up, and head out, what are the risks of staying put compared to trying to drive away? Is it best to stay in your tent, camp near a high object, or out in the open? Is it anything worth worrying about? Any experiences would be great, as heading deep into the Andes and will no doubt end up in some terrifying storms...

If you have a conventional type tent, try and get hold of some ``equivolt`` lightning protection material and make an extra fly sheet. Google ``portable ligtning conductors`` and look at the equivolt video. Interesting technology