Severe weather - campground evacuated

[moose074]

First time in new 5er drove hour or so from dealer in a San Angelo Tx to Colorado Lake state park truck said it was 108 outside when we drove in found a spot just unhooked and plugged in sky got dark wind burst caught the 5th I was standing under the cap trying to get it to auto level and the wind hit the trl hard enough the landing gear began to dance ever so slightly grabbed the daughter and headed to town I wasn’t going to stand by and watch the trl get torn up when we got in truck to go less than 15 minutes after we arrived temp outside dropped to 78 a few places got hail but it missed us and the trl new or not wasn’t going to leave my daughter now if alone I probably would’ve stayed

[paulmac]

Originally Posted by Steveo66

Paul,
I saw the title of your post and read it due to this happening on Tuesday at the campground where I have my seasonal site. Turns out we are probably writing about the same campground in Saugerties. I was not there this week, so I don't know what damage was incurred, but I haven't heard any reports of any damage. I be there up on Tuesday, this weekend's rain changed my plans. I believe that they evacuate to the recreational hall up front if you do not leave the campground but am not sure. Two years ago they had announced an evacuation on a weekend that we were camping and we left before the storm hit and headed down to the Hudson Valley Mall to walk around until the storm passed. The owners do care about its guests safety and well being which is why they evacuate.
Hopefully the campground and everyone's sites are OK. I know over the last two years a lot of trees have fallen and the Hemlocks are being devastated by the beetles (not The Beatles, John, Paul ,George and Ringo).
A story I read in the newspaper the other day was disturbing that the Kingston School District refused to dismiss children on the afternoon of the storm until it passed as it was occurring around 230pm and parents told their children to disregard and leave the school anyway.

Steve

Steve, I was talking about Rip VanWinkle campground. They were lucky had no damage. The tornado touched down a couple of miles from the campground and headed east through town and crossed the Hudson River. Some damaged trees still evident on route 212. We were at the campground last week and I spoke to Brian and Eric about it. They did not "evacuate" the campground. Not being a holiday week, the campground was not over crowded. They had the residents come up to the office building and wait it out.

Regarding the school? I actually think that was a good move rather than have people on the roads in buses and increasing the risk if trees and wires came down. Better they stay in very solid buildings until things calm down than hit the streets and face high winds, possible damaging hail. No matter which way the school system reacted I am sure some would complain.

The campground should thin some of the trees out. They have a mint in lumber there and thinning the high growth will help promote lower growth. They could bring in a company that would pay them for the wood and make a fortune. Plus they could remove the damaged\infected and dead trees. They don't have to clear cut, just thin it out a little.

[Steveo66]

Originally Posted by paulmac

Steve, I was talking about Rip VanWinkle campground. They were lucky had no damage. The tornado touched down a couple of miles from the campground and headed east through town and crossed the Hudson River. Some damaged trees still evident on route 212. We were at the campground last week and I spoke to Brian and Eric about it. They did not "evacuate" the campground. Not being a holiday week, the campground was not over crowded. They had the residents come up to the office building and wait it out.

Regarding the school? I actually think that was a good move rather than have people on the roads in buses and increasing the risk if trees and wires came down. Better they stay in very solid buildings until things calm down than hit the streets and face high winds, possible damaging hail. No matter which way the school system reacted I am sure some would complain.

The campground should thin some of the trees out. They have a mint in lumber there and thinning the high growth will help promote lower growth. They could bring in a company that would pay them for the wood and make a fortune. Plus they could remove the damaged\infected and dead trees. They don't have to clear cut, just thin it out a little.

Paul,
Yes we are at the same campground, I am at Rip's also. I was up last weekend and didn't see any damage, so I was thankful for that, just a lot of sweeping, clearing the slides and wiping down the trailer to do. I also saw some trees down on 212 towards Veteran and also going to Woodstock. As for the school, I think my comment was misunderstood by some. I wholeheartedly agree with the schools decision, what disturbed me was the parents telling the children to disregard the school's instructions and leave during the storm.
I'm sure we'll run into each other during the season,
Steve

[mwdilday]

Take a look at these photos. This is why you don't play around with tornados. Look at the photo that has the pickup truck in the side of the building. This happened in 2008 in Suffolk, Va. They say it was an EF3. The tractor trailer is one of our trucks for a business I owned. The driver ran inside of the building that is missing the roof. A car came engine first thru the roof and broke someone's legs. Our driver was ok. See the entire album at:

https://www.icloud.com/sharedalbum/#B0oGDdyTvs2OxK

[paulmac]

Originally Posted by Steveo66

Paul,
Yes we are at the same campground, I am at Rip's also. I was up last weekend and didn't see any damage, so I was thankful for that, just a lot of sweeping, clearing the slides and wiping down the trailer to do. I also saw some trees down on 212 towards Veteran and also going to Woodstock. As for the school, I think my comment was misunderstood by some. I wholeheartedly agree with the schools decision, what disturbed me was the parents telling the children to disregard the school's instructions and leave during the storm.
I'm sure we'll run into each other during the season,
Steve

We keep our camper there in storage, we will be back up there June 30th until the following Saturday, I believe site 2, but not sure.

[Grapehound]

I think what people forget is that your RV tipping over is only one of the dangers of a powerful tornado, The other is flying objects -- 2 x 4's, picnic tables, pipes, bicycles, even snapped off telephone poles or automobiles -- flying through the air at 200 mph and smashing through the flimsy side of your RV as it cartwheels down the road....

Sheltering in an RV is really a bad idea if there's a serious storm. I do think a brick campground bathroom is probably the best of some terrible options.

I used to live in Wisconsin and went to school in Iowa. We easterners may not understand serious tornadoes sometimes. When the sky gets pitch black on a sunny day, you are in for a serious life-threatening storm, and you need to find a serious shelter, not hide in your RV.

We were hit by just a bad windstorm from a cold front passing through at Indian River Inlet in Delaware while camping back in May. Fortunately the wind came at us head on; had it been from the side we probably could have tipped over. The sand was blowing like a sand blaster and all sorts of debris was flying past our fifth wheel as though we were going down the road. The camper was rocking, even from a frontal assault. Next morning there was plenty of debris in the wetlands next door. And that was nothing compared to a modest tornado.

[KNMIB]

This is what 195 MPH winds moving 60 MPH can do. Fortunately we have a basement, no basement in Motor Home. It was a 5 minute decision to head to the basement. I don't want to have to make that decision in a RV but who knows we cant control mother nature.

[KNMIB]

[KNMIB]

Sorry not good at attachments. The first pic is a house on the edge of the tornado the second pic was my house. The front car was from 5 houses down the street the black car was nine in the driveway.