first day really driving : 25mph winds predicted

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Skymuse

Member
Joined
Jan 12, 2024
Posts
18
Location
New Jersey
I have only practiced driving a couple of times. Still not great backing it up. I have a 30' Terry Resort (1989) and a 1991 GMC Sierra 2500. The weather is going to be warm 55 but 25 mph winds for 2 days. However on Monday the weather will drop to 31 but very little wind. I have sway bars and a heavy duty hitch. I am headed South from NJ. Winds WSW. Thanks ahead of time :)
 
Not sure of question, you should be fine under those conditions. If it starts getting tough, slow down.
 
Don't have any experience except a couple of days in a parking lot. Planned on leaving tomorrow. Temp 55 Winds 25mph WSW, I am headed south from NJ. I am in a 30' Terry resort, towing with 1991 GMC with sway bars. (everything is old). If I wait 2 days the wind dies down but the temp drops to 31. Am a little fearful of the wind factor. Thanks. Sorry if my first post was unclear. Peace.
 
ah thanks .. I will rephrase.. that was my question .. is it safe to drive
You'll be catching a broadside wind of 25 mph which is going to be pushing you toward the passing lane, my advice for a first timer would be "no". Even on a relatively calm day you need to get used to being blown around by overtaking trucks, lane changing, etc., it might be wise to give it a day.
 
We drive through towing in Wyoming often where 25 MPH winds are safe to drive since that's near the state's average wind speed.

"With an average wind speed of 21.9 miles per hour, Alaska ranks as the country's windiest state, but Wyoming is right behind at an average wind speed of 21.5 mph, making it the wind capitol of the lower 48 states."
 
It is always safe to drive, but the safe speed may be so slow you will want to stop. Temps have no bearing on towing, just on the water in the trailer. Frozen / burst water lines will make a trip awful. Make sure you do not dewinterize before you get to above freezing areas. The wind is a non issue unless it makes you uneasy. Some movement from the wind is normal and even big rigs get blown around. Do not fight the steering wheel, just keep it in the lane.
You are starting out right by heading south from NJ. You will find many places south of you that will convince you to make it a one way trip. Remember, Spring is just around the corner.
 

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You'll be catching a broadside wind of 25 mph which is going to be pushing you toward the passing lane, my advice for a first timer would be "no". Even on a relatively calm day you need to get used to being blown around by overtaking trucks, lane changing, etc., it might be wise to give it a day.
thank you.. because I am a little nervous, and traveling with pets, I am inclined to wait.. but there are other issues that are pushing me to leave ASAP. I appreciate the advice.
 
It is always safe to drive, but the safe speed may be so slow you will want to stop. Temps have no bearing on towing, just on the water in the trailer. Frozen / burst water lines will make a trip awful. Make sure you do not dewinterize before you get to above freezing areas. The wind is a non issue unless it makes you uneasy. Some movement from the wind is normal and even big rigs get blown around. Do not fight the steering wheel, just keep it in the lane.
You are starting out right by heading south from NJ. You will find many places south of you that will convince you to make it a one way trip. Remember, Spring is just around the corner.
yes, I think that is the problem, I am a little nervous. My water tanks are empty, just because it is NJ and winter and I am in a driveway with access to a house.
 
We drive through towing in Wyoming often where 25 MPH winds are safe to drive since that's near the state's average wind speed.

"With an average wind speed of 21.9 miles per hour, Alaska ranks as the country's windiest state, but Wyoming is right behind at an average wind speed of 21.5 mph, making it the wind capitol of the lower 48 states."
thanks .. good to know
 
Plan on short days so you don't get exhausted. Having to constantly correct steering or remaining at hight alert can be tiring and result in cramped/sore muscles - you don't want that, you do want to know that you can travel safely and wisely to enjoy your equipment.

And, yes, sometimes "we" don't travel and you'll find out quickly if 25 mph is just too much for your configuration. If so, do what others have done - find a safe location, pull over and hunker down. If you can locate the owner of the property (store, warehouse, etc.) ask for permission to wait out the wind. Many folks would want you to remain safe unless their insurance company forbids overnighters on-site. And, you can alway call the local police department for advice - they want you safe also. Lastly, find the cheapest hotel and rent a room so you can park in their parking lot - just tell them you have a rig in advance.
 
You'll get a feel for it fairly quickly. Be careful of how much it's swaying you and allow extra room on either side, try to anticipate. Remember to make gentle corrections. Some people white-knuckle the steering wheel. Try to relax and when one of those sudden gusts comes up, know all you have to do is gently steer to correct course.

Wind from other rigs becomes more noticeable, when big trucks pass, you'll get the big gust off of their hood, and then when the trailer clears, you'll get sucked closer to their lane. As long as you're prepared and paying attention you should be fine.

Remember to reduce your speed if it's really windy. And, if you're going more than 15mph below posted speeds, I don't think it's a bad idea to turn your flashers on (and get over to the right lane). In commercial driving, use of flashers is to warn other traffic that you're slow-moving.
 
While there are at times wind conditions that make it difficult to tow an RV safely, the skills and comfort level of the driver are just as important as the wind speeds. If you are not comfortable with the driving conditions, you need to travel slowly and for short distances. RVing is supposed to be fun and if you are fearful that is not fun. If you should have an accident, that can ruin your whole day! I have been in all 50 states and have driven in 49 of them. I have driven an RV in most of them and more than a few in bad or windy weather. With practice you will learn what to do and what not to do but our advice is only useful if you can remember what it was when conditions get bad, and that isn't always easy to do. So you are towing with 1991 GMC, but what is it and what is the wheelbase of it? The weight and length of the tow vehicle when compared to the travel trailer become far more important as weather conditions become worse. As a general rule of thumb, the first 110 inches of wheelbase allow for a 20-foot trailer. For each additional four inches of wheelbase length, you get one foot more in trailer length.
"With an average wind speed of 21.9 miles per hour, Alaska ranks as the country's windiest state, but Wyoming is right behind at an average wind speed of 21.5 mph, making it the wind capitol of the lower 48 states."
1705073469935.png
 
I drive semis with 53' van trailers. A 40 mph gust will push an empty trailer over. Fully loaded it would take over 60 mph to tip. Fortunately, I can usually plan my route not to be driving in direct cross-winds. Looks like that may be the case for you tomorrow in NJ.

The forecast for tomorrow along the I-95/NJ Turnpike is gusts to 30 first thing, ramping up to low 40's by 0900. If you can get on the road super early, that will be to your advantage. Wind is out of the WSW, so it will be mostly a headwind which is fortunate. Especially important on the Delaware and Susquehanna River bridges. You'll be getting awful fuel mileage and it will push you around some, but shouldn't be a terrible ride. Wind in southern VA will diminish around 5pm. If you're comfortable with it, fill your fresh water tank before leaving to add a little ballast. You can always dump it somewhere in VA to reduce the weight if you want.

Here's the 0900 wind forecast for tomorrow from the Windy app. It's not free, but under $10 if memory serves. Best weather app I've ever used. In the actual app, the wind lines move relative to speed. Of course this is a screenshot, so that's not happening, but the colors tell you what you need to know.

ETA: In the attachment, I had the cursor roughly over Allentown PA to get the view I wanted. That's where the 27 mph gusts indicated would be. This was the 0700 forecast, intended to illustrate the value of leaving early. If you could get on the road by 0500, you ought to be deep into MD before the wind really picks up.

ETA2: If it were me making this trip, I would transit Baltimore and DC using the western bypass routes, I-695 and 495. In both cases, that keeps you off of high overpasses at the interchanges. Especially the flyover from I-495 WB onto I-95SB. I would not want to be on that with 40 mph gusts.

Screenshot_20240112_102117_Windy.jpg
 
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Two threads asking the same question have been merged to keep the replies together. Please do not duplicate questions, either in the same or different forums.
 
While there are at times wind conditions that make it difficult to tow an RV safely, the skills and comfort level of the driver are just as important as the wind speeds.

View attachment 170434
Interesting that Colorado's average is 20.2 MPH on this analysis. We have a south to north wind. When our travel trailers are stored they're parked on the north side up against a pole barn with the trailer stabilizers down. Wind gusts can be very strong coming down the mountain. My worry is that the trailers would blow over and roll down the slope without the building blocking the wind.
 
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