Question about parked in high winds

Park with the nose of the truck angled toward the wind at a 45° or as much as you can and still stay on the shoulder. Then roll the landing gear down

 

Stay at the truck stop among other trucks. There is always a spot to park during a weather crisis. There won't be anyone leaving so you dont have to worry about blocking anyone. If someone needs to leave, they'll knock on your door and then you can take their spot.

 

Make sure you do your pretrip....don't forget to crank the landing gear back UP! You're welcome.

 

You going to have to find a building big enough to mask the wind from your trailer and snuggle it next to it and drop the landing gear. And then wait.

If it is a basic frontal passage the winds will die down after it changes direction. Anything else is a problem.

I have spent time in a field with the trailer pointing backwards vs a lake effect storm that came out of the NE to SW most of the night with bad guts. Another time during Opal I was in the middle row of parked trucks. No driving today. Took about 30 hours for it to go on through. The entire row was pushed around by the wind. The landing gear being down calmed the airride a little bit and soaked the worst of it.

A tornado showed up and there was no point in staying with the truck, so we spend the night in the shop bay where it's a trench for a man to drop oil and so on from under a vehicle. To hell with that parking lot and everything on it should it come that way. Being underground gives you a fighting chance. Just loop the belt around the welded stairway at the bottom so your body stays there if it did.

However, the biggest asset is to be aware of high wind conditions via NOAA. Weather radio in your truck is good for 30 miles or so around. If they are throwing advisories and warnings for your area or travel path, pick a spot before you get into it and then wait for it to pass.

One time I get on the US 50 Ches. Bay Bridge in Maryland westbound. It was still open when I got on it, however there was a summer storm front gathering in the west miles away. Well when I got to the top span the storm front wind reached me. I was empty and the whole thing got shoved into the side rail, held there and then began the process of being pushed over.

I rode that gust out on that fuel tank. Contemplating what damage it will cost me to jump onto that steel grate which is edge up on the whole deck plate. Fortunately she came back down. From that day forward Ive followed CBBT (Norfolk Tidewater Bay Ocean crossing between VA and Maryland across 20 miles of ocean. There is a chart at which certain wind speeds restrict or close the bridge entirely to trucks by your weight.) Maximum loaded is 60 for me. Maximum empty is 40 I know I have done better or moved in worse weather than that but it's not worth the risk.

High wind is a valid threat to your safety, and you need to do what you can to find a hole for that big truck and wait it out.

 

I like that!!!

 

Except that a 90° angle will allow the 5th wheel to pivot. A 45° angle adds stability and prevents the 5th wheel from pivoting.

 

If you park on the freeway, try parking near or partially under a bridge. Use the leeside of the bridge to block the wind.

 

Make sure it's a bridge with expose steel beams underneath. If you pick one that is smooth under there then it becomes a venturi compressing the air mass and make for higher wind speeds ripping through there.

 

Thanks for the correction. I was forgetting where the pivot is.