The weather on holiday is unpredictable, and the ability to adapt to it separates a calm traveller from one for whom the first rain or gust of wind turns into a catastrophe. Heat, downpour and strong wind change everyday life and safety in different ways, and there are simple techniques for each. The good news: a motorhome or a correctly pitched tent can withstand almost any bad weather if you know what to do. Let us go through how to cope at a campground in rain, heat and wind, so the weather becomes the backdrop of the holiday rather than its destroyer.
Watch the forecast
The best protection against bad weather is to know about it in advance. Before the trip and daily on the pitch, check the forecast, especially warnings of thunderstorms, squalls and sharp drops in temperature. In the mountains and by water the weather changes faster and more abruptly, so there people watch the sky especially closely. Knowing that a thunderstorm or rising wind is expected by evening, you will have time to prepare: fold the awning, put things away, choose a more sheltered spot. A timely reaction prevents most weather troubles, while a traveller caught off guard is already fussing in the rain and wind.
Rain: everyday life and staying dry
Rain itself is not frightening if you prepare. The main task is to keep dry inside and convenient outside. Check the tightness of the motorhome and tent before bad weather; the awning creates a dry zone at the entrance, but its angle is set so the water runs off rather than pooling in a "pocket" and tearing the canopy. Keep a mat at the entrance and a place for wet shoes and clothes so as not to carry dirt and water inside. Stock up on activities in case of long rain: books, games, cooking. A rainy day in a cosy motorhome with tea and a board game is also part of the holiday, if you do not fight the weather but accept it.
Rain: choosing a spot and flooding
In rain the choice of spot is critical. Do not settle in hollows and dips where water flows — puddles form there and flooding is possible. Avoid spots under weak trees (the risk of falling branches) and at the very edge of the water, which may rise. Preferable are slight rises with natural drainage and firm ground. On soft soil after rain a heavy motorhome sinks and spins its wheels, so place pads under the wheels and supports in advance. A thought-out choice of spot before the rain saves you from having to relocate urgently through the mud in the heaviest downpour.
Heat: shade and coolness
Heat wears you out no less than rain, and the motorhome cabin in the sun turns into an oven. The main weapon is shade and ventilation. Settle in natural shade or orient the motorhome and awning to create a shaded zone. Open windows and skylights for a draught, use ventilation, reflective screens on the glass. Move activity to the morning and evening, and in the midday heat rest in the shade. You absolutely must not leave children and animals in a closed vehicle in the sun — the cabin heats to dangerous temperatures within minutes. Coolness in the heat is a matter not only of comfort but of health.
Heat: water and well-being
In the heat the consumption and importance of water rise sharply. Drink more and regularly, not waiting for thirst, keep drinking water to hand and in the shade. Watch for signs of overheating and dehydration (weakness, headache, nausea) — especially in children and the elderly. Light clothing, a hat, sun protection are essential. A shower, a swim, a wipe-down with a damp cloth, a spray of water help to freshen up. The water reserve in the heat is planned with a far greater margin than in cool weather, because noticeably more is both drunk and spent on cooling.
Wind: the awning and windage
Strong wind is the main threat to the awning and the tent. An extended canopy is easily turned out and broken by a side gust, so when the wind picks up the awning is folded without hesitation — its repair is dearer than any convenience. The motorhome is where possible turned end-on to the wind, reducing the windage, and settled behind natural shelter (trees, terrain, buildings). Everything light outside (chairs, mats, crockery, drying things) is put away or secured so it is not carried off. On open, exposed areas, especially by water, the wind is especially treacherous, and you prepare for it in advance.
Wind and the tent
A tent in strong wind needs special attention. It is pitched with the entrance away from the wind, behind natural shelter, all the guy lines tightly tensioned and the pegs driven deep and at the right angle, weighted with stones if needed. A light tent on an open spot can be torn off by the wind together with the pegs, so in bad weather a sheltered area is chosen. Things inside and in the vestibule are secured. Under a storm warning it is sometimes wiser to take the tent down and move to a more reliable shelter. With respect for the power of the wind the tent stays intact and the night calm.
Thunderstorm and electrical safety
A thunderstorm adds an electrical risk. During a thunderstorm it is sensible to disconnect the motorhome from the campground mains: a voltage surge can damage equipment, and electricity in the damp is more dangerous. Do not stand under lone tall trees or on open high ground; get into the motorhome, which as a metal body is relatively safe. Do not touch wet electrical connectors. After the thunderstorm check whether anything was damaged by wind and water. A thunderstorm usually passes quickly, and waiting it out in the motorhome, disconnected from the mains, is the most sensible tactic.
Cold and a sharp drop in temperature
Bad weather is often a sharp drop in temperature too, which you should be ready for even in summer. Nights in nature are colder than the day, and after rain and wind the temperature falls. Keep warm clothes in layers and bedding with a margin of warmth, check the heater and ventilation. Dry wet clothes and shoes, not letting yourself get cold in the damp. Warm tea, dry clothes and working heating quickly restore comfort. Readiness for a cold snap is part of respect for the changeability of the weather, which is underrated most often.
Prepare for bad weather in advance
The universal principle of any bad weather: it is better to prepare before than to sort it out during. Assemble a "weather kit" for all occasions: waterproof clothing and footwear for rain, warm things in layers for cold, hats and sun protection for heat, extra guy lines and pegs for the tent in wind. Keep this set to hand, not at the bottom of a far compartment. Study the spot in advance from a weather point of view: where the shelter from wind is, where the water flows, where the shade is. When everything needed is ready and thought through, a change of weather stops being stress and becomes just a backdrop you calmly adjust to without losing comfort or good spirits.
Children and pets in bad weather
In difficult weather children and animals need special attention. In the heat they must not be left in the sun, let alone in a closed vehicle, and you watch their drinking and overheating, dress them for the weather. In cold and rain — keep them warm and dry, have a change of clothes. In a thunderstorm and strong wind shelter them in the motorhome, where it is calmer and safer. For children bad weather can even be a joy (puddles, rain on the roof) if they are dressed properly and supervised; pets, however, often find a sharp change of weather uncomfortable and need a warm dry spot. Caring for the most vulnerable members of the group in bad weather is a priority not to be overlooked.
What to do in bad weather
A prolonged rain or strong heat driving you into the shade is no reason to consider the day lost. Activities prepared in advance turn bad weather into a cosy pause: board games, books, films, the unhurried cooking of something special, conversations, card games, planning the onward route. Rain on the roof of the motorhome with a cup of tea and good company is one of those quiet pleasures remembered no less than sunny days. The main thing is not to perceive bad weather as a spoiled holiday but to accept it as a change of rhythm. Nature is varied, and the ability to enjoy any weather is a sign of an experienced and calm traveller.
After the bad weather: drying and tidying
When the rain and wind subside, it is important to put the camp in order. Dry the dampened flysheet, awning, tent, shoes and clothes in the sun before packing them — otherwise the moisture and mould travel on with you. Check whether anything was damaged by the wind, whether things were flooded, whether everything that stood outside is in place. Clear away the run-off water and dirt. Let the ground under the wheels dry too if you plan to leave, so as not to spin. This short tidy-up after bad weather protects the equipment and saves you from unpleasant surprises like a mouldy tent on the next trip.
A short set of rules
- Watch the forecast and react in advance.
- In rain — dry inside, the right awning angle, a spot not in a hollow.
- In heat — shade, ventilation, plenty of water; do not leave children and animals in the vehicle.
- In wind — fold the awning, put away light things, settle behind shelter.
- In a thunderstorm — disconnect from the mains, shelter in the motorhome.
- Be ready for a cold snap: warmth, dry clothes, heating.
The weather on a trip is changeable by definition, and a calm, prepared attitude to it is what distinguishes a seasoned traveller: for them sun, rain and wind become just different shades of one and the same holiday in nature. And campgrounds with sheltered spots and the infrastructure you need are easy to find through the catalogue and on the map.