Managing the risk of storm damage to a tent each night

Question

I am in the Western Balkans, where in some weeks you can hear the rumbling of thunder every night, and it is sometimes difficult to predict how close the storm will come to you for the purposes of camping.

The night before last I survived a windy storm in my two-season Lanshan 2 tent. The lightning was very frequent, sometimes several times per minute, for most likely over an hour. The rain was extremely heavy, and sometimes seemed to be raining sideways (but fortunately didn't develop into hail). One of my trekking poles fell over, so that the tent partially collapsed. I decided to pull the part of the tent that collapsed down with my hand instead of holding it up (to give my tent a smaller profile in the wind, kind of like what the Lanshan 1 has, and hopefully disrupt the airflow), and I felt the wind sucking that part of the tent upwards so strongly (causing that side to billow outwards from my hand in a doughnut shape) that I was constantly worrying that the whole tent could get pulled upwards into the air with me in it. If the earth had been less sticky I believe the wind would have pulled out some pegs (as it was it only undid a knot in a guyline, causing it to come loose, and stretched my tent's silnylon fabric). The whole tent was flapping in and out by up to 50cm for an hour, and this felt like the closest thing to a violent storm in two months of trekking the Balkans.

1. I have already been out camping in an electric storm during a severe weather warning before in a forest in a steep valley, but this time was much, much worse due to the wind. This time I was on a grassy plain (Obstina Zabljak in Montenegro, which a relatively flat basin surrounded by hills and mountains), which is getting very warm during the day (perhaps warmer than the mountains, resulting in higher air density over the mountains than the plain by evening, ripe for it to rush down the slopes during a storm?). Is a flat grassy basin which is fully or partially surrounded by hills/mountains at risk of higher winds during a storm, in the same way that a sea of coastline adjacent to mountains might be subject to unusually strong katabatic winds (eg the Bora on the Montenegrin coastline)?

2. Is an area of younger trees in a forest (small enough not to attract lightning or cause injury if their branches fall on you) safer during a storm due to the wind protection?

3. Me and two passing bikepackers agreed that the problematic windy storm the night before last was not in the 3-hourly forecast for Zabljak (which is a town near where I was camping). One of them recommended I use the Windy app for richer forecasts, however I am not sure that it has any layer for hail. Is there any weather forecasting map which will allow me to see whether hail specifically is forecast in any particular hour?

Pictures 1 and 2 show what I believe the tent is supposed to look like when pitched,

3, 4 and 5 illustrate the stretched fabric (note that silnylon does not rip when it gets damaged; it just gets stretched and stretched and stretched but it genuinely is damaged when stretched so far that it won't return to its original form, as seems to be the case here)

6 and 7 show the stretched (what I believe to be damaged) tent after the guylines were re-tightened

8, 9, and 10 show the rain from the storm in radar as it was moving over me. 11 is a zoomed in version of 9. If anybody knows how to find the historical speed of gusts of wind on Opstina Zabljak at that day/time please do share, I would be very interested because I believe that as Alex J. suggested that this could have been a violent "supercell" (which is the kind of storm which is capable of among other things spawning tornadoes). The way it was battering my tent really did seem very violent, I don't think I have ever been outside in such weather let alone in a tent. I genuinely felt under severe threat, I couldn't quite believe at this time I was in that situation, I thought at the time that there was little chance my tent would stay guyed or unflooded; it was horrendous. Edit: according to https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2023_European_heat_waves#Storms, the July 2023 Balkan Supercells have been a newsworthy phenomenon, with gusts over 100km/h, large hailstones, and they have killed people as well. Just to make clear what I'm up against in an ultralight tent!

11 shows that Opstina Zapljak is a high basin surrounded by hills and mountains.

Answer 1

The Lanshan design doesn't look great for windy conditions - normally I'd pitch with a pointy end (not the door, or don't use that door) into the wind, but on that tent you'll get wind coming underneath and trying to lift the flysheet and loosen everything. Perhaps shortening the poles would allow you to peg the flysheet down right to ground level, without making it flappy. That would help a lot.

Synthetic tent fabric can stretch permanently from their new state. This is generally a one-off, and not really damage (as indicated by figures 6&7, when the shape recovered). So can guy ropes, and I think the end guys may have done this and contributed to the problem. I generally expect to tighten everything a little after wind and rain even on a well-used tent, considerably more on a new one. Back in the 90s I recall some rather expensive tents saying that you should redo the seam sealant after the first trip because of this.

Also, were your pegs angled well, at right angles to the guys? Were the guys tight even after the wind and rain, or did they loosen? Seeing the pictures, I think you needed stronger attachment for your end guys. This could be longer/wider pegs, double pegging with the pegs forming an X with the cross where they meet the ground and rope, or a second guy rope. A second guy could be made from paracord, and either set straight out like a single one (but shorter or longer) or 2 can be used symmetrically angled off the centre line. With no ridge pole and changeable winds, that's probably a good option. When travelling light, I still have the means to add one extra guy upwind (cord and peg, though tying off to a big rock is also an option).

Answer 2

I go to mountains in Europe all the time and I use windy app a lot. You need to use weather radar layer. You see storm cells there and lightning strikes. Hail is probable when there is more than 55 dbZ which can be seen in windy app. Depends on the kind of the storm cell.

This year is terrible. So many strong storms - supercells with strong winds that do a lot of damage. Few nights ago strong winds broke my plum tree into half. I was cleaning the mess half a day. A lot of trees were damaged in some cities and buildings as well. It is the most stormy year I remember. I cant go hiking, because there are storms forecasted almost every day. I am from Slovenia and storm lines travel from Italy, Austria to here and then to Croatia towards Bosnia, depends on the conditions. What I want to say is even with good tent, winds are extremely strong and if they can break trees in half it is normal that tents have problems. I usually pitch tent in a forest if there is no strong storm forecast. If there is storm forecasted the tree could fell on the tent and it is dangerous.

I don't know if area of smaller trees would not attract lightning. I was thinking the same thing to pitch it where smaller trees are. I can say that if you can't find shelter try to pitch it is spots that are not exposed. Not on the top of the hill or similar, better at lower elevations.

Windy app is great, use it!

Answer 3

First of all, let us be clear that a tent offers protection only against wind and rain, but not against sizeable hail or falling trees. The best way to manage your risk is therefore being close to a sheltered place when there is a risk of thunderstorms. Be it a cave, a hut, your car or some house where you might be able to shelter on the veranda or let in by the inhabitants. On some days, the reasonable solution will be not to stay camping but book into some accommodation.

If you do not have this - and in any other case - minimize risk by choosing your camp spot wisely. Avoid being near the fall line of larger trees or parts of them. Areas with 1-2m bushes are a lot better, they will offer you some protection against the wind without the dangers of trees. Also, try to avoid anything that channels or collects water. I would not camp right next to a creek if severe thunderstorms are expected. What is 10cm of water now, might suddenly become a meter or more, once it starts dumping 30l/sqm in a short amount of time. If possible, avoid exposed hill tops and rather stay somewhere in the valleys.

Against normal winds, rigging of your tent is paramount. Use sufficient pegs (and ones suited for the given ground) and tighten the guy lines properly. If you consider this topic for the long term, buying a tent with a wind-resistant design is a good idea. Of course, that will be at odds with weight, but life is a compromise

Regarding forecasts, it is notoriously difficult to a) forecast the power accurately and b) interpret this sufficiently. Just two weeks ago, we were basically blown off from our terrace by a thunderstorm. We saw this coming - both on the radar and with our eyes - but believed we would be sheltered enough by the roof over the terrace. Instead of the expected like 6-7bft, we surely got double a digit wind force.

Answer 4

Very detailed question that deserves a very detailed answer :D

THE TENT Lanshan tents are very good ultra-light tents. But wait... ultra-light? Severe stormy conditions? Hail? ... not a good mix! The truth is that no tent is 100% safe in severe conditions, and ultra-light tents even less. In fact, ultra-light tents are to be avoided in very severe storms, and that includes the Lanshan ones.

THE PEGS Every single peg for the ultra-light tents is... ultra-small. They are good with hard grounds like your backyard or if used at a very popular campground. They are barely working, if not useless, with soft ground, and based on your pictures, you're wild camping. There's a saying that goes like this: "There is ultra-light and stupid-light" (not saying that you're stupid lol!). The outdoors is always a trade-off. What you gain on one side, you'll lose on the other side. So, no matter the tent you are using, get bigger pegs and take those along with you when going in the wild (more on that later). I have tons of pegs: ultra-small-ultra-light, regular plastic ones, BIG metallic ones and I've even made some out of tree branches. Those wooden ones are ultra-light but big, so they hang more in soft soil. Best even pegs in the world and they cost nothing!

WEATHER FORECAST As some have mentioned here, do not rely on weather forecasts. Always prepare for the worst and considering climate change, it's now mandatory. BTW, did you know that the best, biggest, baddest computers in the world are used to predict the weather? And even there, they're still unable to be very precise. The truth is that the weather is acting on its own mind and can change faster than Lucky Luke can shoot. So always be prepared for the worst. A good tarp and some paracord will help a lot (more on that below).

TOP TENT SETUP Let me share a true story with you. I had my tent set up knowing the coming weather was not good. So I used the "Diablo's setup" (my nickname). a) I pitched my tent the normal way b) I used my big metallic pegs (the ground was rocky) c) I added one pole at each end of my tent. d) I used those poles to set a very strong ridgeline. For this, I used a continuous length going from one pole to another. And from the first pole, going to the right at a 45-degree angle. And going to the left (same angle) from the second pole. Then I used two smaller cordes to go from the poles to the opposite side with the same angle. The result was a straight ridgeline going over the top of my tent and a V shape from the poles to the ground. This ridgeline was going nowhere trust me. all this with simple lightweight paracord. e) I then installed a tarp over it and pegged it to the ground. I used two small cordes in a V shape for each eyelet which is better than a single one because it redistributes the tension inside the rings.

I also made sure the trap would put some small pressure on my tent (not too much to avoid breaking the poles). I then went away for several hours. The weather got really bad on my return with very strong winds and rain. So I was a bit nervous about my tent. Would it still be there? Guess what? It was still there and in pretty good shape while everyone else where desperately fighting to keep their tents in good shape. Several didn't succeed... Amen...

FEW MUST IN YOUR KIT a) a good length of paracord along with several smaller lengths. b) a good sturdy tarp (avoid ultra-light tarps) c) bigger pegs depending on the weather and type of groudn. d) shock cords e) duct tape!

SHOCK CORDS Shock cords are elastic cords. Replace all your static guylines with elastic shock cordes. It's 10,000 better in bad weather and will avoid breaking or even worse, tearing apart your tent. Besides that, they may also save your tent if you accidentally trip on your guyline... This is one of the best pro tips when it comes to a tent. That and to have a tarp under to keep the condensation outside and another tarp ready to use in severe conditions.

THE TARP You now know the importance of having a tarp. It will also protect your tent from UV light and it's awesome to use even when very sunny so you have some shade. Simply bring one side of the tarp to the horizontal and you have an awning extending your tent and protecting you from the sun or the rain! Lower it if it's raining or snowing a lot.

THE KNIFE That's another pro tip. Always have a knife at hand when you sleep. Why? A collapsed tent at night is no fun since it'll wrap you tight and cutting your way out might be something you'll have to do. It's even more true in wintertime with the weight of the snow (if that happens, you'll know how food feels in a vacuum-sealed bag!). Also, you may need to cut your way out if attacked by a predator (bear, wolf, etc.)

ANCHORING THE PEGS Another tip. You can use heavy rock over your peg so stay put. But beware that you can damage your tent this way. Only use that if you forgot to bring bigger pegs (and even there, bigger pegs may still need a rock).

FINAL WORDS All this being said, the best of the best setup to face ANY weather. Even including the most severe hail or winter storm, is easy: Set your tent in your living room with the entrance facing the window.

Answer 5

Disclaimer: I failed to consider the 'lightness' aspect while answering.

I've slept for about an year or two total(meaning for about 600 nights) in the cheapest department-store purchased tent(Yours looks military-grade in comparison) with huge wind profile(4 person) tent. Once slept in half a meter of snow and it was pouring all night. Also used about half of the anchoring points.

Never had any structural problems.

Conclusion: the tent was not correctly pitched. Was firm ground with some shelter from the wind(even a couple of trees count) chosen? Were all anchor points used? Were they deployed in a way the tent's roof was neither too stretched nor too lose? Were all zippers closed? Was nothing hanged from the ceiling?

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Thanks for the uploaded images! Is this a possible rope mounting point?

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And to FINALLY say something useful:

IF weather is expected to get violent
DO use rocks and mud to entrench the edges
WHILE minding fabric damage from sharp rocks.

I think I did that once and observed it a couple but could just be making stuff up.