Any tips/advice for camping in strong winds?

[NannyR]

It has forecast very strong gusts and rain for tonight and tomorrow into Saturday. I've camped in thunderstorms before but not very strong winds so not sure if there's anything specific I should be doing. I've got a good Outwell tent that's pegged in tight and guyropes all pegged out correctly. Does it make any difference if the air vents are open or shut?
Any advice would be most welcome, thank you.

Are you still going? Wind speed around 40mph with gusts of around 60mph. We are thinking of cancelling because not sure how much fun it would be anyway!

I'm already here! Things might be cancelled for the rest of the week anyway, they are making a decision at 6pm so if that happens I (along with 15000 others!) will be packing up and leaving before it gets bad.

Use your car as a wind break

We are 5 days into our 10 day stay on the Dorset coast and DH and I are debating whether to come home early. They are predicting 60mph winds where we are
We have double pegged the tent down, and taken the awning down. Hammer pegs below ground if you have to.
Move anything that can fall and rip the tent away from the walls, put heavy things in the corners to help keep it down (like cool boxes, clothes etc) and stay inside the tent with the doors closed.
Also put your car against the tent as a wind break, if you have an air beam you can pump the beams up more, we’ve put our Kampa up to 9psi instead of 7.

Car as a windbreak is very effective.

Double-guy if you can, I'll find a link.

We’re in Cornwall with a new Airbeam. We’ve double-guyed this morning and put storm pegs down. Fingers crossed.

Guy ropes and storm pegs are key, my tent survived a 100mph tornado thing though it was a mountaineering tent.

oh sorry nanny so I see. For you guys already camping, we are debating whether to go this weekend. Its a no for me as I think the whole point of camping is hanging around with wine, cheese and a fire and if I can't do those things there is no point. Added to that the chance of injury, health or tent blowing away. But the others in our group are in denial and all "it won't be that bad!"

Good luck those already out there! Stay safe. I am surprised campsites don't close if the weather is that bad.

I caravanned in similar windspeeds last year and everyone else had tents. My brother had a decent Vango tent which stood up but did have a guy rope snap. They left a day early as they'd spent a night with no sleep and my brother constantly checking pegs, etc.

Loads of other people had total tent collapses, but they were cheaper tents.

If it's a tunnel tent try and pitch a short end into the wind rather than the side. Car as windbreak for sure. Put a second peg over your tent pegs so they form a X. The second peg helps keep the first one in place.

If you can, pitch "arse into the wind" - most tents are angled at the bedroom pod end, and cope better. As above, use a car as a break. I've camped in the tail end of a hurricane and it was horrible. Be prepared to ditch and get in the car if it gets dangerous. Good luck!

Arse end into the wind is good advice, ty

Are you at new wine @NannyR?

If so I think the site is pretty exposed - we were there last week and no weather warnings or anything but plenty of gazebos, tents and marquees taking off.
Actually my brand new tent got damaged by a flying tent pole and I’m very thankful no one was inside to get hurt.
Stay safe

Yep, I'm at new wine, I think I'm going to pack up. My car isn't parked near the tent so I can't use it as a wind break.

Ah it’s such a shame. The ground was also really soft where we were (gold area) meaning that pegs kept needing to be re-hammered in.
Hopefully everyone has taken down those huge marquee things (it was one of those poles that ripped our tent) and the gazebos.

And I was told all doors and vents shut is best

stay away from any cliff tops & stay close to hedges if you can - personally I would delay a day if I could. We lost our last tent by pegging it down but the wind being so strong that it snapped the poles & ripped through the tent.

If the tent is secure the noise & battering on the tent is so bad you won't sleep anyway. Personally i'd make the trip & stay in near by b&b for the first night or go a day later

oh - are you at a festival OP?

Yes, sort of a festival. The weather is beautiful at the moment, and I'm having a great time but I think it's the right decision.

There is absolutely nothing fun about worrying if the roof above your head and your shelter in the middle of the night is going to collapse! So I’d pack up, personally.

We’re supposed to be driving down from near Portsmouth to Cornwall on Saturday. Think we will go on Sunday instead as even if we get there safely, worried about awning on the Sat night. And our campsite is on a cliff top. Don’t really want to miss first day of our holiday but better that than having an accident or getting stuff broken due to the wind.

We have delayed our trip to Tenby until Saturday. Helpful video about pitching - thanks. Also arse to wind and car behind sounds like a plan 😂

The video was helpful thanks. I will be packing several extra guyropes for my next trip (usually just have one or two extras in case of breakages)
New Wine decided to end the event tomorrow morning, so I packed up this evening whilst I still had a dry tent. Just got home!