Rain, wind, lightning, tornadoes, fun, fun, fun! (the reverend's midwest festival weather rant)

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Posted by Catherine Cartwright Jones on May 7, 2001 at 18:04:26:

In reply to: Windy solutions posted by Kenzi on May 7, 2001 at 15:45:49:

Collect milk jugs and fill them with water and bungee them to the legs
of your gazebo at the showsite. How many? As many as you can
possible manage.

Use bungees and bulldog clamps on everything that flutters.

Remove the sides from any part of your booth that offers major wind
resistance if a storm is coming, or there are unpredictable gusts.

You'll learn to "smell" rain approximatly 7 minutes before it starts.
Get clear of people and breathe in gently, catching the incoming
breeze. Sniff several times, carefully ... there's a characteristic
smell of impending rain. Also listen to the birds. If the birds quit
singing .... cover everything fast, and tie down securely.

Have all your perishables clearly in mind, and big Rubbermaid tubs to
throw them in. Have no more perishables than you can cram into Tubs
in 3 minutes flat. Have a tarp under those tubs. Be prepared to tarp
over the tubs and then cram the tarp under the tubs all around the
edge, under the bottom tarp. A sort of double wrapped burrito system.
That way everything that can be damaged by rain and storming will be
secured and kept dry.

If the bottoms of the clouds are "tight" you're safe. There's a deck
of air preventing rain. If the bottoms of the clouds are fuzzy, ....
worry. If the wind prevails hard one way all day then suddenly shifts
to the opposite direction, watch out. You're going to get hit hard by
a major front.

Learn to love your weather channel.

Don't feel ever guilty about bailing out on a storm. Your clients will
have run for cover, too.

Watch the leading edge of a storm. If you see vortexes starting to
tail down ... locate underground shelter. A ditch isn't bad, as long
as there aren't rising waters.

Tornadoes are damn dangerous, though they take a narrow path. If
you're so inclined, have a sit on the patch of ground where you set
up, and have a discussion with the local deities. Bribe them nicely,
and they may suprise you with a good payback. ( I was the only setup
surviving a major tornado hit at a festival, so I'm not just making
this up! There may be one deity, or there may be thousands. Being
respectful of whatever is out there can't possibly hurt!) If a tornado
is on its way, remove everything that offers any wind resistance at
all, and get every last thing into tupperware tubs, with that double
tarp system (sorts resembles a big vinyl burrito with the ends folded
in) and bungee that to filled milk jugs so it's locked low to the
ground. The lower the better. Then .... get yourself secured,
underground, well into the interior of a building, if possible,
protected from blowing debris. If your ears start popping .... get
VERY SECURE and make certain any young'uns are secure too! Put your
body over them! (yes, I've been through more than one tornado).

Lightning is unpredictable, also .... just tarp'n'tub everything and
go for shelter. No one is going to hang around waiting to get hit by
lighting unless they're golfers. Again, the lowest thing to the
ground wins the survival prize.

Flash floods. Totally out of control. Get the hell out.

Street riots. Totally out of control. Get the hell out.

I haven't done hurricanes..... but I believe they're a ditto of the
above.

Good weather is such a nice thing ..... it's lovely here today! I
wish the same for you!

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: Collect milk jugs and fill them with water and bungee them to the legs : of your gazebo at the showsite. How many? As many as you can : possible manage. : : Use bungees and bulldog clamps on everything that flutters. : : Remove the sides from any part of your booth that offers major wind : resistance if a storm is coming, or there are unpredictable gusts. : : You'll learn to "smell" rain approximatly 7 minutes before it starts. : Get clear of people and breathe in gently, catching the incoming : breeze. Sniff several times, carefully ... there's a characteristic : smell of impending rain. Also listen to the birds. If the birds quit : singing .... cover everything fast, and tie down securely. : : Have all your perishables clearly in mind, and big Rubbermaid tubs to : throw them in. Have no more perishables than you can cram into Tubs : in 3 minutes flat. Have a tarp under those tubs. Be prepared to tarp : over the tubs and then cram the tarp under the tubs all around the : edge, under the bottom tarp. A sort of double wrapped burrito system. : That way everything that can be damaged by rain and storming will be : secured and kept dry. : : If the bottoms of the clouds are "tight" you're safe. There's a deck : of air preventing rain. If the bottoms of the clouds are fuzzy, .... : worry. If the wind prevails hard one way all day then suddenly shifts : to the opposite direction, watch out. You're going to get hit hard by : a major front. : : Learn to love your weather channel. : : Don't feel ever guilty about bailing out on a storm. Your clients will : have run for cover, too. : : Watch the leading edge of a storm. If you see vortexes starting to : tail down ... locate underground shelter. A ditch isn't bad, as long : as there aren't rising waters. : : Tornadoes are damn dangerous, though they take a narrow path. If : you're so inclined, have a sit on the patch of ground where you set : up, and have a discussion with the local deities. Bribe them nicely, : and they may suprise you with a good payback. ( I was the only setup : surviving a major tornado hit at a festival, so I'm not just making : this up! There may be one deity, or there may be thousands. Being : respectful of whatever is out there can't possibly hurt!) If a tornado : is on its way, remove everything that offers any wind resistance at : all, and get every last thing into tupperware tubs, with that double : tarp system (sorts resembles a big vinyl burrito with the ends folded : in) and bungee that to filled milk jugs so it's locked low to the : ground. The lower the better. Then .... get yourself secured, : underground, well into the interior of a building, if possible, : protected from blowing debris. If your ears start popping .... get : VERY SECURE and make certain any young'uns are secure too! Put your : body over them! (yes, I've been through more than one tornado). : : Lightning is unpredictable, also .... just tarp'n'tub everything and : go for shelter. No one is going to hang around waiting to get hit by : lighting unless they're golfers. Again, the lowest thing to the : ground wins the survival prize. : : Flash floods. Totally out of control. Get the hell out. : : Street riots. Totally out of control. Get the hell out. : : I haven't done hurricanes..... but I believe they're a ditto of the : above. : : Good weather is such a nice thing ..... it's lovely here today! I : wish the same for you! : : : : :
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