Weirdest weather phenom encountered

[otrfjr]

Recently had a life-changing experience. On a mid-length trip, 2-up, loaded heavy with camping gear, we ran into a "significant weather event" (i.e., a thunderstorm with gale-force winds, 2-inch+ per hour rainfall, and lightning that would've made Zeus jealous). Temp dropped 8 degrees then rose 9 degrees as we neared the event center. Just before that, we had crosswinds that came close to pushing me from the center of the lane onto the middle stripe. During one wind gust that had me leaning the bike severely to stay in my lane, I saw not 50 feet in front of me a leaf blowing across my lane IN THE OPPOSITE DIRECTION (toward the right shoulder).

Anyone else ever experience something like this or similar?

 

[Bounce]

riding along at night somewhere "up north" (and west); where the terrain had hills that the rode alternated cutting through and passed over the top. this resulted in alternating protection and exposure to cross winds. iirc there were some slight cross winds but nothing like when going from SLC to Boise along US84.

Out of nowhere a "ball" of wind hit me so hard it startled me. And that's the best way to describe it; a ball. it was of very short duration but very strong. If it had lasted, it could have blown me off the road. As it was it hit and was gone before I could react. Very unnerving.

The other is the consistant cross winds that are due to the temperature inversions heading down, out of the cool mountains and dumping into the hot valley; replacing the hot, 100+° air being shot skyward. The place is treaturous because the strong winds come in gusts from different directions and can push an unsuspecting bike into other lanes at any given moment. The gusts jump back and forth randomly as you move farther westward, so leaning into them doesn't help from one moment to the next.

The place? US90 westbound as you cross the bridge at Vantage, WA (strong winds that want to send you over the low-slung gard rails) and continue as you press on to the west. You are then challenged by the bursts of ever-changing winds as you climb into the passes west of Ellensburg, WA.

 

[Geezer]

Charlie Hoss and I were riding across the northwest corner of SD towards Billings, Montana and we were being driven to the right by strong winds coming out of the south. After an hour or so of this steady wind I was just getting used to the idea of riding straight with the bike leaned over to one side when the wind did a 180 and slapped me from the opposite side. The temp dropped about 20 degrees and it started raining pretty hard right after that, but off in the distance and not on us.

Another phenomenon I experienced in the plains, though a more positive one, is that you can see a storm coming from many miles away and just take a different road if you don't want to get wet. We avoided several drenchings on the way to and from WFO that way.

 

[Groo]

Odot and I ran into something like that on the way home from WFO-5 last year in Wyoming. Rain coming down in sheets, wind trying to blow you across the freeway, and lightning hitting. We tucked in behind a motorcycle hauler and got through it. Did a great job of cleaning the bugs off the fairing though...

 

[RonBB]

A few years ago I was coming home from a small town about 20 miles away on a county road. It was about 10 pm far out in the country. I had left when I did because I had heard that there was a severe squall line with high winds, rain, lightning etc. headed our way. When the squall line hit I was on my old Concours (Lots of faring & doesn't handle cross winds nearly as good as the FJR). Luckily the road was pretty well deserted as pushed me into the oncoming lane & I was only going about 45 mph. I then dodged a 50 gallon barrell that was coming down the road inthe opposite direction due to the high wind gusts. A few miles later I saw that the 18 wheelers had all pulled over. I would have too but it was out in the country & there was nothing to get under anywhere. It was very still with no warning when the line hit.

 

[Randy]

Let's just say that riding in a 'whiteout' snowstorm isn't fun.

 

[luvtoride]

2 springs ago... riding home from Shady Valley, TN on Rte 58 in Virginia I hit a hail storm. Quite interesting... as luck would have it a bus was in front of me. I tucked in behind him. If that bus had gone off of the road, I would've been right behind him. As soon as the hail stopped, I was sure to wave as I blew by him.

Heidi

 

[odot]

Through arizona one time(at band camp)....was passing a semi when a gust hit and bout lifted me off the harley.....was already hard right lean and the scoot wanted to exit the pavement.....(not off, but Up). Slowed up a bit, passed the semi and rode hard right lean the rest of the day. Oh, the ride with groo was no picnic, either.....that wind from the south over the mountains we were in was tellin us to put in for the night.

 

[OrangevaleFJR]

When you see winds going in the opposite direction so close together under a thunderstorm then there is usually a spinning vortex of wind that started parallel to the Earth and then bent downward after some time to hit the Earth. These are often called tornados. Some are little, some are big, and your FJR just pulled you through one.

 

[FJamR]

In July of 06' I had done a power tour of several states. Before leaving Cali I had read of a guy riding his M/C and was hit by lightning, killed and crashed, probably in that order. Day 2 I had began in Boise, Idaho and Denver was my destination for the day. I came across the 80 through Wyoming and had dodged t- storms all day. I wanted to take the 25 south into Colorado, and as was around Laramie I could see I was going into a BIG AZZ t-storm. It began raining heavily and lightning, so I was a little unnerved. I started up the mountain and the weather got worse, the temp had dropped dramatically and it began to hail badly. The roadway was slush, I just got behind a big rig and followed the path he plowed for me, and I figured his truck would be hit by lightning before me. Coming down the 25 before Fort Collins the weather cleared and it was in the 90's. Twas a trip--and a rush---Love It!!!!

 

[Feejer/Weejer man]

Just a few weeks ago in the Black Hills after WFO, near Rapid City, while visiting family and checking out Sturgis,there was a gully washer that hit a canyon we were riding in going to a restaurant. It came down so hard and the wind got to be gale force so quickly that we almost sought shelter under the trees. But we forged ahead to the restaurant and sought shelter soaking wet as we had no time to put on the rain gear. It was unbelievable thunder and lightning prior to and after the rain. Lucky for us after we parked and proceeded to wait to be seated. It hailed documented measured widths up to 4 1/2 inches across in a lot of places. Totaled out my nephews car and did $8000 damage to my dad's truck. Also my brothers shake roof on his house is no more. Motorhomes had holes in the roofs and it destroyed most everything in its path. Just lucky for us we were out of the path as it were.

 

[Kevin Daly]

couple times I was riding along and I saw a fe drops of rain. that creaped me out so I went home asap and freakin parked it till it cleared up

 

[C&C]

Probably riding home from work, in downtown Charleston, just after a rainstorm during high tide. Some of the low lying streets were flooded to about a foot of water. Exhuast blubbering under the water at a couple of points with water pretty near the axle. This was on my Honda 450 quite a long time ago (sometime in the early 80's, I think).

 

[ndivita]

In April 2006, I encountered a sandstorm outside of Amarillo TX southbound in the middle of nowhere. Amarilo is nowhere too, I learned. Having no place to hide I pulled over to decide what to do. Within seconds I concluded it was better to move than stay put. Scary stuff. Like little ball bearings on the road. I made it through but I won't forget it. Cross winds the whole trip southbound from KC were 40 to 50 mph, but that started after it was too late to turn back. Not fun, but it taught me to appreciate good weather.

 

[Pjturbo]

Any trip in Washington State when you don't get rained on.

Phil

 

[jcolman]

Several years ago riding from Mesquite NV to Grand Junction CO I encountered a "standing tornado"....at least that's what it looked like. It was a clear day with no clouds anywhere. Hot as hell, about halfway thru Utah. Up in the distance I could see a brown line extending from the ground to the sky. I knew it was a "dust devil" but I didn't know how big it was. As I got closer, the thing never moved. It took me about five minutes of riding at 80mph before I was alongside it. This thing was HUGE! It must have been 100-150'' across and maybe 700-900' high. I wish I had stopped and pulled out my camera but I was in a hurry. I watched it in my rear view mirror until I was too far away. It never moved.

 

[Pierre]

A picture = 1000 words

 

[luvtoride]

A picture = 1000 words

That is f'in insane!

 

[Pierre]

A picture = 1000 words

That is f'in insane!

Welcome to Quebec