The Weather Service says. . .

[valcas1]

I Might have to try a a real life experiment with my 10 year old son in the truck this weekend.

It will give us a chance to try out his new sleeping bag and AMK bivy bag. I can hang a thermometer on the review mirror and take temp. throughout the night. We will be safely in the drive way so if he gets cold he can always run inside. I will let everyone know how it goes if it goes down. Could actually be fun father and son time.

Will also see how a candle in the truck effects temp. Stay tuned for the results.

Paul

 

[BlackHills]

The problem with leaving your car can often be the wind. In North Dakota where there is a lot of flat open country, storms are usually combined with strong winds. I mean like 40-60 miles an hour are common. Combine this with tempatures often far below Zero and you won't last but minutes. You will also most likely not be able to see more tan a foot or so with the white outs. Many people up here die during storms trying to walk blindly into a storm. Some die in their cars as well but you stand the best chance with the car. This is just not a good place to travel in the winter time. When we go we take several sleeping bags and a big thermos or two of hot water and some food.

Exactly. Once you get outside of the vehicle you're in the elements, inside you're protected from them. If it's very bad outside there's also the risk of becoming disoriented and getting separated from the vehicle.

There's something else to take into consideration regarding the Weather Service's advice; most of us know how to build a snow cave but it's not something the average person has the slightest clue about.

 

[Watchful]

Some outstanding advice so far.

My additions--

A car is vastly better as a shelter than anything you can build in the field. It's extremely windproof, and the seats are way more comfortable (and warmer!) for sleeping.

Yes, a car is a poor insulator. But once the snow piles up on the windows and top, it's better than an igloo.

If using a candle, crack a window or pop open the door for a few seconds every couple of hours to reventilate the car.

Don't run the car if you can help it. Turn off the car to save gas. When it gets so cold inside the car you start shivering uncontrollably, turn it on and let the heater do its thing...

...and once you no longer see your breath, the interior is warm enough. Turn it back off! This way you don't have to check the exhaust pipe every hour.

Each time you go out to pee or get snow to melt into water, you're going to let all the heat out of the car. So NOW is a good time to check the tail pipe and clear it off, ensure the car is still visible to rescue workers, that the damn door still opens with drifting, etc. Do all your outdoor activities at once so you conserve heat inside the car.

 

[Boats]

SNIP

There's something else to take into consideration regarding the Weather Service's advice; most of us know how to build a snow cave but it's not something the average person has the slightest clue about.

Then we definitely need the following disclaimer:

The Bladeforums.com's W&SS subforum consensus opinion is:

IF YOU DON'T KNOW WHAT YOU ARE DOING AWAY FROM YOUR STRANDED VEHICLE--STAY WITH YOUR CAR DUMBASS! (One of us just might be voluntarily looking for you).

 

[Watchful]

This thread has stuck with cold weather.

What about when it's 120-degrees F, and your car dies out in the desert?

Stay or go? I have some opinions myself:

- You'll go through gas faster with air conditioning than you will using the heater in cold weather. Open the windows on the shady side of the car, and turn the car off.

- If your battery died, open the doors on the shady side.

- If the sun is oppressively hot, open something on the sunny side of the car, ideally at a different height so that you get a little breeze inside the car when possible.

- A blanket can be used to block sunlight out of the car. Without it, you might need to start thinking about using floor mats to block out the sun off the windshield. Or that weird carpet from your trunk that hides the spare. Which also makes a good sun blanket for yourself!

- Floor mats can also be put down on the ground, if you want to sit in the shade alongside your car.

- Try to orient your car (push it if you have to) so that the sunlight is minimized. Try to get the sun to shine on the smaller side windows rather than beat down on the windshield.

- If you can't, raising the hood or trunk can help block sunlight from searing the interior of your car.

- Remember that a car is easier to find from the road or from the air than you are! Don't wander too far from your base!

- At night, some of the aforementioned winter tips are good to know even if you never see snow where you live!

- If you're there for a long haul, do your water exploration at dawn and dusk when it's cooler, and try to stay still in the shade of your open car during the day to rest.

- Car mirrors can signal as well as any other mirror.