Driving When It’s Windy on Mountain Roads Involves Preparation
Have you ever driven on narrow winding roads in the mountains? What about driving on those same roads when it’s windy?
If you have, you’ll probably agree it requires a little getting used to. Often, one car comfortably passes at a time on some roads with two-way traffic. But it’s doable. People up here do it all the time!
When it’s really windy though, even local mountain residents pay attention and use caution. Which is why driving when it’s windy in the mountains requires some forethought.
Santa Ana Winds
Having lived a long time in Southern California, I know the wrath of the Santa Ana winds. They can whip up gusts that register over 50 mph even in the city. But the wider, well-lit roads in the city flatlands don’t exist in many areas of the mountains.
Where we have our primary house, you’d easily find four lanes on any main street. Despite that, driving when it’s windy can still feel pretty dramatic. For example, debris such as palm tree fronds do fly around and straight at you on occasion. However, with multiple lanes, you’d have more options to swerve the car away from debris cluttering the road.
Not the case in the steep hills of the mountain towns. Or even the winding highway that brings you up and down the mountain. You have less lane options if any at all. And pine and oak tree branches, not palm tree fronds go whooshing around.
Alerts from the Electricity Company Due to High Winds
This fall, the wind gusts in our mountain town prompted multiple alerts from Southern California Edison. This occurred repeatedly much of November and into December. They look something like this:
“Safety Alert:
Due to forecast fire weather conditions, Southern California Edison is exploring a potential Public Safety Power Shutoff of electrical lines in portions or all of zip code…These conditions may result in SCE turning off your power. SCE anticipates this may occur within 48 hours though it may occur earlier or later depending on actual weather conditions. We encourage you to prepare by having an outage plan and emergency kit. SCE will send daily updates until conditions improve. For more information, please visit sce.com/psps. Downed power line? Stay away, call 911, and SCE at…”
Downed power lines, rocks, tree branches, even downed trees themselves caused by strong winds can obstruct the road you’re driving on. Hence the importance of being prepared. And I have some tips that will help you!
Below are 9 Vital Tips You Need to Know About Driving When It’s Windy
#1 Know the weather conditions before driving when it’s windy
Use reliable weather apps and check them daily. Since owning our mountain cottage and living in it more than part-time, I have learned to check several weather apps consistently everyday.
One app I like to use is called Windy as it specifies with graphics the origin of the winds and gusts. It has been pretty accurate so far.
We monitored the weather closely this fall because we were having work done on and around the cottage exterior. These winterization projects required completion before the rains and snow arrived. But we were also frequently traveling between our home and our cottage so knowing the weather conditions was vital to me.
This winter, La Niña has so far brought dry weather patterns so we did end up beating the rains and snow (although rain and snow eventually arrived). But the winds have been relentless.
#2 Know your car and how it handles especially how it drives in windy conditions
We are four drivers so far in our family. So among the four of us, we use two of our cars to travel to the cottage. We leave our little electric non-all-wheel drive car home.
When we acquired the cottage, we also purchased two used all-wheel drive cars shortly after. Very shortly after. Like the next day for one of them. We returned one of our leased cars the week after the cottage purchase. So the timing worked out nicely with the lease expiration lining up with the close of escrow.
About a month after, we traded in the sedan our son drove for the second all-wheel drive vehicle. We have utilized both cars frequently and are getting to know how they handle on the mountain roads.
So far we’re pleased. But we do realize the bigger one with the larger engine has more power (of course). But the smaller one handles on the mountain roads a little better. And gratefully, with cautious driving, we have been fine driving both cars in windy conditions.
#3 Know the areas and roads that are prone to high wind gusts
Time and experience on the mountain may be your best teacher for this one.
But I believe you can still learn so much from the locals if you pay close attention. You’ll start to recognize streets or stretches of highway that residents mention again and again on the social media sites. They warn of areas to avoid because of rocks blocking the road or frequent accidents in some spots.
Often my mountain neighbors use nicknames for certain areas of town or terminology unfamiliar to newbies like me. But I look up those terms and variations of them on Google and Google Maps and often figure it out. For example, I discovered where “the narrows” is by doing a search on the Internet.
Wind gusts are more frightening because they seem to just come on without warning. Occasionally, your outdoor furniture pillows fly off your deck if you don’t bring them inside. But pillows, I think you’d agree, pose more of a benign threat than big trucks, trailers and RVs.
Try to steer clear of these big rigs while driving in high winds but especially in gusty areas. You don’t want to be driving when it’s windy beside one for long stretches. If they’re unstable with a strong gust of wind, they may veer off the road or topple over!
#4 Sign up to mountain communities social media that keeps residents informed of road conditions
Even when I’m in the city, I check regularly for any news on these social media sites. Partly I’m curious and still learning weather patterns, especially how they affected the side of the mountain of our cottage location. But mostly, I’m amused and impressed at how people want to be helpful or be the first to report an issue. Either way, the information is useful as others comment with updates as they happen.
Especially before we drive up or down the mountain, my routine goes somewhat like this. I check Google Maps first to get a general sense of how the drive will be. If it suggests I take alternate routes, I consider those options as well. Then I log into the social media community groups to get more mountain-specific traffic information.
Between these sources I feel pretty informed and prepared to hit the road keeping in mind all the other tips mentioned.
#5 Anticipate wind-blown rocks and other debris to block your path and be prepared to stop
As I mentioned earlier in this post, fallen debris commonly occurs during and after strong winds. Expect it. Particularly when you are turning a blind corner and a fallen tree greets you without warning.
Anticipating to find debris, you should already be driving at a cautious speed. You would also be alert to objects on the road that shouldn’t be there and would be prepared to stop or swerve when safe.
If you need to drive early in the morning, expect the roads to not be cleared yet after a night of winds. So be extra mindful of what you may discover.
Knowing areas notorious for accidents or where there is a history of land or rock slides would be beneficial. Avoid them if you’re driving when it’s windy.
#6 Expect road closures and know alternate routes
Crafting a Plan B plays a part of life up in the mountains. Especially for expected and unexpected road closures. And more importantly, you’ll need to learn alternate routes.
I highly recommend though to check out your chosen alternate routes during good weather. You may not add it your Plan B list after you’ve checked it out. But maybe Plan C or D instead.
One time we tried an alternate route and got completely lost. We eventually found our way back to the main road but I would not be able to recreate our path. And the weather was perfectly clear when we attempted that route.
I just remember the road was circuitous and loosely followed the route as shown on the map. On top of that, the road narrowed considerably with steep hills. I didn’t pick that up on the map. Needless to say, that is one alternate route I would use only during desperate circumstances.
Since then I’ve gotten better at studying the map and coming up with several routes. I just need to bear in mind that maps are one dimensional and mountain roads are not.
#7 Don’t speed. Period.
Even if you’re fully aware of the weather, know how your car handles in windy conditions, there’s no debris to block your path and roads are open, don’t speed anyway. You don’t want to push your luck or anyone else’s. That’s just a basic rule.
For example, one area along the highway at the bottom half of the mountain repeatedly gets mentioned during accidents. All the time, it seems. That area, I realized, doesn’t have switchbacks. The road stretches straight ahead for maybe a quarter of a mile tempting drivers to speed during all types of weather conditions.
In the last couple of weeks, local residents have uploaded photos of overturned cars and trucks on the highway attributed to the drivers going too fast. They don’t shy away from making known their grievance about speeding drivers on social media.
Speeding when it’s windy or snowing or raining or any other inclement or good weather is just not cool up here.
#8 Own an electric car? Have a Plan B.
Do I sounds like a broken record? Plan B. It’s a way of life up here.
As I mentioned earlier, the electricity company proactively turns off power service as needed in California. They do this to prevent potential fires from downed power lines. It might affect your area so have a Plan B if you own an electric car.
I guess technically, you wouldn’t even be driving in the wind if your electric car were not charged.
What’s Plan B? Anticipate the planned power outage and charge your vehicle before it. If you own no other car, perhaps you need to consider investing in a generator especially if the power outage is for an extended period of time.
There are plenty of Tesla cars in the mountains but along with it in the driveway usually sits another reliable source of transportation that is not fully electric. As far as charging stations go, make sure you do your homework and know where they are. I believe car apps provide that valuable information as well. You may be lucky that a charging location may be in an area not affected by a planned or unexpected power outage.
#9 Stay home
If the weather conditions are so bad that it just doesn’t make sense to risk driving, then don’t. Listen to your gut instincts on this one.
Or at least wait until conditions improve enough for you to feel confident about getting on the road. If you followed the first tip, you should already have a good idea of when the wind will die down enough for you to feel safe to drive.
These are 9 Vital Tips You Need to Know About Driving When It’s Windy
Those who live in the mountains full-time drive in inclement weather of all kinds on the steep and winding roads. I don’t exaggerate by claiming they do it all the time. But they also know when to hunker down at home until the inclement weather passes.
For those of us who don’t live in the mountains full-time, these vital tips are helpful for driving when it’s windy. And how to prepare for it.
Safe driving, everyone!
