The UK has great weather, sometimes. Other times it can feel like a hurricane buffeting your caravan, in an attempt to push it over onto its roof, let alone the slightly more delicate awning being ripped from its guy ropes.
So, the ‘best’ awning for windy conditions depends on a number of factors. First of all, whether it is rated to cover certain wind speeds. Second, whether you have added storms straps or extra guy ropes, or potentially even storm poles.
You might think that a newer, more expensive awning with a strong storm strap would do the job – but that’s not necessarily the case! We took a look at a number of popular awnings to see how they faired in not particularly fair weather. Unfortunately, it was difficult to test in strong winds due to the timing of when we had the products, so we haven’t reviewed them here yet.
Does it have a safety warning or wind limit?
However, some awnings come with safety warnings about wind speed, so if you already have an awning, it pays to find if yours has a warning.
I don’t think I’ve seen a specific awning for windy conditions being advertised. Maybe that’s because they can be act like a huge parachute if the wind catches it in the wrong way.
What about storm poles?
Storm poles can give extra vertical support and stability to your awning. Many are adjustable, come with clamps and feet for securing into soft ground. These can help, and anecdotal evidence suggests they work well, however it will still depend on how the awning is setup and positioning.
In Conclusion
At the end of the day (or a sleepless night), if you’re worried about your awning surviving the wind, it’s best to take it down until it (the weather) blows over. It’s better safe than sorry, especially with the cost of some awnings.
If it was me, and I was aware there were winds above 30mph, I’d take down the awning before hitting the sack.