Playa Climate Prediction Center

[CrispyDave]

Just be sure to wear your pith helmet when sleeping. It helps ward off flying coolers and such...

[vapor]

Watch the weather, if it looks sketchy stay at your camp for the first good wind . . . you need to be there to see what fails and fix it or hold it down until you can. Otherwise your camp mates end up doing that for you or worse, your shit blows into other peoples'. Ask for and follow advice if you haven't been in foul weather there before. If you don't know how to tie knots ask someone who does. Ask before attaching your structures to someone else's. Use extra Gorilla tape. Bring more rope, bungees and rebar that you think you'll need. Bring extra poles, wind breaks them. Bring extra attachment thingies (conduit connections, PVC joints, bungees, whatever you use), wind breaks them. Bring an extra tarp, wind tears them up. If it looks weak (like a cheap easy up) it probably is, wind will break it. Bring your bike, no matter what (except for a total mud puddle) a bike is easier than walking long distance.

Mostly, be prepared and responsible for your camp, then don't worry too much, everything works out. There's always doom and gloom rumors about now (not enough art, too many cops, too hot, too cold, etc.) and somehow we still manage to have a great burn.

[tahiti_treat]

At least it won't be -50F ...

ARE YOU SURE?

[CrispyDave]

Watch the weather, if it looks sketchy stay at your camp for the first good wind . . . you need to be there to see what fails and fix it or hold it down until you can. Otherwise your camp mates end up doing that for you or worse, your shit blows into other peoples'. Ask for and follow advice if you haven't been in foul weather there before. If you don't know how to tie knots ask someone who does. Ask before attaching your structures to someone else's. Use extra Gorilla tape. Bring more rope, bungees and rebar that you think you'll need. Bring extra poles, wind breaks them. Bring extra attachment thingies (conduit connections, PVC joints, bungees, whatever you use), wind breaks them. Bring an extra tarp, wind tears them up. If it looks weak (like a cheap easy up) it probably is, wind will break it. Bring your bike, no matter what (except for a total mud puddle) a bike is easier than walking long distance.

Mostly, be prepared and responsible for your camp, then don't worry too much, everything works out. There's always doom and gloom rumors about now (not enough art, too many cops, too hot, too cold, etc.) and somehow we still manage to have a great burn.

Great Advice,

I went out and bought 2 more 4 packs of Straps, 4 extra 100' coils of rope and 16 3' 3/4" rebar on top of my original stuff. Better ready than watching my camp fly off into the fence. A few more bucks towards the 10 days I'm there make me more secure...

[FIGJAM]

Burning Man canceled!

Due to the dry conditions, lake Lahotan blew away in a huge wind storm last night and the whole area does'nt exist anymore.

I could be wrong but I'm not uncertain!!!

[DustyBubbles]

Mostly, be prepared and responsible for your camp, then don't worry too much, everything works out. There's always doom and gloom rumors about now (not enough art, too many cops, too hot, too cold, etc.) and somehow we still manage to have a great burn.

Thanks for this!

[DustyBubbles]

ARE YOU SURE?

Heeeeyyy. Is snack Food Glory Hole your camp?
If so, I would really like to virtually shake your hang. Everyone in my camp really really loved this. Great photo ops as well. It's hillarious how eagar everyone wanted to do this - almost too much really if you think about it. Hmm....

[Ugly Dougly]

Burning Man canceled!

Due to the dry conditions, lake Lahotan blew away in a huge wind storm last night and the whole area does'nt exist anymore.

I could be wrong but I'm not uncertain!!!

No, it's true! I just read about that in The Onion, America's finest news source.

[FIGJAM]

Yup.

NORAD is tracking it and it's passing over Utah.

AntiM can see it from her house.

[skippy3k]

Nothing there has ever been as bad as what I have to deal with here on a daily basis.

Unless I happened to be a porta potty when it goes over....but then again, I deal with shit all day long...so I guess it's a toss up.

[AntiM]

The Salt Lake Valley is full of smoke.... cold be dust.

[mgb327]

Wow, this really is useless. I know all of the veterans on here are just having an amazing time scaring the newbies but, even though this is not my first year going, even im a little nervous. Actually, this thread made me much more nervous. Some of us are really trying to get a better idea as to what we can do in addition to what's already been told of us to do to prepare for DustopoliS. I certainly dont want a newbie's tents flying into my camp or straight into me for that matter. Useless, useless and useless.

Sorry, just a liiiitttllllle cranky today. Pre-playa jitters perhaps?? But, seriously, scaring the newbies for 16 straignt pages really isnt doing anything positive.

There....better.....my OCD is tweakin'.

[FIGJAM]

And now a musical interlude to the playa..........

[Foxfur]

Aww!

[CrispyDave]

[Eric]

But, seriously, scaring the newbies for 16 straignt pages really isnt doing anything positive.

I completely disagree with this statement. Telling the truth for 16 straight pages is letting the newbies know this isn't always a picnic, and that they need to have their shit prepared. The ones who heed it & set up their camps better than they would have otherwise will definitely think it's positive when they get hit with their first white-out and don't have any major failures.

Not all good advice has to be delivered like we're talking to children, and snark is part of the playa.

[maladroit]

I'm terrified but in a good way!

Nearly positive that I need to trick out my car like one of those tornado chaser vehicles and just live in there. I'm bringing a tent and reinforced monkey hut, but don't actually expect it to remain unmolested...my goal will be to tie down everything to the point where if it breaks, it at least stays tied to the ground. Will be soliciting the suggestions of any nearby veterans.

[CrispyDave]

I'm terrified but in a good way!

Nearly positive that I need to trick out my car like one of those tornado chaser vehicles and just live in there. I'm bringing a tent and reinforced monkey hut, but don't actually expect it to remain unmolested...my goal will be to tie down everything to the point where if it breaks, it at least stays tied to the ground. Will be soliciting the suggestions of any nearby veterans.

That is the best idea I have heard all day.....

[Canoe]

But, seriously, scaring the newbies for 16 straignt pages really isnt doing anything positive.

I completely disagree with this statement. Telling the truth for 16 straight pages is letting the newbies know this isn't always a picnic, and that they need to have their shit prepared...

And no one wants shit inappropriate structures, unsecured or inadequately secured structures or equipment, blowing their way and taking out their shelters, vehicles, camp or camp-mates.

Not only can people get hurt when it hurls away from where it was, but people trying to prevent something from completely getting away once it's started to get loose are also at great risk of injury, as parts, large and small, get knocked around or flailed around in the wind.

Take RV/trailer side-awnings. They'll uninstall in surprisingly light winds. This might amuse some watching it uninstall, but those downwind are terrified.
DO NOT sleep, nap or leave your camp while an awning or other playa wind inappropriate structures, equipment or supplies are exposed/deployed/unsecured.

[dj_john69]

keyword of the day is ALPHA. Read about Alpha on the Playa and be ready

[Bob]

I'd at least bring a couple of tent poles in case all that nice PVC fails.

[tahiti_treat]

ARE YOU SURE?

Heeeeyyy. Is snack Food Glory Hole your camp?
If so, I would really like to virtually shake your hang. Everyone in my camp really really loved this. Great photo ops as well. It's hillarious how eagar everyone wanted to do this - almost too much really if you think about it. Hmm....

Sadly not. That's just me receiving my delicious snack. I really really loved it too

[maladroit]

It's always a sausage, isn't it.

[Foxfur]

And no one wants shit inappropriate structures, unsecured or inadequately secured structures or equipment, blowing their way and taking out their shelters, vehicles, camp or camp-mates.

Reminds me, I need to dig out the 50 mil plastic sheeting to make temporary vehicle windows for burners who may suffer damage to theirs.

[maladroit]

I am fitting a piece of plywood to my windshield. I can drive with no side windows at least.

[Ugly Dougly]

They call the wind.... Alpha?

[maladroit]

Gotta watch out for the Alpha wino. Deal with that wino and the rest are nothing.

[Bob]

[Foxfur]

I am fitting a piece of plywood to my windshield. I can drive with no side windows at least.

Maladroit for the win?
And the wino

[RedHeaven]

My buddy just reported this today:

"Pretty much been windy every night and of course dust then. Wind has destroyed some of camp a few times. Vehicle windows got busted by flying plywood/carports a couple times, but only been happening after sunset for a few hours. Lots of smoke from CA fires so its hazy and armageddon looking. Our cranes got cancelled today due to winds but it wasn't really bad, we did all of our lifting with a VR. Our shit is HUGE
Heading out tomorrow. Been riding my bike to the few projects already here, man, temple and pier. BWS is at 10ish between man and esplanade. By us its clear and smooth sailing and by where I have been. hard playa with dunes. The back gate area was pretty rough but no one goes there anyway. "