Wind and the Yurt

[Bob Rowlands]

We had 101 mph wind here about 1.5 weeks ago. That's the new record at the AFA, about a mile west of us. We've lived here for 21 years and had many heavy winds, but nothing as strong or sustained as that. Glad I had no yurt up or for certain it would have been destroyed. My son texted me early in the day and said, 'high wind expected you better remove the cover from your wall tent.' Good thing he did, that tent would have been a goner.

I actually lean/walked/stumbled out to my little barn shed during a lull when the wind was maybe 70 mph. I could feel the wall vibrating. Ultimately there was no damage at all. Amazingly I didn't even lose a shingle. That it survived this storm without a hitch is a testament to how solidly I built it, and the

yurt platform

it sits on.

Anyway on to my reason for making this post. As a broad generalization, the intensity of storms is increasing. Anyone that lives in a high wind area-which is dang near everywhere in the western U.S.- and invests real money in a commercially made yurt, should definitely consider getting their 'stud under rafter' kit. Anchor both sides solidly to the rafter and to the deck with appropriate construction hardware specifically designed for that application. I also anchored the yurt wall to the platform using ell brackets I made from mild strap steel. They solidly attach the lowest lath cross bolt to the deck. There's 'no way' I would ever just set the yurt on the platform without anchoring it.

[Jafo]

I agree with the wind kit. Most of the time it is packaged together with a snow kit too. My yurt has 48 studs. Each are bracketed to the rafters and the deck. The walls are screwed to the skirt too.

[skihuckster]

My yurt (which has a wind kit) took on winds at least that strong in said event 1.5w ago (mine is W and S of AFA) and I lost the

dome

(just made a post asking for advice) but the wind kit kept it in one place. I did notice that about half of the stud to rafter connections shifted out of plumb (slid along the compression wire) by up to an inch or two. Otherwise it is strong.

How strong?

The wind managed to, IN ONE GUST, snap two wire cables, a lifter rod, two springs from the

dome

connections and carry the dome 100' away

How strong?

The valence at the windward side was flipped up. I can't flip the valance up with my own power and I had to loosen the tensioning rope just to turn it right-side out

How strong?

In 40 mph winds, I can't pull a tarp that is pressed against the outer wall away but inside the yurt you can't tell anything is going on

Not bad for a "tent". Now if I can figure out how to get my dome to survive winds like that...

[industriousfamily]

We’ve had some major wind gusts probably over 60 mph. It is so loud. I am glad we have the wind kit.

[Bob Rowlands]

HA! How about that! And here I thought I had the only yurt in Colorado Springs.

If you are sw of the Academy are you below Blodgett Peak up in Peregrine 1 or 2? Mountain Shadows? By flying w ranch? There's a chance I might have carpentered on your house since I worked up there since 1983. Possibly twice if you lost it in the 2012 fire. Who was your builder?

[skihuckster]

further south and west...wet mountains. But often subject to the same weather as the springs, wind especially.

[Bob Rowlands]

You're down in the banana belt. ha