ARR RAW round-table discussions with motorcycle adventure travellers - featuring Grant Johnson, Sam Manicom, Shirley Hardy-Rix, Brian Rix, Michelle Lamphere and Jim Martin.

RAW LISTENER QUESTIONS: Have a question for the RAW panel? Send it to us here.

Image: Michelle Lamphere

Bad weather can be scary even when you’re close to home, but what about when you’re on a motorcycle trip? How prepared can you be? What are some things you can do to prevent finding yourself in a situation caused by bad or severe weather? And if you can’t do anything to avoid a bad situation, what steps should you take to ensure that you are safe?

Listener Question: Christian Mayes

Image: Grant Johnson - Pan Am Highway, Peru

Image: Grant Johnson - Washed out bridge, Peru

Image: Grant Johnson - River crossing, pipe bridge

Image: Grant Johnson - Newspaper, Peru

Image: Grant Johnson - Mountain road, Peru

Image: Grant Johnson - Pan Am Highway, Peru

Image: Grant Johnson - Sand drifts, Namibia

Image: Grant Johnson - Dust storm, Australia

WEATHER FACTS:
Some weather situations are predictable - through forecasts and sometimes you can see them approaching. According to the National Oceanic & Atmospheric Administration - National Severe Storms Labratory, there are as many as 40,000 thunderstorms every day all around the world, most commonly in the United States. These thunderstorms can cause tornadoes, flooding, lightning and high winds. Tornadoes are rare and unpredictable, and very scary, yet flash floods from thunderstorms kill more people every year than tornadoes, hurricanes or lightning. Tornadoes can have winds up to about 300 mph (482 kph) and will destroy most structures within their path. Hail can get up to the size of softballs causing damage to vehicles and even kill unprotected wildlife. Lightening can strike people and stationary objects such as trees and the ground, and sometimes cause fires. And thunderstorms can produce what is called straight-line winds up to more than 120 mph (193 kph) damaging houses, knocking down trees and power lines.