Crosss country: Which road & weather

[daannzzz]

So we are going to drive from Northern Virginia to California (Bay Area) in April,Mayor June. It appears the fastest route it I80. How is I70 if we are not in a big hurry? I see it takes about 4.5 days if you stop for the night. We could take 6 nights if we want.
How do you go about monitoring the weather while driving. I don't want to be caught in severe thunder storms or Tornaoes in the mid west.

Thanks.

[glitterkittyy]

Originally Posted by daannzzz

So we are going to drive from Northern Virginia to California (Bay Area) in April,Mayor June. It appears the fastest route it I80. How is I70 if we are not in a big hurry? I see it takes about 4.5 days if you stop for the night. We could take 6 nights if we want.
How do you go about monitoring the weather while driving. I don't want to be caught in severe thunder storms or Tornaoes in the mid west.

Thanks.

I used to drive I70 from Columbus, OH to Illinois about 2-3 times per year. It was always under construction...always! Miles and miles of orange barrels and traffic...even in the evening and overnight!

Have never taken I80 so can't help you there.

And to be honest, April and May are going to have thunderstorms in the midwest. But they aren't that bad. Just slow down or pull off until they're over. You'll be fine!

[golfgal]

It will be rare to see a Tornado that time of year. It isn't like they happen every day either. I live in the midwest and have never seen a tornado nor had any damage done by a tornado.

[daannzzz]

I know. I have watched too many storm chaser programs and the Weather Channel as well.

[3boymthr]

We have driven both roads going out to visit FIL and DH's GM in Indiana. Doesn't seem to matter which way we go we always run into road construction thru PA and OH on both roads. One other thing we have found that the mountain areas on 80 in PA are almost always socked in with fog also. We have had much better luck on I90 which we have taken as far west as Montana, but that's a bit north for you unfortunately. We also took I40 across from CA to KY and didn't ever run into traffic or construction on that road either.

As far as weather most hotels will have the weather channel and mid to higher end hotels will have a open computer you can use to check weather along your route. One thing about the plains you can see miles and miles ahead of you so you know if there is a thurnderstorm ahead. Also if there is a tornado the sky will turn a funny ominous color and you will be able to see the clouds swirling. We saw one this summer the clouds look like this as they form:





along I-40 there are even signs that say "tornado shelter" with arrows which direct you to the nearest shelter. Not sure about I-80 or I 70 but I'm guessing they have similar features.

If you've never driven that route when going thru the Rockies do allow an extra day for drive time just across the mountains. When we drove from thru the mts (out west speeds are as high as 85 MPH in flat rural areas) the drive took a really long time, not because of traffic but because the speeds drop real real low in some of the moutain passes due to the steep grades (5 - 10%).

[FireDancer]

Any freeway in Ohio is under perpetual construction. I think we got a great deal on Orange barrels at one point so we bought them all up and now we feel like we are wasting them if we aren't using them.

I have driven both but not far enough to give you advice on taking them to California.