Quote:
Originally Posted by j-c-c
So that appears to be a case of the bridge "channeling" the ambient air currents to cause the roll over of the rear, likely lightly loaded trailer, that had a reduced air stream to keep it in line while moving vs say the leading trailer ( a flag in the wind is a decent analogy?), and then the bridge abutment became a useful bumper to correct the unfolding accident, and everything was then right with the world, except for changing the drivers underpants? 
Main takeaway, never, never ride alongside a semi.  |
Yes, exactly. The trees are gone alongside the roadway to and from the overpass, forming the channel which provided the 'jet' of air.
Flying the Grand Tetons, our light Cessna 310 regularly encountered katabatic winds descending gorges between mountains, and we'd be blown sideways in the jet of colder, denser air, requiring quite a bit of crabbing at times. With an entire, and wide valley to navigate, it wasn't an issue.