Weather

The weather was a challenge ranging from thunderstorms, snow, wind, hail and drought on the Oregon Trail. Sometimes in the winter the hail was the size of apples. Hard rains were the worst for the emigrants, because heavy rainfall would damage the canvas cover of wagon and produce mud. The wagon wheels would get stuck causing a delay in the trip. Some of the wagon wheel ruts were as deep as the bottom of the wagon. On some parts of the trail these ruts are still there.

Here are some of the types of problems weather would make for the traveler going west.