Last night we had a severe rain storm with unusually high wind which blew off the roof and top board of my hive. I had just done a hive check and added the honey flow super so the bees had not had time to reseal the top board with propolis. The interior definitely got wet but there has not been any more rain today. Would the rain have ruined the honey and other stores in the lower box? If not, is there anything I need to do to help it dry out more quickly?
No, but you may have some chilled brood which could cause chalk brood over the next couple of weeks. I suggest you inspect the brood box in one to two weeks and tell/photo what you see. We can advise further at that point.
Weigh the lid down with a heavy item, or better still, consider a ratcheting strap. We have used one on our Flow hive for nearly a year, and it hasn’t damaged the roof. If the bees can ventilate, they can mostly dry it out for you. You might also put the coreflute slider into the lower slot in the bottom board for a day or two to let any water drip out.
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Hi Pam,
Yah crap happens n we grit our teeth. We learn from our Boo Boos. It’s all in a learning curve. Dawn had done a great job of covering the issues here !
I’ve been able to keep all my lids in with larger bricks ! I work with a commercial beekeeper and one of his apiaries is in a Wind Tunnel area near our Cascade where winds rush down thru the east to west Mtn gaps at Gale speed. A double brick has kept the hives intact. The straps n ratchet hooks might help but the weight is a MUST 
As the stack of boxes rises so does the hive exposure to the elements n wind.
Here’s the windy bee yard … Even the insulating white foam stayed n we experience wind near 60 to 70 mph this winter on local Wx wind instruments several time. So far the tops/lids stayed on (knock on wood)…
Good luck n don’t panic !
Gerald
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The bees and hive parts will be fine. Check in a few days for eggs to make sure the queen didn’t get killed during the event.
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