Mobile/Manufactured Homes & Severe Weather What are the implications? Linda Gilbert Meteorologist, NWS Louisville

Severe Thunderstorm Warnings 60+ MPH: Expect wind damage to roofs, siding & trees. 70+ MPH: Wind damage is also likely to mobile homes, roofs, & outbuildings. Tornado Warnings Mobile homes will be damaged or destroyed. If in a mobile home…move to the closest substantial shelter…. National Weather Service Warnings

Numerous studies show how dangerous it is to be in a mobile or manufactured home during severe weather, particularly tornadoes. Mobile homes have been widely recognized as a contributing factor in U.S. tornado fatalities. Brooks and Doswell (2002) found that the average annual death rate in mobile homes was approximately 20 times higher than in permanent homes. Ashley (2007) discovered that mobile homes (44%) were the most common location for tornado fatalities from 1985 to 2005, followed by permanent homes (25.3%) and vehicles (9.9%). This disparity is more striking when considering that mobile homes accounted for a mere 5%–8% of U.S. housing units…. Why the mention in warnings?

Numerous studies show how dangerous it is to be in a mobile or manufactured home during severe weather, particularly tornadoes. Mobile homes have been widely recognized as a contributing factor in U.S. tornado fatalities. Brooks and Doswell (2002) found that the average annual death rate in mobile homes was approximately 20 times higher than in permanent homes. Ashley (2007) discovered that mobile homes (44%) were the most common location for tornado fatalities from 1985 to 2005, followed by permanent homes (25.3%) and vehicles (9.9%). This disparity is more striking when considering that mobile homes accounted for a mere 5%–8% of U.S. housing units…. Why the mention in warnings?

Unsafe At Any (Wind) Speed? by: Schmidlin, T., et al. (2002) The Vulnerability of Mobile Home Residents in Tornado Disasters by: Chaney, P. & Weaver, G. (2010) Recommended Reads

Tornado fatalities in mobile/manufactured homes in 2012: Kentucky - 82% (18 out of 22) Nationwide - nearly 71% Lets Talk Statistics

EF Number3 Second Gust (mph) 0 (weak) (weak) (strong) (strong) (violent) (violent)Over 200 Enhanced Fujita (EF) Scale

Marion County EF-0, 30 January 2013

BULLETIN - EAS ACTIVATION REQUESTED TORNADO WARNING NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE LOUISVILLE KY 512 PM EDT FRI MAY THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN LOUISVILLE HAS ISSUED A * TORNADO WARNING FOR... EASTERN MADISON COUNTY IN EAST CENTRAL KENTUCKY... EASTERN MADISON COUNTY IN EAST CENTRAL KENTUCKY... * UNTIL 530 PM EDT... * AT 512 PM EDT...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR INDICATED A SEVERE THUNDERSTORM CAPABLE OF PRODUCING A TORNADO NEAR WACO... MOVING EAST AT 50 MPH. THUNDERSTORM CAPABLE OF PRODUCING A TORNADO NEAR WACO... MOVING EAST AT 50 MPH. * OTHER LOCATIONS IN THE WARNING INCLUDE BUT ARE NOT LIMITED TO COMBS AND BYBEE PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS... THE SAFEST PLACE TO BE DURING A TORNADO IS UNDER A WORK BENCH OR OTHER PIECE OF STURDY FURNITURE IN A BASEMENT. IF NO BASEMENT IS AVAILABLE...SEEK SHELTER ON THE LOWEST FLOOR OF THE BUILDING IN AN INTERIOR HALLWAY, BATHROOM, OR CLOSET. USE BLANKETS OR PILLOWS TO COVER YOUR BODY. AVOID WINDOWS.

Madison & Garrard Counties EF-3, 8 May 2009

Mobile Home DamageSingle Family Home Damage

Eastbrook Mobile Home Park suffered extreme damage Tornado occurred around 2am C.J.s Law: Named for two-year-old C.J. Martin, one of the fatalities, & spearheaded by his mother, Kathryn Signed into Indiana law by IN Governor Mitchell Daniels in 2007 Mandates NOAA Weather Radios in all new & relocated manufactured housing within manufactured communities Evansville, IN F-3, 6 November 2005

Close call as an EF-1 tornado (~90 mph) touched down in nearby Newburgh, IN Many Eastbrook residents fled People didnt want to take chances this time Geri Doughty, 46, said her home felt like a basketball being dribbled low and fast in As of early 2012, the mobile home park still lacks a tornado shelter Sought shelter in nearby hospital, under an overpass (very dangerous!), & wherever the closest shelter was that they could find Evansville, IN 29 February 2012

Tornado Safety Put as many walls & floors between you & the tornado as possible. Put as many walls & floors between you & the tornado as possible.

Tornado Safety Put as many walls & floors between you & the tornado as possible. Put as many walls & floors between you & the tornado as possible. If you have a basement, use it! If you have a basement, use it! Clear out interior closets so that they may be used as shelter. Clear out interior closets so that they may be used as shelter. Evacuate any mobile homes & seek sturdy shelter! Evacuate any mobile homes & seek sturdy shelter!

Tornado Safety Put as many walls & floors between you & the tornado as possible. Put as many walls & floors between you & the tornado as possible. If you have a basement, use it! If you have a basement, use it! Clear out interior closets so that they may be used as shelter. Clear out interior closets so that they may be used as shelter.

Tornado Safety Put as many walls & floors between you & the tornado as possible. Put as many walls & floors between you & the tornado as possible. If you have a basement, use it! If you have a basement, use it! Clear out interior closets so that they may be used as shelter. Clear out interior closets so that they may be used as shelter. Evacuate any mobile homes & seek sturdy shelter! Evacuate any mobile homes & seek sturdy shelter!

It is important for residents of mobile/manufactured homes: to have a severe weather plan in place to have a severe weather plan in place Bottom Line

It is important for residents of mobile/manufactured homes: to have a severe weather plan in place to have easy access to safe shelter during severe weather, particularly tornadoes to have easy access to safe shelter during severe weather, particularly tornadoes Bottom Line

It is important for residents of mobile/manufactured homes: to have a severe weather plan in place to have easy access to safe shelter during severe weather, particularly tornadoes to be aware of impending hazardous weather to be aware of impending hazardous weather Bottom Line

It is important for residents of mobile/manufactured homes: to have a severe weather plan in place to have easy access to safe shelter during severe weather, particularly tornadoes to be aware of impending hazardous weather to have a NOAA Weather Radio, especially when severe weather is expected to occur overnight to have a NOAA Weather Radio, especially when severe weather is expected to occur overnight Bottom Line

It is important for residents of mobile/manufactured homes: to have a severe weather plan in place to have a severe weather plan in place to have easy access to safe shelter during severe weather, particularly tornadoes to have easy access to safe shelter during severe weather, particularly tornadoes to be aware of impending hazardous weather to be aware of impending hazardous weather to have a NOAA Weather Radio, especially when severe weather is expected to occur overnight to have a NOAA Weather Radio, especially when severe weather is expected to occur overnight Bottom Line

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