Weather Imagery

Many joke about how mobile homes and trailer parks always seem to get hit by tornadoes. However, some people truly believe that mobile homes attract tornadoes. The fact is, nothing attracts tornadoes. They form and move based on wind and other meteorological variables, not the type of home on the ground.

The reason people may think tornadoes target mobile homes and trailer parks is that the most damage seems to occur when they do strike these places. Mobile homes and trailers are not securely fastened to their foundations and are usually structurally weak in comparison to well built homes. Even relativley weak tornadoes can cause significant damage as compared to other well-built homes that would otherwise suffer comsemtic damage. Therefore, those inside these mobile homes and trailers have no safe place to hide and as a result, serious injury and death results. The media’s motto then applies; if it bleeds it reads. Damage, death and injuries are the reason why we hear about tornadoes hitting trailer parks with greater frequency than other neighborhoods. Also, there tend to be a greater number of trailer parks in that part of the country which experiences tornadoes on a more frequent basis. It has nothing to do with the structures themselves.

Other Tornado Myths

• Tornadoes Never hit Big Cities?
• Does Opening Windows During a Tornado Help?
• Is The Southwest Corner Safest?
• Do Highway Overpasses Provide Safety?
• Can You Really Outrun a Tornado In a Car?