Mother Nature is no fool, and severe weather isn’t a joke. Although millions of Midwesterners began their Tuesday with traditional Tom Foolery, chaotic storm clouds are taking a stern tone as another chaotic system will bring flash flooding, hail, and tornadoes to the area. Killer weather has become the region’s running cliche and no one is laughing at the gravitas. March went out like a lion in the nation’s heartland as a winter-spring hybrid storm killed seven people from Michigan to Oklahoma following heavy rain, tornadoes, and strong winds. Although residents were left reeling from the blitzkrieg weather pattern, another bout of Midwest and South Tornadoes will threaten 11 million people Tuesday from Texas to Iowa, including the infamous Tornado Alley encompassing Oklahoma, Kansas, and Missouri.
Most tornado fatalities occur in prefabricated mobile homes. Texas has the most mobile homes nationwide with Oklahoma and Kansas not too far behind. Although mobile homes are more economical for cash-strapped Americans, these structures are not firmly anchored to the ground, allowing high winds to easily rip walls and the entire structure off the ground. While panelized safe room kits are an affordable option for permanent brick-and-mortar residences, retrofitting premanufactured inner walls threatens mobile homes’ structural integrity. Our above-ground tornado safe rooms are the better option for mobile home owners short on space. Homeowners can easily position an aboveground safe room outside their trailer near the backdoor, allowing for easy evacuation and shelter.
Why is the Midwest US Known as a Tornado Alley?
Everyone is known for something, no matter how dubious the honor. The Midwestern US is known as Tornado Alley for its propensity for tornadoes and storm damage. Although intrepid residents have made peace with their proximity to danger, wanton disregard for safety is reckless abandon for what matters most. Midwestern residents should always be alert for sudden tornadoes. Above-ground safe rooms complement and reward vigilance with reinforced solid steel paneling and indomitable metal welds. Each US Safe Room panel kit or EF5 tornado shelter can withstand 250-mile-per-hour wind speeds and flying debris.
Why are Tornadoes More Common in the Midwest?
The Midwest is Tornado Alley. Uninterrupted acres of flat land stretch on for miles at the conjunction of colliding cool and warm air masses from the Rockies and the Gulf produce volatile air conditions ripe for tornadoes. Although most tornadoes occur April to June, severe weather and twisters can strike anywhere in every season. Meteorologists believe Tornado Alley is widening to include the Deep South and Mid Atlantic states, placing millions of additional people in harm’s way. Most communities are woefully unprepared for tornadoes. Downplaying the raw data of increasing storms, many townships and residents are too far removed from community tornado shelters or out of earshot from tornado sirens. Take control of your family’s safety. Investing in an above-ground tornado safe room offers continuous protection while increasing your home’s appraisal value. Moreover, tornado shelters cost a fraction of traditional construction without encroaching on traditional living space.
Why are Mobile Homes Dangerous in a Tornado?
Mobile homes are designed with lightweight construction materials, creating an unstable center of gravity during Midwest and South tornadoes. Flying debris can also more easily penetrate thinner walls and door frames, creating a crumpling effect as a mobile home begins to bow inward from cross-shearing winds. Furthermore, mobile homes have weak connection points, inevitably creating an uneasy suspended swaying foundation prone to tipping over. Rescue crews also have more difficulty extracting injured residents from tornado-ravaged homes as the previously erected trailer is reduced to piles of sharp sheet metal.
Are New Mobile Homes Safe in Tornadoes?
Although building technologies are evolving, mobile home residents remain at risk during tornadoes. No mobile home is tornado resistant. Mother Nature doesn’t care about price tag or model year while decimating unanchored communities. Most mobile homes and parks are located in unincorporated areas – miles away from fire departments and first responders – due to uniformed housing ordinances prohibiting mobile home construction. Above-ground safe rooms for mobile homes allows families prompt recourse from life-threatening weather without cashing out your 401(k)s. Midwest and South tornadoes will increase in frequency. Take steps today to ensure continuous steel protection for decades.
