Climate change could be risky for mobile home owners, new research suggests. Extreme weather related to the Earth's warming may increase in the coming decades. And that would up the risk for life-threatening tornadoes and significant property damage for those living in mobile homes, researchers said. "If the climatologists are right about the continuing effects of climate change, then people living in mobile homes could be particularly vulnerable to tornadoes in the years to come," said study co-author Mark Skidmore, an economics professor at Michigan State University. There are currently about 9 million mobile homes in the United States — a dramatic increase over the past 60 years, the researchers said. Tornadoes are already common in the United States, but scientists predict climate change will make these storms even more prevalent. For the study, the researchers analyzed data on tornadoes that occurred in the United States between 1980 and 2014. During that time, there were 2,447 tornado-related deaths, mainly in the Midwest and Southeast, also known as "tornado alley." There were, on average, 150 tornadoes in Texas each year, 80 in Kansas and 64 in Oklahoma. Florida, which has more mobile homes than any other state, had an average of 61 annual tornadoes, the researchers reported.
Climate change is an increasing danger for mobile homeowners in the US, where there has been a big increase to about 9 million mobile homeowners over the past few decades. They are particularly vulnerable to the rising number of tornadoes and scientists predict that climate change will make these storms more common. Federal, state and local policymakers have been asked to consider alternative housing to reduce vulnerability for those living in this type of housing. Between 1980 and 2014 there were 2,447 tornado-related deaths in the US. On average there are about 150 tornadoes in Texas every year and 80 in Kansas.