Why Mobile Homes Are Particularly Vulnerable
Mobile and manufactured homes have a higher surface-area-to-weight ratio than site-built homes, making them more susceptible to wind uplift. Even with tie-down anchoring, the roof-to-wall and wall-to-floor connections in older units are not engineered to resist hurricane-force winds.
The danger compounds because many manufactured home communities are located in coastal or low-lying areas that face compound risks from both wind and flooding. The NHC, FEMA, and virtually every state emergency management agency are unanimous: If a hurricane watch is issued for your area, mobile home residents should evacuate. Not when a warning is issued. When the watch is issued.
Before Hurricane Season: What to Do Now
Know Your Community's Evacuation Plan
Talk to your park manager now — before a storm — to find out the park's official evacuation procedure, whether there is a community shelter designated for park residents, and whether the park will coordinate transportation for residents who cannot self-evacuate.
Register With Your County's Special Needs Registry
If you do not have transportation or have mobility limitations, contact your county emergency management office and register with their Special Needs Registry. This ensures emergency responders know your location and situation before a storm.
Identify a Destination
You need somewhere to go: family or friends in a sturdy, inland structure; a hotel or motel inland (book now; rooms fill quickly when storms threaten); or a public hurricane shelter (check your county's shelter list; pet-friendly shelters are usually separate).
When a Hurricane Watch Is Issued: Leave
A hurricane watch means hurricane conditions are possible within 48 hours. For mobile home residents, this is your trigger to evacuate. Before you leave: turn off electricity at the main breaker and gas at the main valve; secure or bring inside any outdoor furniture, grills, or decorations; take your go-bag with important documents, medications, phone chargers, and cash; and leave early — before traffic builds.
After the Storm: Do Not Return Until Authorized
Do not return to your mobile home until local emergency management authorizes re-entry. Even if your home appears intact from a distance, check for: structural shifting or tilting, roof damage or detachment, utility line damage near the home, and flooding under or inside the unit.
If your home sustained significant damage, do not attempt to live in it until a licensed inspector has cleared it. Document all damage with photos and video before touching anything — this is essential for insurance claims.
Use our Prep Checklist Builder to create a personalized evacuation plan, and check your storm surge zone to understand your specific flood risk.