After studying 60 years of climatological data from the National Weather Service’s Storm Prediction Center, Purdue University researchers discovered most tornadoes touch down in what are called “transition zones,” areas where the topography changes dramatically, as in forests to open plains, or from tall urban buildings to farmland. Co-author of the study, Indiana state climatologist Dev Niyogi, says tornadoes in urban areas typically touchdown one to ten miles from city center; and manufactured housing communities (MHCs) are frequently just beyond city limits in open fields, according to cbslocal.com out of Chicago. Niyogi informs MHProNews.com city planners of the future need to consider these transition zones when laying out large-scale developments. ##

(Photo credit: us.com–tornado shelter)