Oh...now i get it. And everybody in my family has a gable roof. In fact, im pretty sure i have the most tornado secure home in my family (roof design at least). Which comes in real handy in california.
Drawbacks [edit]
Gable end roofs are among the worst roof designs for hurricane regions. Not only do gable roofs easily peel off in hurricane winds, but according to one hurricane survival guide book, a gable end "catches wind like a sail." [this quote needs a citation] When wind flows over a gable roof it behaves much like a wing. Lift is created on the leeward side of the roof. The flatter the roof the more likely this will happen. Steep roofs tend to cause the wind to "stall" as it goes over the roof and breaks up the effect. The addition of a "vertical fin" to low pitched roofs will also help.
I have a gable roof, but we have had one or two small tornadoes in this part of the state in my whole life. High winds around here are like 60 mph, so it's no big deal to have any kind of roof you want. But if you're going to live in a tornado or hurricane prone area, at the very least you should be living in a ranch home with a hip roof, sturdy windows, and brick or some other kind of sheathing that will resist penetration.
When wind flows over a gable roof it behaves much like a wing. Lift is created on the leeward side of the roof. The flatter the roof the more likely this will happen.
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