Hurricanes and the Next 40 Years

[Sammie]

There is an article this month in Popular Mechanics about the Myths of Hurricane Katrina.

One myth: "This was a once in a lifetime event." Mayor Nagin

"According to the National Hurricane Center in Miami the Atlantic is in a cycle of heightened hurricane activity due to higher sea surface temperatures and other factors. The cycle could last 40 years, during which time the US can expect to be hit by dozens of Katrina size storms. Policy makers and residents need to start seeing hurricanes as routine weather events and not once in a lifetime anomalies"

Maybe time for me to relocate.

 

[Seahunt]

Yuck - I sure hate to think of years of hurricane dread.

We have added some hurricane shutters ($$$!), bought a generator, etc., but I guess there's no real protection against a Katrina/Andrew size storm

We really don't want to relocate - look at the snowstorm up north today!

 

[Sammie]

Yuck - I sure hate to think of years of hurricane dread.

We have added some hurricane shutters ($$$!), bought a generator, etc., but I guess there's no real protection against a Katrina/Andrew size storm

We really don't want to relocate - look at the snowstorm up north today![/QUOTE]

I was thinking the Southwest, Arizonia is looking real good.

 

[RuddClan]

Southwest - Earthquakes????

 

[Aurora63]

I will probably never relocate from Florida, even with the hurricanes...I love it too much here. That being said, I think I wouldn't mind moving back to Tallahassee...it's the one part of the state that has rarely, if ever, had to deal with a direct impact of a major storm. In the eight years I lived there, the worst we had was Opal, and that was a glancing blow.

But then, it only takes one storm...you really aren't without risk anywhere in this state.

We can only hope for the best, and be prepared for the worst.

 

[debabe723]

Southwest - Earthquakes????

We don't have Earthquakes in the Southwest (AZ, NM). We just have heat but it's easy enough to deal with (A/C in the home, office, mall and cars). I moved here from CA to get away from the Earthquakes LOL.

 

[Feralpeg]

That is why I live in Central Florida. Yes, we still get hit by the hurricanes, but they don't have the same punch they have along the coast and we don't have to worry about storm surge.

 

[Sylvester McBean]

I went to arizona state and loved living in the southwest. but I need to be somewhere near the gulf or the ocean. I'll deal with the hurricanes. we moved from a part of the country where you dealt with tornado season. you've got to take the good with the bad.

 

[jackskellingtonsgirl]

Funny, we were just talking about moving TO Florida!

Here we have tornadoes, and we also have hail. My mom had BASEBALL size hail ruin her roof and her A/C units. She kept some of the hailstones in her freezer in case the insurance guy wanted to see them. Hello? Every house in the neighborhood had comparable damage!

Several years ago there were people killed by hail in Ft. Worth. They were at an outdoor festival and the storm came up very quickly.

No matter where you are, chances are there is some sort of natural disaster that can get you.

 

[Valentine]

And people wonder why us in the INsurance industry are thinking of switching careers! .. This is a very believable statement... and places that have never been hit by hurricanes like Katrina will be more susceptible(sp?) to them. McDonalds here I come.. would you like fries with that?

Kathy

 

[Taqwus]

One good thing about hurricanes though is we see them coming about 4 days in advance. It really doesnt bother me that we are going into a busy season. I live in New Orleans and was effected by Katrina, but that was a risk I accepted when I decided to stay here

 

[Sammie]

I think it will be interesting to watch and see if affects the Seasons at Disney. I personally think you will see increase in attendance during nonHurricane season.

 

[C.Ann]

We (DD, her DH, my DGD & I) will be going to Disney this year.. We toyed with the idea of November (but if we went early, that would mean missing out on the Christmas decorations) and then thought about the rain we had day after day after day after day when we went for 2 weeks in Sept. 2001.. Considering the hurricane season was still hanging around in Nov. this year, we have opted for early December..

Now watch - it will be the coldest December ever recorded - LOL...

 

[momof2inPA]

If hurricanes will be routine, I think they need to re-structure the government backed flood insurance. I don't want my taxes to rebuild beach houses year in and year out. Either the premiums need to go way up, or there needs to be a one time or two time limit to collect, and then the owners would be on their own. I know it's harsh, but there's a reason people didn't build their homes on beaches and flood plains for years, and if you choose to ignore those reasons, you should absorb the risk.

 

[AmazingGrace]

When we were going through Katrina, I was alone with three kids, while my hubby was in Cuba. I never felt so helpless to protect my kids ever. And to hear them talk about whether or not they would have a home...
I don't think we can ever go through that again. I could never put my kids through that again. I love the coast, but I can't see ever feeling comfortable there again. Katrina definitely ruined it for me.

 

[Disney Doll]

You know, we were talking about this tonight at dinner at my DSIL's house.

We live in southwestern CT, about an hour north of NYC. To be honest, we generally don't have terrible extremes of weather.

We have had a couple of hurricanes in my lifetime, but nothing anywhere near the magnitude of what Florida and the Gulf Coast has had this year. We get snow, but even if it is what they would call a "blizzard", we are inconvenienced for maybe a day as far as being able to go anywhere, and then it gets plowed. We get an occasional serious ice storm, and generally have a couple of icy mornings every winter.Summer we get rain and thiunderstorms, but still not thunder & lightning like I have seen down south or in the midwest (St.Louis area).

In general, we seem to get milder versions of all the bad weather.

 

[RuddClan]

I'll take the risk, I'm hoping to relocate to Florida from the UK soon. Anyone need a Math teacher. (Please!)

 

[Talking Hands]

Yuck - I sure hate to think of years of hurricane dread.

We have added some hurricane shutters ($$$!), bought a generator, etc., but I guess there's no real protection against a Katrina/Andrew size storm

We really don't want to relocate - look at the snowstorm up north today!

Katrina was not an Andrew size storm when it hit land. It was at most a Cat 3. A really bad storm but Andrew was a Cat 5 when it hit land. The reason Katrina did more damage was how large it was. Andrew was a very tight storm, while Katrina was very spread out.
Our home survived Andrew btw as well as Wilma.

 

[Talking Hands]

I'll take the risk, I'm hoping to relocate to Florida from the UK soon. Anyone need a Math teacher. (Please!)

Try Miami-Dade County Public Schools. We need teachers in all subjects it seems.

 

[RuddClan]

I have tried there, thanks and I know they are looking for Math teachers. The only problem is the visa issues. It's ongoing.