Wednesday, June 1, 2011

Hurricane Season

Today marks the official beginning of the Atlantic hurricane season.

For those of use who reside on the East coast of the United States, it marks the beginning of six months of wondering whether or not this will be the year of the next big storm. 

I've lived in Charleston for over 7 years now.  So far I've been lucky.  There have been a few near misses, and several tropical depressions, but so far I've been lucky in that I haven't had to experience the impact and aftermath of a major hurricane.

With each passing year, they say we're overdue.  It's been over 20 years since Hurricane Hugo landed in Charleston, and although at the time I lived over and hour and a half inland, I still remember that day.  I was still in high school, and we were released from school early.  Fortunately, we were spared any major damage where I lived, but the coastal area were not so lucky.

I am thankful that while hurricanes such as Hugo, Andrew, and Katrina equal disaster and ruined lives, at least they do not come without some warning.  For me personally, the tornadoes which have been popping up recently all over the country scare me even more.  The unexpected blink of an eye aspect is terrifying.

Here's hoping that we all make it safely through November 30 with no major storms.  But if we are in fact faced with the threat, I hope that people act prudently and take the necessary precautions so that the damage is limited to things that can be replaced.

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