For those who live along the Gulf of Mexico, and those (like myself) who enjoy playing along the Gulf of Mexico, these are scary and infuriating times. As the criminal oil-spill disaster in the Gulf reaches its fortieth day, with no promising end in sight, it perhaps makes sense that the annual predictions regarding hurricane season have been buried in the news of the day.
Unfortunately, this is news that really should not be ignored. The National Weather Service is predicting a "very aggressive" hurricane season, with the possibility of as many as 14 named hurricanes (vs. a normal six). What's more, the Weather Service forecasts that seven of those storms could reach major hurricane strength (i.e., Category 3 winds); in an average season, that number would be two.
These are not nearly the numbers reached in 2005, when Katrina, Wilma and Rita joined to cause vast amounts of devastation. But they are big enough to deserve some attention. And, with all that oil filling the Gulf, and all of the clean-up work that will have to be done on, in and around the Gulf for years to come, a major hurricane season is not what any of us needs at the moment.
I wish I had some tips on plugging that hole and cleaning up the mess. I don't. But, a little closer to home, I do have some suggestions on simple steps you can take to make your home a little safer this hurricane season. There's no better time than now to do the work. See 3 Tips on Using Your Garage for Hurricane Preparedness.
<p>Photo by Michele Sandusky
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