Over the past weekend, August 1 & 2nd 2020, I looked at my phone for a National Hurricane Center update:
“Tropical Storm Isaias May Become a Hurricane.”
I sat there dreaming…
“What if it really speeds up?”
I checked my handy note card: Category 1, 74-95 miles per hour; Category 2, 96-110 miles per hour. I recalled Francis and Jeanne and Wilma.
In spite of the news reports, Isaias did not speed up. The storm didn’t even come ashore. There was no rain.
Early this morning my husband, Ed, drank his coffee. Our eyes met. “I feel like we wasted the whole weekend,” he said.
“Wasted the whole weekend?” I inquired. “What would you prefer? Destruction?” Ed smirked.
It’s a weird feeling. The feeling that you’re going to get clobbered, preparing, and then it doesn’t happen at all. I recall Hurricane Dorian, September 1st of last year. I was convinced “this was it” – the end of all things material that I loved. I carried around a small box of my most dear possessions. Hurricane Dorian, a Category 5, hovered over and dismantled the Bahamas, but never arrived…
When Ed and I first moved into our home in Sewall’s Point, my neighbors told me they put hurricane shutters up on half the house every August. I thought they were being extremists. I rolled my eyes. Now, with so many fits and starts, I’ve begun to do the same.
Ed wanted to wait until September, but I thought, “you know, Isaias, this is an opportunity. An opportunity to plan, just in case Mother Nature isn’t crying wolf.“
So the bedroom is darker, and the living room needs lamps to read. But me? I feel ready. I feel prepared.
Atlantic Hurricane Season: https://www.nhc.noaa.gov/climo/
Felt the the same way with Dorian. Sold our house down south and had not one but 2 condos on the ocean. Both were going to be destroyed and we would be homeless. Since then we’ve made sure to max our our insurance and have the attitude that living here is a gift. We will get the big one some day and we need to enjoy while we can and not worry about what we can’t control.
i happy that Sewalls Point is safe. Please pray for my NJ town. Cape May.
It’s a complex thing to decide on prep or not. I don’t see that preparation as a waste of time. It’s always a learning experience and time of good exercise. I had a family meeting with my wife and two daughters 21 and 19 yrs old Saturday am. About decision making, risk vs reward, invest time now/save time later, the hurricane forecast, damage from what one broken window causes in a storm and whether to put the hurricane panels up or not. First time I’ve had that discussion. I’ve always worked hard all my life, so 3 hours of hard work with peace of mind is usually how we have handled things at home. Well, we didn’t put the panels up. And didn’t need them. I hope my daughters learned something from our discussion. I wanted to involve them to help them learn to make good decisions. I am glad we are not cleaning up from a storm. Just say no to Hurricanes. Go Gators.
My husband was in the same frame of mind as Ed. He said it was the most boring weekend he’s had in a long time. “Ha! I said, would you rather be blown to bits? Is that more exciting for you? Do you remember Dorian??” He shrugged and said, “Yeah, I guess you’re right.” I love it when he says that. 🙂
Thanks for this reminder that it is better to prepare for the worst. I followed your lead and jotted down the Wind Scale Chart on an index card. I know it will come in handy.
Hi Lois, thank for sharing! Yes, the little card comes in very handy!!! Good luck this hurricane season! Jacqui
We live in a historic district on Long Island NY. We do get hurricanes, but not as frequently as you do in FL. It is not customary here (yet) to have hurricane shutters, however some will board up there house if a severe storm is coming. Isaias hit us last week as a tropical storm. The storm lasted about 3 to 4 hours. While we didn’t have damage to or house, our yard was devastated. Some trees were up rooted, while others were snapped off about 20 feet up. We have been working on clean up since that time. If this storm stalled over our area there is no telling how severe the damage could have been. Better safe than sorry !
Thank you so much for sharing Janet. That must have been very unnerving even scary. Sounds quite destructive. Usually here, I think in terms of Tropical Storms as “much less.” This is not always true especially if it rains and rains. I recall TS Fay in 2008 that let down 11 inches in about 24 hours pour down. Sorry about your trees! Maybe time for customary shutters? All the best! Jacqui