2009 Hurricane Season

[TopDudeFtl]

Odds are 1 in 3 a hurricane will strike Florida in 2009, researchers say


To those who live in the coastal states; click on the article above, then read on...

What is your take on the whole hurricane prediction thing? Personally, I think it's a bunch of bunk. I don't think there's a predictable factor with hurricanes; except that they will happen.

Are you prepared for the worst? We are; our house is only 3.25 miles from the ocean but it was built very well in the 1950's of concrete block, has hurricane shutters & a generator. We were hit hard by Hurricane Wilma, but with the exception of loosing a large Mango tree & several large branches from the other trees in the yard, the house made it just fine. I can't say that about some other homes in the area though.

Remember; be prepared, hurricane season starts June 1st.

 

[jjsjr]

The "odds" don't guarantee anything... Florida has been lucky in the past few years in that they haven't receives anything too devastating, which is fantastic. Geographically, Florida is a hotspot for tropical activity. Floridians should be prepared every year regardless of the predicted 1:3 odds.

 

[D_Roland_D_Hay]

Predictions are just that..predictions. Over the years, the accuracy has gone way down to the point that the Hurricane Center changes its predictions half way through the season (sometimes more than once). I also get frustrated with the media hype that goes along with the hurricane season. The news loves to report a tropical disturbance the minute it is spotted on the coast of Africa. For those of you who haven't experienced it, the media follows it and makes predictions on its path for several days. Most of the time the path is incorrect. Mother Nature doesn't like to be told what to do and is often unpredictable. It's usually the storms that don't get all the hype that do most of the damage.

Over the years, I make sure that I have the necessary items should a storm hit, but I don't put much faith or credit into the hurricane predictions. Its sorta like the winter storm predictions up north.

 

[D_CountdeGrandePinja]

No question, we have to be prepared - Wilma left this area for three weeks with no power - neighbors were great - being prepared is the best way to cope with a bad situation. Predictions are just words for those who like to see their names in print.

 

[2322]

I still do not understand why every new house in Florida isn't a geodesic dome or something similar. Short of California, I've never seen a state pay so little attention to potential natural disaster in its building codes.

 

[TopDudeFtl]

No question, we have to be prepared - Wilma left this area for three weeks with no power - neighbors were great - being prepared is the best way to cope with a bad situation. Predictions are just words for those who like to see their names in print.

Our generator was humming for 55 days. When the Mango tree came down in our back yard, it took the power lines, the phone line & the cable lines with it. We were getting ready to have our pool built so we contacted FPL (you know: Florida Plunder & Loot) about moving the power lines underground which is required for a pool install. They said that since the underground move is not "storm recovery" they would put us on the back end of the "hook-up" list. Thus the 55 days on generator power. :frown1: