Tis the Season!

June 1 is the official first day of the hurricane season. For the next six months we'll be watching the Weather Channel at least daily, and regularly checking in on our favorite weather sites. It's like being a bowling pin, staring up the alley watching which way the balls are coming, hoping they miss is.

All the forecasters are predicting an active season, unlike last year when there was nothing. So we're starting to build up supplies - food, water (a gallon a person a day,) gas for the generator, flashlights, batteries, candles. All that good stuff you've gotta have on hand.

There's no activity in the Atlantic right now and we don't anticipate it for a while. The season peaks in August and September, but you've gotta be prepared for anything. There's a bit of doggerel in these parts that talks about how to prepare:

June, too soon.
July, stand by.
August, a must
September, remember.
October, not over.
November - there's something for November, about how it's almost over but you can't let your guard down. But for the life of me I can't think of what it is. I told you it was doggerel. Shakespeare it ain't, but I don't recall what the Bard had to say about hurricane preparedness. It was probably in "The Tempest."

All I know is they're saying the ocean surface temps will be higher this year, they don't expect as much wind shear off South America, Saharan dust isn't as likely to be as heavy as last year. All those add up to 15 or so active systems, 5 to 7 named storms at least three of which will be Cat 3 or higher. All we can do is hope they pass to the north or south and leave our little island alone.

Is that too much to ask?

And to be prepared in casre they don't.