There's a tropical storm in the Atlantic, which forecasters believe will become a hurricane over the next few days. The weather wizards are cranking up their crystal balls and booting the computers. The newscasters are preparing to focus their undivided attention on the storm in anticipation of destruction and fear mongering.
So, what is my prediction? The storm will struggle to stay as a category one hurricane, which means sustained winds of around 80 mph at the center, which will be around 20 miles across. Outside this area, the winds will be less than hurricane strength, so the damage will be minor, such as missing roof shingles, power outages and broken tree limbs - if it comes ashore, which may not happen.
If the storm comes ashore in an isolated area, the damage may be limited to very few communities, if any. Usually, only those at the eye of a category 1 storm have any damage worth noting, and then it's not the devastation seen in storms like Andrew or Katrina. It can be bad, but since the path is projected towards Florida, the newer building codes mandate structures at an elevation and strength to have limited damage from a category hurricane.
Rain and surge can be a problem. If you live in a flood area, you know the drill and should leave if flooding is forecast.
Why am I writing this post? It's to tell you that there are many people paid to scare you. Whether it's in an emergency management capacity or only to report, they are compensated financially to keep you in fear. So, don't panic and don't pay attention to the hype.
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