Hurricanes

[Dryrod]

Back in 1969 my wife and I went on vacation. We flew from LAX with a stop over in New Orleans. From there we would leave to visit my parents in Miami and then on to Mexico City. Well guess what? By the time we landed in the Big Easy, Hurricane Camille was due to hit the coast in just a few hours. No one seemed to know anything about this hurricane. Spotter planes in those days weren’t very supplicated nor did they have any satellites to track these suckers. Fortunately we had reservations at one of the hotels in the French Quarter. By the time we got from the airport to the hotel everything was boarded up. The hotel lobby was jammed with people that were seeking shelter from
their homes that was located in the low-lying areas. After unpacking we went to the sky room lounge for a few drinks. Shortly there after I escorted my wife back to our room were she promptly fell asleep. [Apparently the two drinks without having supper did her in] She slept through the worst of the storm. For several hours I watched the storm batter the trees around the pool, which was located on the roof by the lounge. Would you believe that the next morning the weather was just beautiful? There was hardly any evidence that a big storm had raged all night. It wasn’t until we landed in Miami that we found out about the devastation that Camille did to Biloxi. Wow what an experience.
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[davetclown]

I my self only got caught in only one huricane, by the time it reached me it was down graded to a topical storm with 70-80 mile an hour winds.

this was huricane "David" I was sitting in kintucky at the time and was hiking on foot to michigan, I had gotten to ohio when the storm caught up to me, rain like I never saw... It would come straight down at times and at other times it would come down sideways and still others it would come down side ways and if it didnt hit you it would turn around and come right back at you.....

I couldnt tell you the number of people who I saw huddled in masses up under the over passes inbetween the suspention rails of the express ways holding on for dear life. I chose not to stay there but headed for a dale in a hill I knew about just a couple miles up the way. most of the way there I could not see a foot in front of me because the rain was so heavey.

the reason I chose the dale was because I knew that a hole in the ground is like a nook or crevis and is hard for tornados to get in to. they tend to lift up and go over them or stear around them all together.

that storm kept comming down for hours on end It seamed like an eturnity, no shelter from the eliments as I sat turning my back to the wind. and who ever thought that an 80 degree rain would make you cold.

during those 8 hours as the storm passed directly over my head I could hear at least 3 tronados.

about three am the storm lifted and I was dreanched, I knew I would have to shead my clothes to keep from catching pnumonia.

I made a tall rye grass bed to lay on while my clothes dryed out. and I attempted to sleep and actualy managed to do so for a few hours any way. that was untill I felt the blunts of kickings of people looking to see if I was alive. aperently there had been some development near by where I chose to hold up to weather the storm.

laying there in my bithday suit. some one had found me and ran home and came back with friends. I got dressed, got up and attempted to continue on my way received a couple sucker punches from a few individuals, nasty looks and herd a lot of name calling. I took the blows not even raising a hand to block and kept walking. I could not believe the cold hearted people of that town. I wanted nothing to do with them and kept walking not saying a word and holding my head high.

I had gotten about 5 miles when an officer pulled me over walking down the road.

he asked me the usual questions and after the formalities he asked me why I was laying in the dale of a hill. I explained to him my stay there was because that was where I chose to bunker the strom. I said I could have stayed under the over pass but I did not trust is. I explained that I had ment no disrespect to any one, had I been able to see the buildings I would have kept moving to another location.

I was never made to feal so bad any where in my life, They made me feal like a stray dog owned by a red headed stepchild.

he handed back my papers to me and said you dont look like the person that was discribed for me to pick up, where are you headed he asked I told him and he said well you be on your way. he got back in his patroll car and just before he pulled away he rolled down his window and said, they found two transiants dead under the over pass that I chose not to hole up under, aperently they fell asleap and drowned. You are a survivor! I have met vary few.

as I walked out of the town's city limits I said to my self at least I met one deasent human being there.

---

My heart goes out to these people down there.

and as I watch this play out on the tv I am angered to the point my head is throbbing.

since the time regean took office and our nations disaster whear houses of stored foods were depleated to feed the poor duiring that deperssion of the 70's (of which they said never happened)

Our government never replenished those stores and whear houses. a disaster could happen any where in our country and we as a nation are not preparied to handle the masses. our local stores and food chians of america bairly contain enuff means to suport one or two days shopping of normal shopping.

here is what makes me so mad....

911 came and gone, giving evidance that the cold war is not gone to the way side, did our govrnment do anything to prepair for a disaster of war... NO..... what did they do, they gave the wealthy a tax break.

4 years passes with substanitl huricanes dong what they say was moderate damages. then last year 4 huricanes bear down on florida. they were in there the next day after because it was brother jebidias home state.

did they start prepairing for a natinal disaster? NO... they gave the wealthy a tax break.....

then this years huricanes come and did they do any thing to prepair to act on a national disaster during the past year?.... NO

I am sory if I sound bitter, negitive, and down right loathing, it is because I know what it is like to be treated like worthless trash that no one wants around the day after a storm because they thought I was poor and had no means.....
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[davetclown]

I had forgot to mention that we spend countless hundred of thousand of man hours every year planning for events like peraids, new years celibraitons, political campains.

my anger is mostly of frustration, we know every year huricanes are going to come. every year we know our property taxes are comming, every year we know our children are going to need new shoes for school. every 4 years we are going to vote for a new president. and we prepair because they are comming... that is except for huricanes or any other disaster should it hit america....

our government dosnt even prepair for our economic disasters here in america. instead they pass laws to punish us if we fail to prosper. and award large corperate with gaurenteed profit margens should an oil tanker run aground and start leaking instead of holding them acountable for it.....

dont get me wrong, I am not against govern ment as a whole, I am just ticked off by their inept earogance and mismanagment of our resorces....

I beleive when our government when it is working for america "not just corperate america" works. I have seen from the past where our forfathers had learned the valuable lessons only to be forgoten by the me me me genration....

Truly in this country there are people of power who have no shame,,,,
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[davetclown]

The national Extension Children, Youth and Families
Education and Research Network (CYFERnet) has put together a list of
resources for coping with tragedy and grief that might be useful to you in
your work in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina. Children and youth (and
adults) -- even though they may be geographically removed from such a
horrific disaster, may find themselves struggling with the fear, anxiety
and grief that accompany such a tragedy. You can find this special web page
at: [url "http://www.cyfernet.org/hottopic/katrina05.html"]http://www.cyfernet.org/hottopic/katrina05.html[/url]
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[davetclown]

[center][font "Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif"][size 2]NOAA RAISES THE 2005 ATLANTIC HURRICANE SEASON OUTLOOK
Bulk of This Season's Storms Still to Come[/size][/font][/center] [left][font "Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif"][size 2][url "http://www.noaanews.noaa.gov/stories2005/images/dennis-07-10-2005-1915zb2.jpg"][/url]Aug. 2, 2005 — A very active Atlantic hurricane season is underway, and with more storms projected, [url "http://www.noaa.gov/"]NOAA[/url] today increased the number of storms in its [url "http://www.cpc.ncep.noaa.gov/products/outlooks/hurricane.html"]2005 hurricane season outlook[/url]. NOAA expects an additional 11 to 14 tropical storms from August through November, with seven to nine becoming hurricanes, including three to five major hurricanes. In total, this season is likely to yield 18 to 21 tropical storms, with nine to 11 becoming hurricanes, including five to seven major hurricanes. (Click NOAA satellite image for larger view of Hurricane Dennis as the storm made landfall near Pensacola, Fla., as a Category Three hurricane on July 10, 2005. [url "http://www.noaanews.noaa.gov/stories2005/images/dennis-07-10-2005-1915zb.jpg"]Click here[/url] for high resolution version. Please credit “NOAA.”)[/size][/font][/left] [font "Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif"][size 2][url "http://www.podcast.noaa.gov/audio2005/noaa-hurricane-season-outlook-podcast-08-02-2005.mp3"]NOAA Podcast[/url] 3:18[/size][/font] [font "Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif"][size 2][url "http://www.noaanews.noaa.gov/stories2005/s2484b.htm"]Photos & Audio[/url][/size][/font]
[font "Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif"][size 2]"The tropics are only going to get busier as we enter the peak of the season," said Brig. Gen. [url "http://www.nws.noaa.gov/hdqrtr.php"]David L. Johnson[/url], USAF (Ret.), director of the [url "http://www.nws.noaa.gov/"]NOAA National Weather Service[/url]. "This may well be one of the most active Atlantic hurricane seasons on record, and will be the ninth above-normal Atlantic hurricane season in the last eleven years." [/size][/font]
[font "Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif"][size 2][url "http://www.noaanews.noaa.gov/stories2005/images/hurricane2005outlook-08-02-2005.jpg"][/url]"Although we have already seen a record-setting seven tropical storms during June and July, much of the season's activity is still to come," said Gerry Bell, lead meteorologist on NOAA's Atlantic Hurricane Seasonal Outlook. The predicted high levels of activity during the remainder of the season are consistent with NOAA's pre-season outlook issued last spring, and are comparable to those seen during August to October of the very active 2003 and 2004 seasons. (Click NOAA image for larger view of 2005 Atlantic Hurricane Season Outlook Update. Please credit “NOAA.”)[/size][/font]
[font "Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif"][size 2]Atmospheric and oceanic conditions that favor an active hurricane season are now in place, as was predicted in the pre-season outlook. "Warmer-than-normal sea-surface temperatures and low wind shear are among the culprits behind these stronger and more numerous storms," Bell added. [/size][/font]
[font "Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif"][size 2]This confluence of optimal ocean and atmosphere conditions has been known to produce increased tropical storm activity in multi-decadal (approximately 20-30 year) cycles. Because of this, NOAA expects a continuation of above-normal seasons for another decade or perhaps longer. NOAA's research shows that this reoccurring cycle is the dominant climate factor that controls Atlantic hurricane activity. Any potentially weak signal associated with longer-term climate change appears to be a minor factor.[/size][/font]
[font "Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif"][size 2][url "http://www.noaanews.noaa.gov/stories2005/images/hurricane2005-conditions-08-02-2005.jpg"][/url]The multi-decadal signal that has contributed to increased Atlantic activity since 1995 has also produced a marked decrease in hurricanes in the eastern Pacific hurricane region. Similar conditions also produced very active Atlantic hurricane seasons during the 1950s and 1960s. In contrast, the opposite phase of this signal during 1970-1994 resulted in only three above-normal Atlantic hurricane seasons in the entire 25-year period. (Click NOAA image for larger view of the conditions NOAA expects for the rest of the 2005 Atlantic hurricane season. Please credit “NOAA.”)[/size][/font]
[font "Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif"][size 2]Conditions that steer hurricanes toward land are well known, but are difficult to predict on seasonal time scales and are often related to daily weather patterns. However, historical records indicate that an average of two to three additional hurricanes could strike the U.S. between August and November.[/size][/font]
[font "Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif"][size 2][url "http://www.noaanews.noaa.gov/stories2005/images/hurricane2005-seatemps-08-02-2005.jpg"][/url]“Knowing precisely where a hurricane will strike and at what intensity cannot be determined even a few days in advance,” said Max Mayfield, director of the [url "http://www.nhc.noaa.gov/"]NOAA National Hurricane Center[/url]. Mayfield adds, “Residents and government agencies of coastal and near-coastal regions should embrace hurricane preparedness efforts and should be ready well before a tropical storm or hurricane watch is posted.” (Click NOAA image for larger view of the sea surface temperatures in the Atlantic Ocean. Please credit “NOAA.”)[/size][/font]
[font "Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif"][size 2]An average Atlantic hurricane season, which runs from June 1 through November 30, produces 10 named storms in which six become hurricanes, including two major hurricanes with winds of at least 111 mph. The most active hurricane season was in 1933 with 21 storms, followed by 1995 with 19 storms. The most hurricanes in a season was 12 in 1969, and the highest number of major hurricanes was eight in 1950. [/size][/font]
[font "Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif"][size 2][url "http://www.noaanews.noaa.gov/stories2005/images/hurricane2005-verticalshear-08-02-2005.jpg"][/url]The 2005 Atlantic hurricane outlook is a joint product of scientists at NOAA's [url "http://www.cpc.ncep.noaa.gov/"]Climate Prediction Center[/url], [url "http://www.aoml.noaa.gov/hrd"]Hurricane Research Division[/url] and [url "http://www.nhc.noaa.gov/"]National Hurricane Center[/url]. NOAA meteorologists use a suite of sophisticated numerical models and high-tech tools to forecast tropical storms and hurricanes. Scientists rely on information gathered by NOAA and the U.S. Air Force Reserve personnel who fly directly into storms in hurricane hunter aircraft; NOAA, NASA and the U.S. Department of Defense satellites; NOAA data buoys, weather radars and partners among the international meteorological services. (Click NOAA image for larger view of the vertical wind shear associated with above normal hurricane season. Please credit “NOAA.”)[/size][/font]
[font "Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif"][size 2]NOAA, an agency of the [url "http://www.commerce.gov/"]U.S. Department of Commerce[/url], is dedicated to enhancing economic security and national safety through the prediction and research of weather and climate-related events and providing environmental stewardship of the nation's coastal and marine resources.[/size][/font]
[font "Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif"][size 2]Relevant Web Sites
[url "http://www.cpc.ncep.noaa.gov/products/outlooks/hurricane.html"]NOAA 2005 Atlantic Hurricane Outlook[/url] [/size][/font]
[font "Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif"][size 2][url "http://www.cpc.ncep.noaa.gov/products/outlooks/hurricane-archive.html"]NOAA Atlantic Hurricane Outlook and Summary Archive[/url][/size][/font]
[font "Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif"][size 2][url "http://www.nhc.noaa.gov/"]NOAA National Hurricane Center[/url][/size][/font]
[font "Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif"][size 2][url "http://www.cpc.ncep.noaa.gov/"]NOAA Climate Prediction Center[/url][/size][/font]
[font "Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif"][size 2][url "http://www.nhc.noaa.gov/2004atlan.shtml?"]2004 Atlantic Hurricane Season[/url][/size][/font]
[font "Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif"][size 2][url "http://hurricanes.noaa.gov/"]NOAA Hurricanes Page[/url][/size][/font]
[font "Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif"][size 2][url "http://www.nnvl.noaa.gov/cgi-bin/index.cgi?page=events&category=Year%202005%20Storm%20Events"]NOAA 2005 Satellite Images[/url] (NOAA Environmental Visualization Lab)[/size][/font]
[font "Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif"][size 2][url "http://www.osei.noaa.gov/Events/Tropical/Atlantic/2005/"]NOAA 2005 Satellite Images[/url] (Operational of Significant Event Imagery, or OSEI)[/size][/font][font "Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif"][size 2] [/size][/font]
[font "Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif"][size 2]Media Contact:[/size][/font][font "Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif"][size 2]
[url "mailto:Carmeyia.Gillis@noaa.gov"]Carmeyia Gillis[/url], [url "http://www.cpc.ncep.noaa.gov/"]NOAA Climate Prediction Center[/url], (301) 763-8000 ext. 7163 or [url "mailto:Christopher.Vaccaro@noaa.gov"]Chris Vaccaro[/url], [url "http://www.nws.noaa.gov/"]NOAA National Weather Service[/url], (301) 713-0622 ext. 134 [/size][/font]
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[fish4fish]

Its a state that the world has come to, homeless or not you had just weathered a hurricane out in the elements with nothing but your clothes for shelte, its a state of humanity .

I understand what you mean by the goverment being unperpared about a big natural disaster, i live in utah and its going to be scarry to see the response time if the "big one" ever hits like they are predicting. Most all of nothern utah is on an ancient sea bed, its going to be like mexico city of the 80's but much worse i fear.
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[davetclown]

I hear what you are saying there, the city of detroit is sitting over top salt mines that are hundreds of feet deap.

you know one day those hallowed grounds are going to give way.

what provisions do whe have available should something happen? one oakland county food bank that generates food out to spicific locations once a month. they could not handle any kind of minimal crises. as a matter of fact they are crying quite offten about not having what they need to meet the needs of the existing poor and unemployed redsidents.

I was a president of an orginization that saw to taking care of 100 families three times a year during the holidays.

in my area the power went out for two weeks a few weeks back a few years ago after several tornados came though. people lost all their parishables, had no water to drink, there were no privisions of any kind for aid. no dry ice, no bottled gass. homes with natural gass hook ups could still cook but every one esle had to figure out a way for them selves.

I took my gas grill and charcoal grill along with the contents of my freezer over to my center where I set up and fed several families for those days till power was restored. we took a generator to run the center freezer and lights and nothing else.

granted it wasnt such a big deal except for the families in my area who could not drive out to pick up basics like cooked meals and water.

I spent a whole hog and a side of beaf out of my pocket or should I say freezer, I would have lost it all any ways so why not....

I was not refunded for my loss couldnt write it off I didnt get the incentives that corprate america gets when they loose a percentage. where was my tax break? "sorry cheep punch" I just dont understand why they keep giving money back to the rich when we have not prepaired for even the moderate of disasters....

I truly wish some one would explain it to me....
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