I didn't think I was going to have time to make a post today, but now that work is going to be closed tomorrow (at least), I have some unexpected free time.
I used to be a huge weather nerd. I could rattle off facts and stats about inclement weather that made it sound like I'd been in Twister.
And not that it doesn't still fascinate me (because it does), but I just have other things to do now than watch Weather and/or History channel specials about natural disasters and track hurricanes.
I remember thinking a couple weeks ago that Harvey was going to be this generation's Katrina. And then I thought, "no, that's not right - it hasn't been all that long since Katrina." But it actually has. Katrina hit in 2005. The amount of time between Katrina and now is about the same as between Andrew (1992) and Katrina. But then Irma formed. And when I started hearing about it, I thought, "This is not going be another Katrina or Andrew. This is going to be Camille*. This is going to be Galveston**."
*Hurricane Camille, 1969, Mississippi/Gulf Coast. Wind speed at landfall uncertain, due to the instrumentation breaking, but generally agreed to be in the area of 175 mph. It caused utter devastation to structures because of the high winds, but thankfully moved quickly and was not a big rain maker.
**The Great Galveston Hurricane, 1900, Texas. Probably peaked at upper-level category 4. Estimated death toll between 6,000 and 12,000. Leveled the island town of Galveston.
I have been fortunate in that I have not seen a lot of natural disasters. I have stories of having experienced winters storms and the fringes and remnants of tropical systems. I have been fortunate in that all of my interactions with severe weather have been inconveniences - the sort of things that are annoying at the time but become that funny story about the time your dad cooked pasta on the grill in a blizzard. I have been fortunate in that I've never lost possessions, a home, or friends or family to a hurricane or other natural disaster.
To the many of you who are in harm's way, I hope you come through this with just minor annoyances. I hope you come back with the stories. I hope you come back.