SEPTEMBER WINDS

"The first rule of hurricane coverage is that every broadcast must begin with palm trees bending in the wind." ~Carl Hiaasen

As I write this on Sunday, Hurricane Dorian batters Abaco, Bahamas as a Category 5 with 185 mph winds. I recall a few Abaco vacations back in the 1970s and 1980s - beautiful beaches, balmy breezes, friendly folks, and fabulous food. It's hard to imagine what it's like today, and what tomorrow will bring.

I know I've written about hurricanes before. ("We Can Make Our Plans" - 9/18/17 and "Hurricane Force" - 10/15/18) They capture my attention. Dorian's the 4th named storm at the beginning of September. (Tropical Storm Erin's somewhere out there, but not getting much attention.) Compare this year with 2017, when at the beginning of September, we were watching the 9th named storm, Irma. And in 2018, we saw the 6th named storm, Florence, in September. All that to say, let's hope this is a less active hurricane season than the previous two years. Hurricane season in the Atlantic, Caribbean, and Gulf of Mexico ranges from June 1 to November 30, with September being the most active month.

As I've checked in with The Weather Channel for hurricane updates through the years, I often shake my head as meteorologists put themselves out there in the middle of wind, rain, flooding, and flying debris. From the comfort of my living room, it seems dangerous. I hope there are precautionary measures in place behind the scenes to keep them safe.

Recently I saw Stephanie Abrams sharing "Safety Tips" using TWC's "Immersive Mixed Reality Technology." It was really quite impressive. She educated viewers with virtual technology on all that can happen during the stages of a hurricane, and how to prepare and stay safe. But I couldn't help but wonder, after the feature finished, why the TWC staff tells us one thing but then puts themselves in peril. Perhaps one of the meteorologists might consider doing a feature on how things are behind the scenes and how they are really safer than it appears as they battle the elements. I know it would help me feel better about it. How about you?