WDAM Viewpoint- Start of Hurricane Season - WDAM.COM - TV 7 - News, Weather and Sports

June 1, 2011

Today marks the beginning of a season that all of us who live near the Southern or Eastern seaboards hate to see arrive.  Hurricane season begins today and lasts until the end of November.  Last year was a particularly heavy year for hurricanes with 19 named storms—12 of which became full blown hurricanes.  The National Hurricane Center in Miami is predicting another busy year in 2011, though perhaps not quite as bad as last year due to the lessening of the La Nina effect that last year probably gave added "umph" to the season.  That, as well as other factors.  On the other hand the absence of a strong La Nina or El Nino effect also makes predicting storms more difficult.  If this year's tornados and floods have taught us anything…it is that despite all our scientific advancements and best thinking…Mother Nature is going to do what she is going to do.  The fact that we have often ignored meteorological and geographical realities and built and expanded cities into areas that probably would have been safer left undeveloped is often cause for tragedy.  For example, the French Quarter area of New Orleans that was the original city was barely touched by the flood waters resulting from the breeching of the levies during Katrina.  On the West Coast earthquakes and forest fires wreck havoc on dwelling places that were built in beautiful—but disaster prone areas.  Now we just have to be vigilant and prepared to do whatever is necessary in the event of a major natural upheaval.  Don't wait until the last minute to get ready for the next storm to come our way.  Do what you can now…and know we will be on hand to inform you.  I'm Jim Cameron and that's today's Viewpoint.