You know, I can remember....

[Guest]

a day and time when we use to be able to prepare for a storm 12 - 24 hrs in advance, and we all understood that hurricanes were going to hit where they hit, we never got worked up to the degree individuals do these days. The fact remains, the NHC has fairly accurate forecasting up to 3 days, period!, not beyond. Also, that 3 day forecast has to be adjusted for the most part every advisory. In MY opinion the option of looking beyond 3 days is ridiculous. I have seen so many missed forecast in the last 4 decades, but no one seems to talk about them or admit its not and exact science. Just let Ivan do his thing, and be ready if your area is threatened.

By the way hes still making more of a westward push.
Thought I'd throw that in there.

[Persepone]

Yes, those of us who are old enough to remember when there was a lot less warning of severe weather events and less time to prepare.

And, regardless of location, if my memory is correct, there were a LOT fewer people living along the coasts... In the last 50 (I remember back to 1952 hurricane) years the populations along the coasts have increased exponentially!

Also, if my memory is correct, the death tolls, etc. were a lot higher...

You are right, of course, that a hurricane will hit where they hit. But I think we are very lucky today to have more warnings and earlier warnings. I think a lot of lives are saved because of the more accurate weather forecasts and earlier warnings.

Besides, most of the people on this board are here because of an interest in Weather! So of course a hurricane is a big deal... Also, many of these posters have been victims...

That causes a great deal of ambivalence, I think. The good thing is that you get to experience the phenomenon first hand. The bad thing is that you get to experience the phenomenon first hand...

I have to admit that as I get older, I find myself more apprehensive because (a) I know more about the bad things than I did when I was young; (b) I have more advance warning, so I have more time to worry...

But the bottom line is that my heart goes out to all in the path of a hurricane...

[Ixolib]

a day and time when we use to be able to prepare for a storm 12 - 24 hrs in advance, and we all understood that hurricanes were going to hit where they hit, we never got worked up to the degree individuals do these days. The fact remains, the NHC has fairly accurate forecasting up to 3 days, period!, not beyond. Also, that 3 day forecast has to be adjusted for the most part every advisory. In MY opinion the option of looking beyond 3 days is ridiculous. I have seen so many missed forecast in the last 4 decades, but no one seems to talk about them or admit its not and exact science. Just let Ivan do his thing, and be ready if your area is threatened.

By the way hes still making more of a westward push.
Thought I'd throw that in there.

You are surely right about that --- In Camille, I went to bed on Saturday night completely clueless that anything was up. Woke up Sunday morning to thickening clouds and the radio saying a very dangerous hurricane was heading our way. By 9:30pm Sunday night, all hell broke loose... and, well, the rest is history.

Times have definitely changed, and the technology available now is incredible. But, we survived ‘em then, and we’ll survive ‘em again. All anyone’s got to do is understand the forces of nature are well beyond our capability to change – they gonna do what they gonna do!!