The simple answer to the hostility....
Moderator: S2k Moderators
Forum rules
The posts in this forum are NOT official forecasts and should not be used as such. They are just the opinion of the poster and may or may not be backed by sound meteorological data. They are NOT endorsed by any professional institution or STORM2K. For official information, please refer to products from the National Hurricane Center and National Weather Service.
The simple answer to the hostility....
The bottom line is we have two camps here:
Camp A:
Homeowners,Business Owners. In this group, you have people who follow weather, but PREFER no storms as insurance premiums and gasoline costs are high on priority lists. For our pro mets, they fall under this cat as they get forced into extra working time outside of their normal work hours. Employees involved in Business Continuity Plans also fall here as they are team members required to act before/after each and every storm.
Camp B:
Teenagers, Non Hurricane Prone Area Residents. I've noticed that many who WANT hurricanes are teenagers who don't own homes, and don't personally have anything that they can lose, so they are all gung ho about it.
I was in Camp B when I was growing up, I wanted dearly to experience a storm. When I was 14, Hurricane Andrew came through, and from that point forward, I began to perceive everything much differently, and of course as I've grown older, I am Camp A for the rest of my life.
The hostility is there is a very fine line between watching hurricanes to track them, and wanting them to experience them. Ask anyone who's lived through a storm, anyone, and they will tell you you will wish you didn't have to.
I'm a lover, not a fighter, but I just have been making these observations over the last few weeks/months and I think that if we can all get on common ground, it will make everyone's experience on storm2k much more enjoyable.
Thoughts/Opinions?
Camp A:
Homeowners,Business Owners. In this group, you have people who follow weather, but PREFER no storms as insurance premiums and gasoline costs are high on priority lists. For our pro mets, they fall under this cat as they get forced into extra working time outside of their normal work hours. Employees involved in Business Continuity Plans also fall here as they are team members required to act before/after each and every storm.
Camp B:
Teenagers, Non Hurricane Prone Area Residents. I've noticed that many who WANT hurricanes are teenagers who don't own homes, and don't personally have anything that they can lose, so they are all gung ho about it.
I was in Camp B when I was growing up, I wanted dearly to experience a storm. When I was 14, Hurricane Andrew came through, and from that point forward, I began to perceive everything much differently, and of course as I've grown older, I am Camp A for the rest of my life.
The hostility is there is a very fine line between watching hurricanes to track them, and wanting them to experience them. Ask anyone who's lived through a storm, anyone, and they will tell you you will wish you didn't have to.
I'm a lover, not a fighter, but I just have been making these observations over the last few weeks/months and I think that if we can all get on common ground, it will make everyone's experience on storm2k much more enjoyable.
Thoughts/Opinions?
0 likes
- wxmann_91
- Category 5
- Posts: 8013
- Age: 34
- Joined: Fri Jul 15, 2005 2:49 pm
- Location: Southern California
- Contact:
There's also a Camp C:
Those who love the thrill of tracking storms.
And those are the ones who usually wander into other basins in the Pacific to track storms.
A variation of Camp B (Camp D?) would be the storm chasers, the good ones at least. They've probably been through many storms, have seen some terrible destruction and loss of life, and yet, they still enjoy the thrill of riding out a hurricane, gathering data. Don't know how many of those frequently post in this forum. (only ones I know in this forum are probably Mark S. and Jesse B.)
Those who love the thrill of tracking storms.
And those are the ones who usually wander into other basins in the Pacific to track storms.
A variation of Camp B (Camp D?) would be the storm chasers, the good ones at least. They've probably been through many storms, have seen some terrible destruction and loss of life, and yet, they still enjoy the thrill of riding out a hurricane, gathering data. Don't know how many of those frequently post in this forum. (only ones I know in this forum are probably Mark S. and Jesse B.)
0 likes
- all_we_know_is_FALLING
- Category 1
- Posts: 417
- Joined: Fri Jun 09, 2006 3:06 pm
- Location: Somewhere over the rainbow...
- Contact:
Hmm.. I'm a teenager who doesn't live near the coast and I'm not in "Camp B". I don't WANT hurricanes and I definitely don't WANT them to hit land.
If there is one out there, even a TD, I'm going to watch it closely and track it just for the fun I get from it. That doesn't mean I want them.
I didn't even really want hurricanes before Katrina. But after that I DEFINITELY didn't want any. I live in northern Mississippi and had lots of friends in Gulfport, Pass Christian, and Pascagoula that I met during camp and that I know through my family. Almost all of them lost everything.
A good friend of mine had parents that were divorced, her dad lived in Gulfport, her mom in New Orleans.. both of them lost their house so she came to live in my town. After seeing all the pain that happened to her and my friends and even people I didn't know I wished that there was no such thing as hurricanes.. but I do love tracking them once they form.
Last Christmas break I traveled down to NOLA and MGC to visit friends who had survived and were starting over.. it was tough and emotional. And I wasn't even affected!
That said, even if someone "wishes" a storm that doesn't affect what really happens at all. I could say "I wish a Cat 5 would hit NYC tomorrow" and if by some craziness it did, that doesn't mean that I had anything to do with it happening.
But yeah.. people who do wishcast need to respect that a lot of people on here are people who live on the coast and really don't want/need a storm.
[/endpost]
If there is one out there, even a TD, I'm going to watch it closely and track it just for the fun I get from it. That doesn't mean I want them.
I didn't even really want hurricanes before Katrina. But after that I DEFINITELY didn't want any. I live in northern Mississippi and had lots of friends in Gulfport, Pass Christian, and Pascagoula that I met during camp and that I know through my family. Almost all of them lost everything.
A good friend of mine had parents that were divorced, her dad lived in Gulfport, her mom in New Orleans.. both of them lost their house so she came to live in my town. After seeing all the pain that happened to her and my friends and even people I didn't know I wished that there was no such thing as hurricanes.. but I do love tracking them once they form.
Last Christmas break I traveled down to NOLA and MGC to visit friends who had survived and were starting over.. it was tough and emotional. And I wasn't even affected!
That said, even if someone "wishes" a storm that doesn't affect what really happens at all. I could say "I wish a Cat 5 would hit NYC tomorrow" and if by some craziness it did, that doesn't mean that I had anything to do with it happening.
But yeah.. people who do wishcast need to respect that a lot of people on here are people who live on the coast and really don't want/need a storm.
[/endpost]
0 likes
-
- Category 1
- Posts: 254
- Joined: Sun Jul 10, 2005 9:29 pm
- Location: Nashville TN
- Innotech
- Category 5
- Posts: 1031
- Joined: Mon Aug 30, 2004 5:32 pm
- Location: Lafayette, Louisiana
- Contact:
Now that I rent an apartment, Im still in Camp B. These storms ARE going to hit whether I cheer for them or dont, unless I move away to a place free from them. honestly, Lafayette is in a spot where you usually feel effects, but rarely get a full blown cane. you get the excitement of a landfalling cane near you, without much damage associated with it. Obviously it does depend on age and location, but wishing away storms when youl ive in a prone area isnt oging to change the fact that theyre coming.
0 likes
-
- Category 2
- Posts: 516
- Joined: Sun Aug 01, 2004 5:05 pm
There is a sub class to Camp B, that being those individuals whether young or old that want to be "part' of the action. For some reason they get off, on the prospects of a potential threat, and when the make believe suddenly turns into reality, they take a powder. Shortly thereafter, like you eluded to tgenius, they become card carrying members of Camp A. I have seen this depicted mostly in transplants from the north. Thank God here in SW Fl. the cane season coincides with the off season, tourist wise. I cant imagine what the scenario would be up in the panhandle or coastal NC or SC, where the situation is totally different.
0 likes
- docjoe
- S2K Supporter
- Posts: 262
- Joined: Thu Sep 09, 2004 10:42 pm
- Location: SE Alabama..formerly the land of ivan and dennis
Although I still love the thought of being in a hurricane...(Dennis and Ivan were exciting at the time) my desire to be in one is nowhere near as great as my desire to not be in one again, to not get a new roof, to not live with a generator, to not still be cutting trees 1 year later. to not have people all along the coast see their lives turned upside down. Count me in the group that loves the idea of experiencing a cane but no longer has any desire to ever be in one again!!
docjoe
docjoe
0 likes
-
- Category 2
- Posts: 516
- Joined: Sun Aug 01, 2004 5:05 pm
- flashflood
- Tropical Storm
- Posts: 187
- Joined: Tue Nov 09, 2004 12:30 pm
- Location: S. FL
- jasons2k
- Storm2k Executive
- Posts: 8247
- Age: 51
- Joined: Wed Jul 06, 2005 12:32 pm
- Location: The Woodlands, TX
Well, I'm Camp A. I was purely camp B growing up until I saw Andrew firsthand. Seeing Georges and Rita as an adult has further emboldened myself in the "A" camp - especially with a mortgage and a baby on the way - I could do without losing my house, or power for a week+, thank you.
But I must admit, I do have a bit of the C and B still inside of me. When I'm in the "cone of death" - yes it's mostly pure dread (because I know firsthand what's coming), but I'd be lying if it didn't say I get the adrenaline going as well. After all, I didn't become a weather enthusiast out of boredom. I'd bet a lot most those in the A camp feel the same way, more than they may admit, except those who became interested in 'canes purely out of tragedy, fear, or loss.
But I must admit, I do have a bit of the C and B still inside of me. When I'm in the "cone of death" - yes it's mostly pure dread (because I know firsthand what's coming), but I'd be lying if it didn't say I get the adrenaline going as well. After all, I didn't become a weather enthusiast out of boredom. I'd bet a lot most those in the A camp feel the same way, more than they may admit, except those who became interested in 'canes purely out of tragedy, fear, or loss.
0 likes
-
- Tropical Storm
- Posts: 104
- Joined: Thu Aug 03, 2006 12:00 am
- Location: Texas City, TX
Like they say, there are two kinds of people in this world: those who divide everyone into two groups, and those who don't.
I don't fit either of those camps. Basically my attitude is this: I wouldn't mind going through a hurricane once in my life, just for the experience of having done it. By that I mean hearing the howling wind and hammering rain and seeing the water rush down the street and maybe come up to a few inches deep on the lawn. I DON'T mean being swept 2 miles by the current and hanging onto a tree limb for dear life, while shaking snakes off my legs.
I also would love to have a strong tropical storm or a weak Cat 1 come through and cause enough disruption to give me a few free days off from work, without killing anyone or causing serious damage.
As the owner of a home that has gone to seed during my stay, there is also an upside to a catastrophic hurricane, should I have the sense to evacuate. If it's strong enough to "total" the house, it would spare me the trouble of having to sell it, and possibly get more than it's worth in the process. But the problem with that scenario is that I'm inconveniently close to a substantial share of the nation's oil refineries, as well as a huge metropolitan area. Any storm strong enough to knock out my house is sure to devastate the nation's economy, more than offsetting any benefit I get from the storm.
I don't fit either of those camps. Basically my attitude is this: I wouldn't mind going through a hurricane once in my life, just for the experience of having done it. By that I mean hearing the howling wind and hammering rain and seeing the water rush down the street and maybe come up to a few inches deep on the lawn. I DON'T mean being swept 2 miles by the current and hanging onto a tree limb for dear life, while shaking snakes off my legs.
I also would love to have a strong tropical storm or a weak Cat 1 come through and cause enough disruption to give me a few free days off from work, without killing anyone or causing serious damage.

As the owner of a home that has gone to seed during my stay, there is also an upside to a catastrophic hurricane, should I have the sense to evacuate. If it's strong enough to "total" the house, it would spare me the trouble of having to sell it, and possibly get more than it's worth in the process. But the problem with that scenario is that I'm inconveniently close to a substantial share of the nation's oil refineries, as well as a huge metropolitan area. Any storm strong enough to knock out my house is sure to devastate the nation's economy, more than offsetting any benefit I get from the storm.
0 likes
- Weatherfreak14
- Category 5
- Posts: 1383
- Joined: Sat Sep 24, 2005 3:40 pm
- Location: Beaufort, SC
- Contact:
-
- Category 2
- Posts: 516
- Joined: Sun Aug 01, 2004 5:05 pm
Weatherfreak14 wrote:I'm in Camb B except I live right one the coast and yes I do want to have the thrill of being in one of these canes, and im not ashamed to tell it.
Well you shoulda told me. I would have had the local police set you up in a tent down in Pascagoula Beach Park. Bet that would cure you of that thrill and quick.

I used to be in Camp B. I think back to a few I have been through in my teen years and I say to myself " I DID WHAT???"

I am in Camp A most definitely now.
0 likes
-
- Category 2
- Posts: 671
- Joined: Sat Jul 01, 2006 4:37 pm
- Location: Spring Hill Fl.
I think one source of hostility comes from posters who flip from extreme bull to bear or bear to bull. These flops are usually prompted by a new NHC discussion or outlook or comments from a pro met. They go from "stick a fork in it" to "here comes Debby" in a minute. They back it up with regurgitated comments from the pro's. I'm talking about the guys that want to try to make fools of those who have the same outlook as they had an hour before. I guess they are pro met wannabee's. They should take a lesson from the pro mets and show some class.
0 likes
- GeneratorPower
- S2K Supporter
- Posts: 1648
- Age: 45
- Joined: Sun Dec 18, 2005 11:48 pm
- Location: Huntsville, AL
Folks like me stand to profit substantially when hurricanes hit. We sell generators all day, every day. So some of us here have a vested interest in hurricanes. That may sound cruel and heartless, but it isn't.
We are in the business of helping folks without power get the products they need to stay warm, cool, and comfortable until the power comes back on.
There is a sickening feeling that comes with a hit like Katrina or Dennis. People's lives are ruined. But we get to help in the rebuilding process. And it puts food on the table for my children.
In spite of the disaster, you should see the smile on people's faces when you sell them a generator at the same price they would have paid two months ago, in the middle of an emergency. They get to go home and take a shower, and make ice in the refrigerator. And I know first hand what a wonderful feeling it is, and how thankful one is for these necessities.
And in the process, we sell tons of stuff and make a decent living. And make up for all the time, energy, and money we spend preparing month after month. So seeing the storms roll in is an interesting feeling, to say the least. The sheer power and roar of Katrina was unfathomable unless you were there, which I was.
And that sheer power, for some of us, has an irresistable allure that we have to experience again someday from the security of a concrete and steel reinforced building away from surge.
Some people get mad at folks like me that profit from disasters. To that I can only reply, "I'm sorry you feel that way."
There aren't many people out there who can look a Cat 4 in the face and not say, "WOW!". It's fascinating.
And I make no apologies for loving hurricanes. But I'm also the first one to help folks start cleaning up, whether I profit a little or not.
Just my 0.013 Euros. ($0.02)
We are in the business of helping folks without power get the products they need to stay warm, cool, and comfortable until the power comes back on.
There is a sickening feeling that comes with a hit like Katrina or Dennis. People's lives are ruined. But we get to help in the rebuilding process. And it puts food on the table for my children.
In spite of the disaster, you should see the smile on people's faces when you sell them a generator at the same price they would have paid two months ago, in the middle of an emergency. They get to go home and take a shower, and make ice in the refrigerator. And I know first hand what a wonderful feeling it is, and how thankful one is for these necessities.
And in the process, we sell tons of stuff and make a decent living. And make up for all the time, energy, and money we spend preparing month after month. So seeing the storms roll in is an interesting feeling, to say the least. The sheer power and roar of Katrina was unfathomable unless you were there, which I was.
And that sheer power, for some of us, has an irresistable allure that we have to experience again someday from the security of a concrete and steel reinforced building away from surge.
Some people get mad at folks like me that profit from disasters. To that I can only reply, "I'm sorry you feel that way."
There aren't many people out there who can look a Cat 4 in the face and not say, "WOW!". It's fascinating.
And I make no apologies for loving hurricanes. But I'm also the first one to help folks start cleaning up, whether I profit a little or not.
Just my 0.013 Euros. ($0.02)
0 likes
-
- Category 5
- Posts: 1371
- Age: 63
- Joined: Sat Oct 19, 2002 5:45 pm
- Location: Seminary, Mississippi
- Contact:
Lindaloo wrote:Weatherfreak14 wrote:I'm in Camb B except I live right one the coast and yes I do want to have the thrill of being in one of these canes, and im not ashamed to tell it.
Well you shoulda told me. I would have had the local police set you up in a tent down in Pascagoula Beach Park. Bet that would cure you of that thrill and quick.
I used to be in Camp B. I think back to a few I have been through in my teen years and I say to myself " I DID WHAT???"![]()
I am in Camp A most definitely now.
Linda, I used to be like you. I even used to joke with my wife's aunt who lives in Pascagoula "the next time there is a storm heading for MS, I'm going to come down to your house and we're going to ride it out". She had told me numerous times that she'd stay there had her husband not been "chicken" and fled even for a tropical storm lol. MAN, I'm glad I didn't go down to ride out Katrina! She had 2 feet of water in her house from the surge and she's 14 blocks north of the beach.
Katrina cured my "wanting to ride out a storm" syndrome permanently!!! IF I had a choice, and there was a threat of another cane, I'd go to my sis in laws in Chattanooga...and I'm 100 miles inland...but Katrina didn't realize that. We were powerless for 2 weeks, phone on and off for about a month, and out of work for 3 weeks.
0 likes
Who is online
Users browsing this forum: Beef Stew, Google Adsense [Bot], Hurricaneman, jgh, Keldeo1997, SconnieCane and 66 guests