Are Hurricanes Good Things or Bad Things?

[tropicstorm]

While we're in a bit of a lull period right now, I thought I'd start a new thread about what I consider to be a very interesting, yet very controversial topic. And there's good viewpoints on both sides.

That is - Are tropical storms and hurricanes (particularly major hurricanes) intrinsically destructive or constructive forces of nature?

On the destructive side of the issue:

* Human lives lost
* Animal lives lost & major botanical destruction
* Massive property damages to homes, buildings & infrastructure
* Major financial losses to individuals & businesses
* Displacement of individuals & inconvenience of everyday life


On the constructive side of the issue:

* Tropical storms & hurricanes are one of nature's ways of releasing earth's heat energy to cool the planet
* These great storms also perform a necessary function of cleansing our subtropical ecosystems (particularly if you believe in Darwinian natural selection)
* Hurricanes have thrived on our planet for eons of time & the actual "destructive" nature of these storms only occurs because human beings decided to develop coastal communities & construct & build in their known historical paths.

So, what's the consensus here? Destructive or Constructive?

[Matthew5]

Hurricanes are a part of our Atmosphere so they are good. But we make them bad because we build where they hit.

[sfwx]

I think most definetly constructive. We have put ourselves in harms way. I think forest fires are also good for the environment.

Eric

[nuckols]

It's all relative to your point of view. If your brainchild and vocation is owning an insurance company that specifically insures mobile homes on the Florida coast............they must be evil

[canecaster]

Our planet would overheat and worse forms of destruction might occur.

where would we be if it were'nt for death?

[Innotech]

constructive. Only because we build in their path do these storms wreak havok.

[huricanwatcher]

and away go troubles down the drain!!!!!!

[flyingphish]

Hurricanes are as natural as someone"sqeaking"in church. It just depends on your posistion relative to the eye and steering currents.
Canes are not good or bad..they are natural. I figure they have a purpose and accept that.

[SeaBrz_FL]

As I walked the east beaches of Central Florida two days after Frances passed and saw the large number of dead seagulls and pelicans half buried in the sand, I was forced again to realize that nature has purpose.

I've lived my entire life here, and after the storms, I've always found hope and peace to see the birds return unscathed and cocky.

Two weeks post-Frances, I can't see one undamaged building in my city, and the new popular roof color is "tarp blue", but nothing disturbs me more than realizing the birds couldn't escape or sustain this massive and unrelenting 3 day hurricane.

We were also in the middle of sea turtle hatching and the estimates are that approximately 40,000 hatchlings are buried too deeply in sand to dig out.

These storms have other purposes than clearing out coastal condos.

[STORMSURGE]

My take...I believe that WE probably do more damage to the ecosystems of the coastal life tha a hurricane.A hurricane with significant damage might hit myrtle beach once every ten years, think about all of the pollution that we throw into the oceans unknowingly...cig. butts, beer cans, oil runoff from the streets etc. We also take away the natural habitats of the life there by excessive building construction. That is everyday damage.
Its like blaming the shark when a human gets bitten in the water.

Hurricanes were not created by GOD to destroy us, but rathr to act like a big broom, they clean out the dirty air, restore the ever changing lifelines of the coast and provide water inland when droughts are severe. When we pile all of our hotels and condos up to the shoreline, we know the danger, and like everything else, we have to accept it, it is a part of life

To look at every aspect, I say they do alot more good than bad, we just dont sit down and think about it that much, but we are just human.

[TSmith274]

Constructive, for sure. If we didn't have them, this would be one HOT planet.

[Aslkahuna]

in the world receive about 40% of their annual rainfall from Tropical Cyclones. Without them, there would be no water or food in those areas.

Steve

[c5Camille]

hurricanes don't cool the planet... they don't funnel
warm air out to outer space... they simply re distribute
the warm low latitude air to the upper latitudes...
very important...

[STORMSURGE]

HOT and DRY. Thunderstorms dont fill up dry lakebeds during a drought...tropical rains do!

[DAVE440]

I agree with stormsurge. Natural and necessary part of our environment.

We discussed this back in college geology ....why people insist on building right along coastlines prone to hurricanes...or why Californians insist on building houses into the sides of cliffs just waiting for a shake to knock them over is unfathomable. And its not just the people who can afford to live in these places that suffer when they get destroyed....WE ALL DO...as insurance companies have to cover the cost ...and that comes out of EVERYONES pocket in higher premiums, bankrupt insurance companies or non-renewable policies.

BTW.... looks like Aflack is going to need a new spokesman.... (poor duck)

[Brent]

They have a good purpose. It's our fault we build million dollar resorts and homes on the coastline...

[CaluWxBill]

Good, Bad. Doesn't really matter. Bottomline is they are part of an ongoing cycle of the planets heat balance. They can be an efficient way of redistributing heat throughout the planet. Some people question that hurricanes somehow defy the 2nd law of thermodynamics, because of the supreme organization exhibited in a hurricane. but, this organization is what allows an extremely efficient transformation of energy. Nature will always take the easiest route it comes across to try to balance itself, so hurricanes are one of those mechanism.

[Pebbles]

Think we definately need them. The bad side saddens me but mostly Admire the way mother nature takes care of things.

[ColinD]

Not everything natural is "good". They sure are interesting though.

[SemCtyDPS]

We just need to remember we're just renters on this planet nature always owns the property. We chose to live and work where we do so we either accept the risk or go somewhere else. You want to live on the coast you must accept the fact that nature can cancel the lease anytime she feels like it.