Thank you for mentioning Elena, I'd forgotten all about that one (I was living up in NY so I didn't experience it). Yeah, hurricanes pretty much do whatever they please. We're fortunate that at least some of them agree with the predictions enough that folks can accommodate, evacuate, etc. as needed.
The best thing to do in hurricane country, is what we do here in nor’easter country.
Just be ready every season.
There’s a HUGE difference in preparedness mindset between NY and NH. In NY, which is no stranger to snow, people wait until the teeth of the storm to stock up and the stores are out of milk, bread, eggs, and bottled water.
The first year my son lived here in NH, we came in on a Tues just as a nor’easter was hitting New England and not only were the stores well stocked and not crowded, after the storm hit and power was out, within hours, all you could hear in every direction all around us was the sound of generators running.
It was 5 days before he had power restored. It was a Thanksgiving to remember. But he had a coal stove and a Weber, so we were warm and had a great Thanksgiving dinner anyways, ala Little House on the Prairie style.
The forecast for this winter is pretty nasty for us, but we’re ready with a generator, fuel oil, propane, a good supply of firewood, and a well stocked freezer, just like every winter.
Anyone who doesn’t prep is a fool.