I'm gonna take a little bit different tack: preparation is helped with advance warning, and if you were paying attention ONLY to Top 40 radio and the Hurricane Cener's public advisories, then you wouldn't have had a clue this storm woulod explode like this. The Natl Hurricane Center has only one job to do - warn people of potential danger - and they're not doing it. I don't think they need to adopt a 'Chicken Little' mentality, either, but they sure didn't predict this kind of a storm at all in time for decent preparations to be made.
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