It's pretty weird on those forums. You get some good information, but it's populated with people who want mayhem. The last thing they want is a storm to die.
The weirdest thing are the people who try to make every move of the storm mean that they're personally going to get nailed. There's a term for that, "wishcasting." It was before the internet, but I hoped to experience a hurricane, so I would have been a wishcaster if I'd had the opportunity.
I got Andrew, and my wishcasting days are over. I saw Rita last year where dozens of people died on the sweltering freeway just trying to run.
I hope these storms never form and the ones that do all head to Iceland. There is nothing the least bit fun about them.
I saw a funny one the other day that posted that Houston was far enough from the coast to take any storm and should never be evacuated. He/she said something like everyone just needed to stay in the house.
My wishcasting days were over on August 13, 2004. By the time September 2004 was over, I'd decided that if I never saw a hurricane again it'd be too soon.
Crap, at one point last year Rita, at Cat 5 strength, was forecast to come ashore in Texas just 40 miles north of where my parents lived (they moved inland this summer, thank God). My dad pulled a Nagin and didn't have a hotel reservation yet. Thankfully, I have an understanding boss who allowed me to take two hours of personal time on the spot to try and find them a friggin' hotel room, given the eastern half of Texas was already full of Katrina refugees ("Gee, Dad, how does a nice vacation in Big Bend sound about now???"). But I lucked out and found a room in Kingsville, and then the storm turned away. I sure as heck am glad I won't have to do that again.
I think there is a sense of adventure in dealing with bad weather. But I've learned that sooner or later it will come to you, no wishing required. And best to pray it goes away so that people who really aren't interested in an adventure don't get one.