[SamAdams76]

I've got "hurricane hype fatigue." Weather forecasters are always hyping every disturbance that ever forms within 1000 miles of the U.S. Only very rarely do these hurricanes ever do harm to the American mainland. I like to look past the hysteria and examine the facts. It is a rarity for a hurricane to have major impact this late in the season on U.S. shores. Yes, it does happen occasionally. Yes, we should keep an eye on this particular hurricane Isodore. But it is way too early to hit the panic button. Most likely, this hurricane will continue it's westward drift and never affect U.S. interests. If it does take that northward turn, it is days away and people along the Gulf coast will have plenty of time to prepare for it. It is pointless to discuss this hurricane hitting the U.S. at this time because absolutely nobody knows what it is going to do and the historical facts suggest that the U.S. will most likely not be affected by it anyhow.

Living in New England, I am especially cynical about weather forecasters. At least a dozen times a year, the local forecasters will breathlessly hype the next "northeaster" with 15-minute updates and whiz-bang graphics showing the utter havoc this coming winter storm may wreak upon the area, sending thousands of worried housewives into supermarkets to clear the shelves of milk and bread. Why milk and bread? I have no idea. But for some reason, people up here operate under the assumption that they must have mass quantities of milk and bread on hand during winter storms.

Most of the time, the much talked about snowstorm heads out to sea or takes an inland track, switching the snow over to rain. But even when we get hit hard, everybody is plowed and shovelled out again within 24 hours.

In my nearly 40 years of living in New England, I only remember ONE storm that truly shut the area down for more than a day. That was the blizzard of 1978. And ironically the forecasters totally missed that one until it was virtually on top of us.

[dennis1x]

Sam Adams,

I agree with alot of what you say concering they hype....and Im more interested in looking at/discussing the storm as it is now, regardless with where it ends up.

the biggest problem i have with your argument is your basing this on the time of year...

[eastforker]

My 2 cents worth Sam,A snowstorm os nothing like a tropical storm-hurricane.If you have never been through one it is hard to imagine.The Texas and LA coast is flat and when you get alot of rain,like tropical storm allison,you can have hundreds of millions in damage.Not to mention where the tornadoes are going to touch down.As weather forecasters will tell you,even with all the computer modules,no one realy knows what a hurricane is going to do next,only take an educated guess.Have you ever been in a hurricane Sam,have you?