Free Republic

MIAMI (Reuters) - Hurricane Katia weakened to a tropical storm on Saturday and was forecast to wobble back and forth between hurricane and tropical storm strength far from land in the open Atlantic, forecasters said. > Katia did not threaten land and was out in the Atlantic, about 430 miles east-northeast of the Leeward Islands. It was moving west-northwest on a path that would take it safely west of the mid-Atlantic island of Bermuda on Thursday. Computer models showed it turning north after that and then northeast and away from the East Coast.

Is anyone else worried about, now, Hurricane Katia? Or, being a guy from Baltimore, do I not know anything about hurricanes? This morning seems to have brought bad news...it's strengthening and the track has changed to hitting the US in the mid Atlantic. They say it's very early to forecast but it seems to have a stable track. Seems odd that it would make a 90 or 180 degree turn and not make landfall in the US.

During those few weeks, I saw an incredible demand for fuel (mainly for generators), alcohol and 12v pumps of various types; those that could pump fuel from gas station reserves or those that could pump water. Along those lines, five gallon gas cans were a hot commodity, as well. In the downtown area (near the bars), I discovered that several bags of ice could be traded for alcohol, which could then be traded for just about anything, especially food. I was amazed at how many National Guard soldiers would offer four or five cases of MREs (Meals Ready to Eat)...