h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

>> …create a tense atmosphere by overreacting to weather phenomena?

It is interesting that you posted this today. We are currently under a 'Tropical Storm Warning'.

It is not likely to be too bad, just a lot of rain and a bit of wind.

The local reaction here to any kind of severe weather warning has a strange reaction among the people. They all tend to flock to the grocery stores to stock up on necessities, it is amassing to see the carts piled high with frozen foods! It seems they do not understand that after a few hours without power they will no longer be frozen, or even fit to eat.

Our hurricane season extends from June 1st the November 30th. Storms do not read calendars or follow the track on the weather maps. One year we watched a major storm approaching (Hurricane Charlie) and the little white line was drawn almost exactly through our living room.

A couple hundred miles to the south the storm made a hard, almost 90 degree, turn to the east and cut through Fort Meyers. I drove through there a few months latter and the tarps spread over destroyed roofs and the general destruction of screen porches and sheds were sill quite obvious.

One year my wife and I were living on our 5-ton sail boat when a large tropical storm was forecast to make landfall only a few miles south of us. For some reason they all want to hit here in the middle of the night (I think they are just mean that way).

My wife and I had only married a few months earlier, and her biggest request for wedding presents had been towels. (we all know how important a good towel is).

About 10:00PM, with the storm approaching, I opened up the linen locker, and started removing most of the towels. (on a boat or ship all of the closets and cupboards are called lockers.)

'What are you doing with my good towels?' my wife shrieked.

I explained to her that I was going to wrap the mooring lines (the ropes that hold the boat in the slip) so they would not wear through in the wind. If the lines parted the boat would slam against the pier or pilings, split open and sink. Not only would this spoil the towels, but as my wife and I were also aboard the boat, it would make it a very uncomfortable night at best.

About every half hour or so so I went out on deck to check our lines. At the height of the storm the wind was too strong to stand up so I had to scuttle about on hands and knees.

By dawn the storm had passed with little damage. We laundered the towels and put them back in their place with only a little wear for their service.

I don't mind storms, but when they start giving them names....

F S

Stay safe!

Love the towel story! If you live in Florida, you are ALLOWED to be dramatic about the weather.