2005 Hurricane Season Approaches: Are We Facing Another Stormy One?

Spring, Texas, May 11, 2005. Pull out those 2005 hurricane tracking charts, folks. A new season is upon us, and forecasters are predicting another active one. The Atlantic hurricane season runs from June 1st through November 30th and people are already buzzing over what could turn out to be a repeat of 2004. According to hurricane specialist Stacy Stewart of the National Hurricane Center, “Right now, the pattern is very similar to what we had last year. So people should plan on this being another above-average season."
Those of us who live in coastal areas can’t control the weather, but we can and should be prepared, especially in light of last September’s repetitive storms. Eva Marie Everson, a Floridian, writes: “As someone who survived three (hurricanes) last year, I vacillate between thinking it can't possibly happen again and fearing the worst. The most difficult part is, around here, being without air conditioning and water. It's just so blooming hot! The air is still and stagnant afterward, which makes breathing difficult and everything smell like death. Especially with all the trees down. But, I think we're better prepared this year.”
Janet Truitt of Sarasota, Florida, is also wiser after last season’s tragedies. “We narrowly escaped hurricanes last year, and friends to our south, east, and northwest all sustained damages. Disaster can strike anywhere, and hurricanes are a trade-off of living in paradise. This year we will take our usual precautions, knowing that there is only so much we can do. Pretty much like the rest of life, there's no use worrying about it. We batten down the hatches the best we can, and the rest is up to God.” Clearly, people are turning to their faith – and matters of practicality – to see them through.
And it has always been this way. Janice Thompson, author of HURRICANE, (a novel about the Galveston hurricane of 1900, the largest natural disaster in American history) writes, “Life was different in 1900. Certainly the people on Galveston Island didn’t have the benefit of technology. They were caught unawares when the storm hit. And 6000 people died as a result. But out of that tragedy, came great triumph. The Islanders built an amazing seawall and raised the grade of the island. They worked together to prepare for future storms. Their faith and determination saw them through.” Future storms did come to tiny Galveston Island, but the seawall held. Lives were spared.
Things aren’t much different today. Communities ban together after tragedies and feel a sense of unity. Together, they are a powerful force to be reckoned with – almost as strong as the storms, themselves. All across the Gulf Coast we’ve watched people link arms to rebuild. Roofs have been patched, fallen trees have been cleared and moldy carpet has been removed. Together, people have clung to their faith and started afresh, anew.
Sure, there is the thought in the back of everyone’s mind, “What if it happens again?” But spirits are high, resilience abounds. People will continue to stand strong. And hope triumphs over tragedy, as always.
So, let the winds blow! People in coastal areas bravely face the storms in their lives and vow to move forward, regardless of the struggles involved.

Janice Thompson lives in Spring, TX, with her husband (a sergeant for the Sheriff’s Office) and four grown daughters. She is the author of several Houston-based novels, including HURRICANE.

Author: J. Thompson, Janice Thompson (www.janiceathompson.com)
Format: Paperback, 288 pages, softcover
ISBN: 1589190203
Publisher: Chariot Victor Pub/Cook Communications (1-800-323-7543)
Pub. Date: 01 October, 2004

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