Houston can breathe a little easier now as the National Weather Service as forecasted Hurricane Dean to make landfall in Mexico, not in Southwest Texas as many feared. And while Houstonians should be jovial in the fact that we’re no longer in the cone of uncertainty, the fact still remains: We’re still in hurricane season.
After Hurricanes Katrina and Rita, the Gulf Coast was on the edge of its seat with anxiety. And who could blame us? Seeing the tragedy on screen was too much for many to swallow -†and some members of the media didn’t really help.
Seeing the endless miles of broken down cars on the edge of highway and the infamous last-minute contra-flow plan put Houstonians off of the idea of evacuating. And the relatively calm seasons following didn’t help much either: It was too quiet -†especially after the exaggerated aquatic apocalypse meteorologists and weather specialists were spouting.
This editorial isn’t meant to serve as a hurricane preparedness guide that you can find at local grocery store, but rather, just a conscientious tap on the shoulder.
Take the necessary precautions for you and your loved ones -†whether that means stocking up on supplies to bunker down, keeping the tank full of gas ready for when you’re going to run for the hills or stocking up on party supplies to wait out the big one.
Either way, it’s your choice. The severity of a storm isn’t hinged on whether a meteorologist has his sleeve rolled up. Don’t let sensationalist reporting take you on a whim.
