As always, I’m a little fascinated by the weather phenomena that grace our globe.
I couldn’t’ even begin to tell you why outside of being in awe of the sheer power that some of those shifting winds brings us.
Take for example the “Atlantic Hurricane Season” that officially starts on Monday, June 1, and lasts until Monday, Nov. 30, this year.
While we’re a month out from the forecaster-accepted action window, that doesn’t mean that Mother Nature will wait on our timetable to make a scene.
And, I guess that such unpredictability is probably why I enjoy watching clouds roll in to relieve us of that stifling summer heat.
The only downside is when we’re left scouring gray clouds for the hope of rain and barely getting a few sprinkles here or
there.
Then, whatever brief, teasing moisture we get turns the great
outdoors into an impromptu sauna.
Still, hurricane season reminders have spread all over social media as of late.
I don’t think it’s meant to come off as annoying as it is, but there will also always be undoubtedly some person who didn’t know anything about the weather, safety procedures, and possibly how to handle themselves in the heat of an emergency.
Still, I also find it really important to stay on top of upcoming weather forecasts and staying prepared in case something has the real potential to become a problem here.
I can remember only a handful of evacuations or early releases from school while growing up and honestly only viewed them as surprise vacation days before we came back for class.
As an adult, I’ve dealt with more tornado warnings and watches than I have hurricane ones, so I’m not sure if that’s a good thing or a bad thing.
Regardless of where I’m going to lay blame on for ruining an extended weekend, there are also a handful of benefits we get from low-level hurricanes.
For example, it helps provide water for plenty of farmers - animal and plant alike.
I mean, a tropical storm that’s barely coherent but provides plenty of rain is a blessing in my book.
After all, we’re still in our drought stage and I don’t see an issue with getting a slow, steady and sustained bit of rain for a few hours hurting anyone other than those unprepared for it.
That being said, if someone is fairly unsure or confused about things, I’d definitely recommend that they come out to the “2nd Annual Hurricane Symposium” this weekend at the Bay City Civic Center.
The free event is hosted by Matagorda County Emergency Operation Center and Matagorda Local Emergency Planning Committee from 8 a.m. to noon Saturday, May 2, at Bay City Civic Center, 201 7th St.
While that’s a bit early for me on a Saturday, the flyer states there will be free breakfast, so that’s a motivator for sure!
The flyer also states that there will be several demonstrations, games, vendor booths and information from industry professionals.
For me, it sounds pretty much worth the loss of freedom on Saturday, to hear the latest updates for hurricane season directly from the professionals.
I mean, it should be a great learning opportunity and a chance to hear any and all updates from our local resources, too.
Maybe I’ll see you out there – if not, at least you’ve got some time to tackle your preparations solo.