A reminder for our clan: Be careful in arguing with the electric company about their surprising $1,000 power bills.
Back in March, we received a $1,000 utility bill.
MaLinda called and questioned the bill because our bill is usually around $400-$500.
She was told they were estimating our bill.
She said we never wanted the bill estimated.
We wanted to pay like we've been doing for the past 17 years.
They decided we were stuck with the bill, but promised it wouldn't be estimated again.
Our April bill showed that it was estimated.
MaLinda called again and they said it should have been read and didn't know why it wasn't.
Come May 22 the utility sends a young man to change out the meter so he doesn't have to read it monthly.
But he finds meter box remote communication may not be working.
He doesn't know, but we get a letter a week later that instructs us to hire an electrician to come change the meter box by June 23.
Shifting gears, hurricane season is here and meteorologists are warning the 2025 Atlantic hurricane season is forecast to be above average, with a 60% chance of an above-normal season.
NOAA predicts about 13 named storms, with 6-10 of them becoming hurricanes, and 3-5 of those major hurricanes.
My arrival in Bay City 27 years ago introduced me to the hurricane-prone gulf coast.
In the Hill Country, hurricanes were feared.
It was the heavy rain we reckoned with, as storms could dump sheets of rain on the headwaters of the rivers and send torrents roaring down the rivers, often smashing anything in their way.
Reflecting on the two climatic and often quite different scenarios of the Hill Country and coastal plains, I'd say living down here is always more concerning because the land becomes the sea.
My first major storm here was in 1998 when a tropical storm ushered in winds that didn't reach the 74-mph threshold for Category 1 hurricanes, but it did bring a tidal surge equivalent to a Cat. 3 or 4 storm.
Land became the sea.
Anyway, the predictions project a 70% storm chance and a 44% hurricane chance this year.
AccuWeather predicts a "volatile" hurricane season, like 2024.
NOAA lists factors such as warmer than average ocean temperatures, forecasts for weak wind shear and the potential for higher activity from the West African Monsoon – a primary starting point for Atlantic hurricanes.
The National Weather Service says it has more advanced models and warning systems in place to monitor the weather.
All the weather people are unified in saying: Be prepared, take proactive steps now to make a plan and gather supplies to ensure you're ready.
