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June 11, 2006 June 1st marks the beginning of the official hurricane season for many people that reside in the tropics or near tropics. According to the weather forecasters on both the weather channel and local news stations we could be in for as many as 17 named storms this season with somewhere between 6 and 9 becoming major hurricanes. That should make for a pretty busy season. And promises to be a long season because it does not end until November. I figured on the average that gives us someplace in the area of two to three storms per month until the season ends and if they happen as often as that or follow as strong as they were last year we will have little else to do but watch and prepare. June 10th and we have the first depression of the 2006 season. It developed down near the passage between the Yucatan and Cuba and was not thought to have favorable circumstances to become a hurricane. Collectively all of Florida and the Gulf states begin to breathe a sigh of relief, but let us not do so prematurely. June 11th this depression has been upgraded to our first tropical storm named Alberto. Projected paths in the beginning were to steer it north and west toward Texas due to a mixture of highs and lows in the atmosphere and then toward Florida’s north-central coast. Winds are expected to be around 45 miles per hour near the center with many bands of heavy rain. We can do this. Yesterday, June 10th, we had some intermittent rain and some gusty winds. This was nothing serious because this is regular for any given rain squall across much of the world. We kept a regular check on the weather channel and even caught a segment of last seasons recap of Hurricane Katrina along the Gulf coast region of the United States. A humbling experience that was and continues to be. Today, June 11th we experience pretty regular rain. Heavy at times. Light and steady at others. We are situated on the t-head at the Key West Yacht Club which happens to be a fairly protected area compared to our berth in the Miami area. Many of the other dock residents say that since they weathered four heavy storms here last season they feel this dock is as safe as any in this area. We do not necessarily find this reassuring given what we witnessed and watched last year. Our plans include keeping a close eye on this storm, Alberto, as it moves into the Gulf of Mexico and passes by us in Key West before we plan to move our boat up to Naples for a business/pleasure trip. From Naples we will move to Marathon, Florida and back into the safety of our river spot in Miami. Wish us luck! There is no way any person who has been through or has had some family or friends impacted by a major storm can really relax until the season is over, but there were lessons to be learned from last season. One can never be too prepared. Planning is essential to safety of self and personal belongings, so plan we all should. When evacuation warnings are issued be sure to follow those recommendations because it can mean the difference between life and death. Do not forget about the safety of your pets-recall the poor disoriented pets after Katrina separated from all things familiar and without food or water for days wandering the streets alone. Urge your communities to create comprehensive plans for all persons in their charge. Most of all take all weather advisories seriously and err on the side of caution. ------------ About the author: Michelle Malsbury was born and raised in Champaign, Illinois. Currently she resides in Florida. She holds a Bachelors of Science in Business Management and a Masters Degree in Business Management. Travels have taken her from Europe through the Caribbean, Central America, Mexico, and across much of the United States. She enjoys outdoor activities like sailing, water-skiing, hiking, bike riding, working out, and fishing as well as reading, music, theater, playing with her two amusing pets (Abu Chez, her 7.5 year old Australian Blue Heeler and Zack, her three year old yellow tabby cat) and writing. "Three Years With Adonis" is the first to be published of several books that she has written. It is now available in all the better bookstores, but can also be found and ordered at Amazon.com, Booksamillion.com, Barnesandnoble.com, or ordered directly from her web sites, www.3yearswithadonis.com, www.threeyearswithadonis.com, or www.MichelleMalsbury.com. In addition to "Three Years With Adonis", she has authored four other books and three screenplays while continuing to explore all that life hands her. Email Michelle Malsbury: zackywacks@aol.com Comment on this article here! ------------ All articles are EXCLUSIVE to Useless-Knowledge.com and are not allowed to be posted on other websites. ARTICLE THIEVES WILL BE PROSECUTED! |
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