Hurrah for Alberto!

The first tropical storm has formed; am I the only oddball who finds this exciting?

I look forward to the hurricane season in the same way other men look forward to opening day of baseball. Who are my players; what does the year promise; where are the guesses of likely hits? Even the Weather Channel moves into gear for these high holy days of hurricane coverage.
I have covered some of the psychology of weather tracking in previous blogs, so I won’t repeat that. I want to point out while the excitement is goofy, I am not a hypocrite about it. In contrast, I can see the meteorologists on TWC trying to suppress delight and convey shock and concern rather. But I know they are just as excited as the audience to see a big one.

I wonder if there is unconscious Protestantism happening here; the wicked will be smitten some how by Nature’s wrath. I do not buy this when Pat Robertson or one his ilk suggest God purposely did this and that to teach a lesson, so I don’t hold to the idea that the Gulf Coast is wicked per se.
Perhaps it is more a Northern revenge rather. I’ve heard a lifetime of people down South gloat about how warm it is, no snow, no gray skies etc. There are also ‘snowbirds’ who depart every winter leaving us poor sods left up north to live it out. So perhaps hurricane season appeals to a sense of Justice and balance. There is no safe place; everyplace has their faults. Even I have traded snow/gray for intense heat and sun.

I will take a snow storm over Katrina any day; Midwest is February may be a different matter.