Damn here comes Tropical Depression#5

[malaise]

http://www.wunderground.com/tropical/tracking/at200605_5day.html

Early days yet but this could be a gulf storm. Forecast say it will be Tropical Storm Ernesto by tomorrow.

[AspenRose]

1. And it's headed straight for Jamaica

by the weekend :(

[malaise]

2. Not worried

since at 22mph it shouldn't develop enough to give us much more than water.
Whatever comes I'm ready. So far its taking the same path as Gilbert - that should worry Gulf interests more than Jamaican interests this time around.

If it slows down, this could be trouble for more than a few places including Cancun and Texas. Early days - let's watch.

add.

[babylonsister]

5. Great. I live in Texas and am supposed to be going to

the Yucatan next week. :cry:

[AspenRose]

7. I remember Gilbert

A&M had a football game with Alabama postponed because of Gilbert. Couldn't find any Pat O'Brien's Hurricane Mix ANYWHERE in Bryan/College Station.

Ah, memories. :D

[magellan]

3. malaise, how do you deal with the idea of hurricanes there in Jamaica?

I'm not even talking the actual thing. Just the thought of one crossing near or over an island I lived on would really worry me. I panic enough living on the Florida peninsula -- there's so little land between us and the Atlantic/GOM that if one came straight for central FL there'd be little to slow it down before it reached us.

How do you deal? Are you a fatalist about it?

[malaise]

8. After Gilbert

I take them in stride. We prepare in June and watch the weather. Jamaica is not flat like Florida and the building codes are way stricter because of our history with hurricanes and earthquakes. Of course that's not true for the poor or squatters living near river beds or in coastal areas, but many people have been forcibly removed or moved on their own after close shaves.

We're survivors and Gilbert taught all of us that we must remain close to nature and willing to getting back to basics. Caribbean people are very pragmatic - we have hurricane parties and neighbours get together during storms and run shifts to watch all night when required and we drink loads of rum, beer, wine and coffee. If we lose power we have BBQs and share the meat before it spoils.:D We have very few hurricane deaths so since we love where we live we just take precautions, prepare and defer to nature. Only a major hurricane like Gilbert will disrupt us for a few weeks and those are rare. We're lucky -most hurricanes pass north or south of us.

Since we started watching TD#5 earlier friends have been calling us checking that we're ready and making arrangements in case we have to deal with Ernesto come weekend. What will be will be. Why worry:D

[magellan]

10. God I love your attitude

I wish I could adopt it! Been trying...but instead I find myself looking back fondly on the 6.7 Northridge quake and wondering why I ever left Los Angeles. :)

I'll work to incorporate some of your common sense into my attitude. Logically I totally get it, worrying is useless. But emotionally....

[malaise]

11. Rather than waste time on emotions

stock up on beans, corn, peas and tomatoes to plant in pots the day after the storm. One thing you're sure of is prices will go up in eight weeks and home grown veggies will be ready in eight weeks as well. Growing yuor own food is great post - hurricane therapy.

If you're happy where you are and you live in a hurricane zone, it's simply par for the course. Last year was draining because there were so many storms but life goes on so prepare for the storms and just live.

After Gilbert we knew where to find all the natural streams for fresh water. It was fun as we'd meet strangers with their stories as we filled up and bathed. Gilbert taught me that it makes no sense to be totally dependent on water and electricity that can disappear with one good breeze blow:D. You can fret or you can enjoy the stars and the silence of the electricity free nights. We played board games, cards and of course had more than a few drinks. We spent more time with friends or just chatting together in that period than normal. The best approach is to work out the average time it takes for regular life to resume and enjoy the inconvenience. Once you know that normal life will resume, it's not that bad.
That's why I feel so bad for the people of NOLA. That is complete dislocation. They have reason to have emotional problems. Florida and Jamaica are usually back to some semblence of normal life in eight weeks maximum (after a Cat 3).

[graywarrior]

4. I think it will not be as bad for Jamaica, malaise

At least I am hoping. Jamacia is one of my favorite places on the planet.

[malaise]

9. You're right

but those North West of us may not be so lucky. Unless it slows down, we're OK and we could use the water.

[OrangeCountyDemocrat]

6. Hold Your Breath...

There is a tendency to cringe whenever the prospect of a natural disaster arises. While this is understandable, we have an extra reason for being Scared Shitless, because we know that the incompetence at the top will make Any disaster 10 times worse just because of their Incompetence.

We pray that the nation makes it through the next 30 months without a major catastrophe which forces King george to do something or react intelligently.