Well, Odette is over

[Hurricanehink]

It was fun while it lasted, for some of us. So how did the caribbean islands do through this? I can't believe a december storm would affect land, but there you go. Odette is now extratropical, and there goes a very memorable hurricane season. I still think it is crazy that there was a pre-season and a post-season storm.

[Anonymous]

Odette was a fun Christmas gift.

[caribepr]

Not so fun for the DR...

[caribepr]

As it seems the season of storms is over, I feel, especially reading this last post, I need to say something about some feelings I had this hurricane season regarding this site. First, I learned a lot. Using the sites I have used for years along with S2K helped put things in interesting perspective. However...there seems to be a real lack for some regular posters as to the reality that the tropics exist as more than some vague land masses with weather swirling about them. These islands are real places, with real people living real lives, going about their business of working, playing, parenting, struggling to meet the daily needs, having success or lack of same just as those on the mainland US. There was often the feeling that potentially damaging weather only mattered if it managed to hit the US coast, eastern or Gulf. It was extremely painful for me at times to feel this sense of disregard, even wild enthusiasm over the potential destructive forces that threatened tiny parcels of land with no evacuation routes. I realize that island living may seem unreal to many, but it is very real to the thousands of us living in the Caribbean. So while I can appreciate the excitement of those for whom weather and its workings is a passion, it would seem some could temper that passion with compassion, or maybe just a good reality check, or maybe, some travel experience beyond one's own borders?
Again, I'm thankful for what I have learned here, but the above was something I needed to express, both for myself and hopefully to those I refer to, for a little light on the subject from a different perspective.

[cycloneye]

As it seems the season of storms is over, I feel, especially reading this last post, I need to say something about some feelings I had this hurricane season regarding this site. First, I learned a lot. Using the sites I have used for years along with S2K helped put things in interesting perspective. However...there seems to be a real lack for some regular posters as to the reality that the tropics exist as more than some vague land masses with weather swirling about them. These islands are real places, with real people living real lives, going about their business of working, playing, parenting, struggling to meet the daily needs, having success or lack of same just as those on the mainland US. There was often the feeling that potentially damaging weather only mattered if it managed to hit the US coast, eastern or Gulf. It was extremely painful for me at times to feel this sense of disregard, even wild enthusiasm over the potential destructive forces that threatened tiny parcels of land with no evacuation routes. I realize that island living may seem unreal to many, but it is very real to the thousands of us living in the Caribbean. So while I can appreciate the excitement of those for whom weather and its workings is a passion, it would seem some could temper that passion with compassion, or maybe just a good reality check, or maybe, some travel experience beyond one's own borders?
Again, I'm thankful for what I have learned here, but the above was something I needed to express, both for myself and hopefully to those I refer to, for a little light on the subject from a different perspective.

I suppport that statement from you 100% and I also a person who lives in the caribbean can see that we in the caribbean islands dont get the attention that other places get when a hurricane threats the islands.I would wish that more attention is placed to the islands when a threat looms on them like in the GOM when a hurricane threats the gulf coast.

[wx247]

As it seems the season of storms is over, I feel, especially reading this last post, I need to say something about some feelings I had this hurricane season regarding this site. First, I learned a lot. Using the sites I have used for years along with S2K helped put things in interesting perspective. However...there seems to be a real lack for some regular posters as to the reality that the tropics exist as more than some vague land masses with weather swirling about them. These islands are real places, with real people living real lives, going about their business of working, playing, parenting, struggling to meet the daily needs, having success or lack of same just as those on the mainland US. There was often the feeling that potentially damaging weather only mattered if it managed to hit the US coast, eastern or Gulf. It was extremely painful for me at times to feel this sense of disregard, even wild enthusiasm over the potential destructive forces that threatened tiny parcels of land with no evacuation routes. I realize that island living may seem unreal to many, but it is very real to the thousands of us living in the Caribbean. So while I can appreciate the excitement of those for whom weather and its workings is a passion, it would seem some could temper that passion with compassion, or maybe just a good reality check, or maybe, some travel experience beyond one's own borders?
Again, I'm thankful for what I have learned here, but the above was something I needed to express, both for myself and hopefully to those I refer to, for a little light on the subject from a different perspective.

I completely agree. I sometimes wonder why people wish Cat. 5's to strike land masses, especially when they are so far inland (like Missouri for example). You have to realize that these tropical systems are deadly and while it may not always hit the US, any landmass it hits has the power to destroy structures and even, unfortunately, lives.

[bahamaswx]

My thoughts exactly, caribepr. No one cares about the Bahamas

[caribepr]

Well, it's good and not so good to know I wasn't alone in my thinking... but there is always next year to broaden horizons Hopefully they will be sunny ones!

[caribepr]

And p.s. bahamaswx, I do care about the Bahamas - and Bermuda too Just check my passport! (Nope, I'm not a jet setter, I just work on boats a lot)

[msbee]

caribepr
what an excellent point
while I have not felt that from too many people on this BB, it certainly does happen.
it seems a storm is simply not that serious until it starts coming towards Miami or some place like that.
I remember watching the Weather Channel in 1995. I was in the States and I
was trying desperately trying to get information about what Hurricane Luis was doing to St. Maarten.
The atittude of the forecasters on TWC was almost gleeful when talking about the size and perfection of the storm while it was battering SXM.
They surely get more solemn when a storm heads "their" way..

For instance, when you think about the scope of the damage Andrew did to Miami, obviously it was over a larger area and the dollar amounts were much higher than the dollar amounts of Luis hitting St. Maarten.
But never forget that our little island and the people on it were just as devastated from Luis' damage as those living in Miami were from Andrew.