Don’t scare the locals! Years ago a TV meteorologist in Phoenix told me he couldn’t use the word “hot” in his seven-day outlooks. Not good for tourism. My brother-in-law told me that radio announcers in Key West, Fla., discuss “storm preparations,” rarely using the H-word (hurricane). Why? It scares people.
As Minnesotans we know the power of a severe thunderstorm. Multiply the winds by two or three and have them last for 12 to 18 hours, with a 10-to 20-foot dome of water on the coast. That’s what a major hurricane is like. You should be scared.
The tropics are quiet as we approach peak hurricane season. Three months ago NOAA predicted a 60% chance of an above-normal hurricane season. Preparation is essential, but I’ve always been skeptical of three-month hurricane outlooks.
Thunderstorms bubble up Tuesday with showery rains Wednesday. Winds gust over 30 mph. Late week lows in the 40s with highs in the 50s? Fake autumn. Temps in the 80s return by mid-September.
Windchill? Too scary. Perhaps we should call them fresh air alerts.
