Hurricane Cristobal: Third Hurricane of the Season

We have surpassed the midpoint of the Atlantic Basin Hurricane Season, yet we are only on the 4th storm of this year's season.  That means absolutely nothing regarding the potential for impact from storms this season.

It ain't over till it's over...

It only takes one.  Hurricane Cristobal has reached hurricane strength just off the coast of the Bahamas, skirting the coast of that island paradise and disturbing the plans of vacationers and bumping into the funds that generates for residents.

Hurricane Cristobal does make the third named storm consecutively turned hurricane, starting out the season.  What's kind of cool is that such an event hasn't happened in 22 years.  That's right, back in 1992, the first 3 named storms were hurricanes.  In fact, that year was also a slow season, without any real action until August, where Hurricane Andrew made his appearance... It only takes one.

Fortunately, for interests along the eastern sea-board, it looks like Cristobal is taking a turn to the northeast and not even Bermuda needs to really concern themselves with his movements, but you never know.  We refer to Cristobal-type storms as "fish storms".  I wonder what the fish think...

Trajectory models for Hurricane Cristobal

It only takes one...

I think we have a tendency in the United States (or perhaps just as a human race), to nullify things that don't have a direct impact on us. It's some sort of strange and apathetic ego-centrism.  If it didn't have a big media blitz, it must not have happened.  I can't tell you the people who tell me that we haven't had an active Atlantic season in years...

Actually, in 2011, we made it to the letter "S"  storm, and in 2012, we made it to "T".  It didn't impact the United States though, so it might as well have not even happened.  I think we tend to be that way in other storms of life.  We casually watch the news and see stuff happening to people, but do we really get invested?  Do we feel moved to action when those other people are impacted, or do we somehow put "those people" over there?  Way over there.  Surely, it would never happen to us.  It wouldn't happen here.  That happened to them.  And surely other people are helping them. 

Disasters aren't discriminatory.  People caught up in crisis experience real suffering and need help of those who aren't caught up in the crisis with them.  We have some real opportunities to reach out to others, to be a people of a lifted eye.  We can be a people who look for ways to help others in their greatest moment of need. 

For now, it looks like we won't need to provide too much relief for people in the path of Hurricane Cristobal, but it only takes one.

Until next time...
~Dewdrop