The Peril Of Comparing Hurricanes
By: Matthew Keegan
As Americans, we often compare separate events — particularly calamaties — with each other. The recent destruction along America’s delta region by Hurricane Katrina is one such example. Comparison with Hurricane Camille in 1969 and the great Galveston hurricane of 1900 are inescapable as all three storms brought much death as well as widespread destruction along the gulf coast. Still, as I gaze out of my Wake County, North Carolina window this afternoon and look due south I see the gathering clouds from a less powerful hurricane, Ophelia, approaching and wonder if we have underestimated her potential havoc as well. Ophelia is much like Katrina, but probably not in a way you may think.
When Hurricane Katrina formed off of Florida’s coast, not much attention was given to it as it slowly grew from a tropical depression into a tropical storm. By the time the storm hit south Florida, it slammed in as a Category 1 hurricane. Later, as we all know, it slipped into the warm waters of the Gulf of Mexico and quickly grew into a Category 5 monster packing sustained winds of 175 mph. We know the rest of the story as several cities now lay in ruins and many hundreds of people are dead.
Lost in all of this is what Katrina did to Florida. The “little” Category 1 hurricane killed eleven people. That’s right, eleven dead. What is the significance of this? Few considered a storm of this magnitude to be a killer. Unfortunately, eleven people are dead because some only perceived the event as a bad windstorm. Comparisons with four larger storms that struck Florida last year and one storm that struck this year likely caused many to minimize Katrina. To their peril.
While Ophelia is not likely to ever gain Katrina’s ultimate strength it still has the potential to kill despite its “weak” status. Believe me, 75 mile per hour winds are nothing to dismiss especially if you are parked underneath a tree and a branch comes crashing down. If it crushes your car you are just as dead as from a tree knocked down by Ophelia as you would be from a much more powerful storm.
To make a long story short, Ophelia may cause death and destruction too. Comparing storms can be helpful, but minimizing destructive ability and death potential is not helpful.
Ophelia is likely to pass to my east, but I am still keeping a watchful eye out of my south facing window. Danger looms and I sense that some are not fully comprehending Ophelia’s deadly potential.
Matthew Keegan is the owner of a successful article writing, web design, and marketing business based in North Carolina, USA. He manages several sites including the Corporate Flight Attendant Community and the Aviation Employment Board. Please visit The Article Writer to review selections from his portfolio.