Hurricane season is always an interesting time in North Carolina, regardless of where one lives within the state. We, (as well as several other southern states,) are particularly vulnerable to tropical storms moving up from either the Gulf or from the Atlantic. Much of the south and Texas (south or southwest?) are also dependent on these storms or their remnants for a significant amount of rainfall to replenish water tables, even while the more severe storms may wipe out late summer and early fall crops, or cause dreadful flooding.

I abhor the flooding and devastation that eastern NC and the Northeast experienced from Irene. At the same time, I was sorely disappointed to have not gotten more than 1/4 inch of rain in my drought-ridden northeast central locale of the state, and most of that evaporated by the March-like windy conditions.

Texas is experiencing a devastating level of drought. Hard or torrential rains there now would wreak immediate havoc, cause untold property damage and probable loss of human life. Several tropical systems in a couple of months time would also be a blessing and a salvation to millions of acres of cropland, pastures and habitat, douse raging wildfures, and recharge the water tables.

What is clear is that climate change is occurring. One could say the climate is out of balance, or one could say the balance is shifting, unpredictably driven by global warming, the other effects of population increase, and natural change processes, as well as the effects of the interactions among all these processes. Regardless, humankind does not have control of the reins. It might behoove us as a species to accept this and change our behaviors and choices accordingly.

All that was thread drift, I see now. I'll let my rambings stand here anyway.

Hope that system developing in the Gulf over-all brings as much benefit as destruction.   My early bet regarding Katia, subject to change, is she will turn northeast well before she threatens the North American coast. But you can bet I'll be checking the tropical forecast at NOAA at least twice a day.