"I" Of the Storm

Part of the reason I started blogging again earlier than planned was because I heard that a tropical storm, soon to become a hurricane - now called Isaac - had formed and appeared to be on a course to devastate the American East Coast almost a year to the day after Irene.  I didn't want to face the possibility of a hurricane causing a power failure (no, blackout) as soon as I started blogging again.  (Ironically, my mother and I got through Irene with no trouble at all.  We were not so lucky with last year's October snowstorm.)   But, even though I had that worry a few days ago, the possibility of Isaac repeating Irene's path seems less likely to happen now. Florida, in fact, is the state most directly affected by Isaac at this point.  More on that in a minute.

It appears that the ninth storm of any Atlantic hurricane season is more likely than others these days to wreak havoc on the North American mainland and the West Indies - so much that the names can't be used again.  As this article on the Weather Channel's Web site explains, seven forenames beginning with the letter "I" - names used for the ninth storm of the Atlantic hurricane season - have been retired in the previous decade (2001 through 2011).  Two of the them (Ike, Igor) were retired after being used only once. Not too many first names begin with the letter "I" as it is, even though it's the fifth most commonly used letter in the English language; if they have to keep retiring "I" names, they might have to retire the letter

Otherwise, we might see a "Hurricane Iman" one day. :-D  

As for Isaac, it's forecast to go up the Florida peninsula and hit Tampa sometime next week - right in the middle of the Republican National Convention.  Since so many Republicans believe that God is responsible for everything, even severe weather, they might take this as a sign of the Lord Himself smiting them . . . with a flood.  (The fire in 2016.)  If they don't, it will be a fine time for the GOP to (re)discover . . . science!

So watch out, Christian-right Bible-thumpers, because it looks like Isaac is going to sacrifice you!