Mike’s had my eyes on the Tropics and my heart on the entire Gulf Coast this week.
Like the flute of the Mobile Leprechaun, weather watchin’ has been handed down to me from my grandfather’s grandfather’s father. I don’t know that for sure, but considering he farmed, I’d say it’s a safe bet. As southerners who grew up in largely rural and agricultural areas, weather talk is deeply rooted in our culture.
We are desperate to connect with our community and the weather is as uniting as it gets. Save Climate Change arguments, it’s non-partisan and can bring together communities in preparation and cleanup. It gives us something to talk about that is somewhat mindless, save a hurricane, and mostly non-controversial. I don’t know about y’all, but I’m tired of controversy.
If you’re a Floridian, you probably already know Mike. Mike Boylan runs Mike’s Weather Page on Facebook from his home in Oldsmar, Florida. He focuses on tropical weather and hurricanes, with a special emphasis on Florida and the Gulf Coast. Although he is not a certified meteorologist, he has been accredited by NOAA, the NWS, FEMA, Hurricane Hunters, and more.
Mike’s signature service is fearless forecasting and reporting, well ahead of mainstream weather outlets. I have followed him for years and his site spaghettimodels.com has served many in forecasting storms and educating the public. But the most important thing he’s built is community. We should give the man a Floridian of the Year award. Carl Hiaasen, can’t you weave the man into a book or something?
As someone who lived just a few houses down from Pensacola Bay during Sally, I can tell you – you never know what’s going to happen with the weather. Sally wasn’t predicted to be a large storm, nor was it predicted to hit us…until she did. I will never forget the hours of sitting in a dark house with tornadic-level winds howling outside.
There’s a lot of talk about preparing your house and having supplies for the aftermath, but there’s little talk about preparing your heart.
If I close my eyes, I can still hear the whistle of the wind and feel the anxiety of worry thinking that a tree could uproot and crash through our home. There are so many things you don’t think about until you are trapped in a situation without viable solutions.
“What if a child has a seizure and no one can get to us and we can’t get out?” “What if something catches on fire?” “What if the windows blow out?” All of those thoughts may seem absurd until you’ve experienced it firsthand.
And now, this monster Helene is churning in the Gulf and my heart has been in my stomach once more. My mother was a New Orleans resident when Katrina hit. When she returned to her home a month later, the entire neighborhood had permanently relocated to Houston, and the city’s landscape was ravaged. I couldn’t believe the New Orleans I saw after that storm. After Michael hit, some friends and I went to Panama City to help our friends and witnessed heartbreaking destruction. Those scenes never leave your mind and the hurt of the people fosters deep empathy from there on out.
For those of you who experienced Ivan and all the storms before, I know those memories are never out of reach, and your breath is held with every newly named storm.
I had most of this column written before today and as of yesterday, was full of anxiety over the path, considering Sally caught us off guard. But then, when driving from Pensacola to Gulf Breeze tonight, I witnessed the most beautiful double rainbow. I haven’t seen a rainbow that vibrant and long-lasting since visiting Hawaii.
Immediately my anxiety dissipated and I felt the most peace I’ve felt all week. That’s the bittersweet gift of nature: powerful and destructive, yet healing and restorative.
Of course, an answered prayer for us will be our neighbor’s worst nightmare. And for that I am sorrowful.
The rainbow serves as a reminder of the promise that in 72 hours, this will all be over and there will be something else to worry about. But the thing that will remain is community. If you’ve ever been through a natural disaster, you know first-hand the gifts of good neighbors and friends, and the powerful act of coming together.
I hope no harm befalls you and yours from now through the end of this season, but if what you face seems overwhelming and insurmountable, you can rest easy knowing that the best people in the world are living all around you. And they will show up. With chainsaws and water, with dog food and warm blankets, with hot coffee and deep hugs. They WILL show up.
If this storm has you anxious, I will leave you with the verse and prayer I say over my son before he leaves for school each morning, “The Lord bless and keep you; shine His face upon you and be gracious to you, lift his countenance upon you, and give you peace.” (Numbers 6:24-26, The Holy Bible)
