It's the peak of the hurricane season and the Gulf States are anxiously waiting for the next update from the National Hurricane Center on the approaching storms. Every year, hurricanes disrupt the lives of millions of people, forcing them to evacuate their homes for shelters in distant cities. As a nation, we have learned a lot from Hurricane Katrina. For the millions affected by the coming storms, it now appears that we have finally learned to be prepared.

Hurricanes are born in the warm summer waters of the Atlantic and the Caribbean. Heated by the relentless energy of the sun, the heated waters spawn a low-pressure center with bands of fierce thunderstorms rotating aboutits center. At the surface, moisture-laden winds rushing into the low-pressure center rise upwards and rise upward, releasing their contents in the form of tropical rains. When the winds and accompanying thunderstorms reach acritical mass, an eye-wall cloud formation coalesces and another hurricanebegins its relentless path, moving west or northwest towards land.

Ahead of the storm, hurricane watches and warnings are posted throughout the Gulf States. Warning flags with distinctive red and black markings arehoisted in the ports and marinas, and every few minutes, a hurricane updateis broadcasted on the local and national news channels. The public is warnedwith the latest predictions of the storms most likely point of makinglandfall and people begin to prepare for the worst.

For many people, the worst has come far too often. Category Five hurricaneswith memorable names like Camille, Betsy, Andrew, Dean, Katrina and Rita haveindelibly etched their awesome destructive power in our collective memory.Those that have previously scoffed at hurricanes, sometimes embarking on a weekend hurricane party, no longer choose to brave the elements and ride outthe storm. Now, when the word spreads that a new hurricane is threateningcities like New Orleans, Galveston, Mobile, and Miami, people pay attention. And, the government, which is responsible for ensuring the safety andsecurity of the people, is finally prepared to deal with the storm'saftermath. There is nothing that can be done to divert or destroy the mostawesome natural force on earth, all we can do is clean up, rebuild, andrestore those cities after the hurricane's devastation is complete.

Families living in coastal states and low-lying areas that are prone tosuffer the devastating winds and waters of a hurricane are well advised toseek shelter well inland, away from the canals, swamps, lakes, marshes andbayous of the coastal wetlands. If Hurricanes Katrina and Rita taught usanything, it's that survival can depend upon being as far away from the stormas possible. You can always return after the storm has passed to rebuild, asmany people are doing today, even though rebuilding can be a struggle.

Hurricanes are going to bring devastation and are sure to disrupt the livesof millions of people in their path. Over the past few decades, the frequencyand intensity of hurricanes appears to be increasing. Hurricane forecastersare working hard to develop better technology and prediction models to helpalert a concerned public when and where a hurricane is likely to makelandfall. Once the alert is given, the wise person will pay attention. It isbest to have a family hurricane evacuation plan ready to follow. If not, youshould at least follow the direction to evacuate when given by the localauthorities.

That addresses the immediate problem, but what about the aftermath? Hurricanes are well known for their destruction and interruption of power and gasoline supplies. These days, it seems that practically anything can upset the delicate balance of supply and demand, frequently resulting in escalating gasoline and fuel oil prices. With a train of hurricane events on the horizon, it seems that we are under attack by mother nature herself. We have all suffered from the effect of high gasoline prices, although the reasons behind them are still not well understood. Now we can look forward to at least three more months of economic disruption as the hurricane train, lead by Hurricane Hannah, inexorably makes its way onto our shores. Perhaps, this is a more than we have prepared for this time.

Francis Jock is a freelance writer contributing knowledge based articles on Helium.com. Be the next to read these fine articles at http://www.helium.com/users/299821/show_articles or at the author's website: http://www.buzzicle.com