Storm's A-Comin'
Charley has certainly made a mess of things in Florida. I suspect the high death toll will result in a lot of finger pointing over the forecast. The storm had been expected to hit further almost 100 miles to the north as Category 2 hurricane. Charley, proving once again that we human really aren't smarter than Mother Nature, turned and strengthened a mere two hours before making landfall.

The storm knocked out power to hundreds of thousands of people, and even severely damaged a number of hospitals and storm shelters. Among the odder deaths, a man in Fort Meyer stepped outside his house to smoke a cigarette and a tree fell on him, furthering proving that smoking will kill you.

But Charley isn't done yet. After crossing over the Florida peninsula, he reentered the open waters of the Atlantic and turned north, restrengthening in the process. One of the Carolinas is likely to take the next punch. Later tonight the center of Charley is expected to come up along the Chesapeake Bay into Virginia and Maryland. Consequently Tropical storm warnings are up throughout the DC and Baltimore areas. However, nothing along the line of Isabel is expected.

I'm already making serious preparations myself. I decided to splurge and buy a six pack of Moosehead, and later this afternoon I'll set up my lawn chair and grill on the roof of my mobile home.