We have our first named storm in the Atlantic already. I guess I need to move up my time table for preps this season.

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/18573390/

I wouldn't be too concerned with Andrea. It is only a sub-tropical storm that doesn't really fit the cyclonic profile (i.e., the strongest winds are on the outside and aim outward instead of condensing down to a core). To have named this low pressure system tells me that someone at NOAA was a little too eager.

That's also the beef that I have with The Weather Channel (TWC). Since they discovered that their ratings go up when dramatic weather events occur, they love to hype small events in the hope of attracting viewers. For example, their newer TV shows: "The Climate Code" and "It Could Happen Tomorrow" try to create hysteria and attract the same type of viewers that like watching train wrecks and disaster films. Bad science + cool video effects = higher revenue.

A specific example was the "It Could Happen Tomorrow" episode regarding the New Madrid fault zone. It is a real possibility that an earthquake could occur there in the near future, with devastating effects upon St. Louis and Memphis. My questions are: "1) How is this weather?" and "2)Is there a reasonable means of predicting when it will occur?".

So sorry about the rant. No anger is meant for Gatormba. Guess this is just one of my hot button issues

I agree but what is relevant is that Hurricane Season doesn't officially start for 2-3 more weeks. With La Nina in the Pacific and the GOM water temps being very warm; the Gulf Coast MAY be battered this year.

So far, I am short 5 gals of gas and some 1"x4" and a few 1"x12" boards. Yes, I'm feeling pretty good at this point in time.

I understand I have had a rant or two myself on here, and I agree with you about the Weather Channel. Where I am at Andrea does not pose a threat to me I was just pointing out that it's still only the second week of May and storms are already starting which is never a good sign. I normally don't work up my storm preps until later in July or August unless the storms start forming.

Since the storm rating system is predominantly based on the sustained wind speed and average wave size, they just categorized it according to the standards. Even though it is not particularly well developed and has little chance of turning into something more, it is still a bit out of the ordinary.

I wouldn't worry too much, such things occur from time to time.

If it gets people thinking about the upcoming season and they then prepare a little earlier, it may not be such a bad thing that so much attention is being paid to this storm.

Hopefully it won't mean much more than some high winds and some rainfall.

Unfortunately, currently it's also blowing the wildfires.

Agreed, as I said I'm not particularly worried about this storm but in the 28 years I have lived on the Gulf Coast it's been my experience that the storm seasons that start the earliest are generally (but not always) the worst. Early storm formation is usually a sign that the water temperature is warmer than normal and that increases the chances of stronger and more frequent storms.

I agree with you that reminding people to prepare is good and that some good will come out of this situation. Perhaps I'm overly sensitive about this situation because we've had 1 - 2 weeks of thunderstorms and the local media makes it sound like armaggedon is occurring:

Announcer:"...we interrupt our normal broadcast of CSI to warn you about the change in weather. John Blabalot is in Arlington with the latest video footage. John, can you hear us?"

John: "It's terrifying...and oh, the carnage...water is actually falling from the sky..."

I am very glad that I moved out of Florida. I have had enough hurricanes to last a lifetime. I evacuated two times three years ago, and I sat tight in my house for one more. Yuck.