Report: Rafael to Hit Cuba as Hurricne, Florida Keys as Tropical Storm
Report: Rafael to Hit Cuba as Hurricne, Florida Keys as Tropical Storm
The Facts
As of around noon EST Wednesday, Category 2 Hurricane Rafael was less than 150 miles south-southeast of Havana, Cuba, with The Weather Channel (TWC) predicting it to hit western Cuba as a Category 3 later in the day with 74 mph winds or higher.
This follows Rafael's path through other parts of the Caribbean on Tuesday, leaving flash floods and knocking out electricity in Jamaica, as well as power outages and school closures in the Cayman Islands.
The Spin
Despite meteorologists warning about intensifying storms for decades, anti-science misinformation continues to spread — from encouraging people to ride out a storm to conspiracies about the government controlling the weather. What people should focus on is this simple truth: Burning fossil fuels leads to global warming, which causes warmer oceans, heavier rain, more powerful winds, and record-breaking storms.
If people wish not to fear an imminent end to the world, it would behoove them to learn from a different perspectiveo on this issue. This includes the fact that natural disaster deaths are a fraction of what they were a century ago, and property damage costs have fallen significantly over the last 30 years, all while more buildings are being built. Everyone would be better off if all the data was talked about rather than just the doom and gloom.
While it's important to debate the issue of climate change, such issues should not overlook the value of on-the-ground disaster preparedness. Such precautions in places like Florida include maintining properly enforced homes, drawing up evacuation plans, storing emergency food supplies, and checking the status of your insurance policies. Hurricanes are a seasonal occurance and must be accounted for every year.