The week began with a rare event. A total solar eclipse along a path across the span of the United States from sea to shining sea.
And the week is ending with another rare event. But for this one, the seas are not shining, they’re churning.
The National Weather Service says Hurricane Harvey, which is about to hit the Texas coast, is the largest hurricane to hit the U.S. mainland in more than a decade.
Harvey was not even supposed to be a big hurricane. It had petered out a bit to more of a tropical storm but then suddenly and quickly it strengthened to become a monster storm.
And while scientists can calculate to minutes when a total solar eclipse will happen, knowing when a hurricane will form is not as precise.
There were months to prepare for the solar eclipse, but only days to prepare for this hurricane.
The good news is that Texas and the people who live there know how to be prepared for hurricanes. While not common, they happen. And emergency officials know what to do and citizens know what to do.
The emergency officials are just trying to make sure people do what they know they’re supposed to do.
This should be a reminder to all of us here in Southern California where earthquakes can happen at any time and wildfires can suddenly break out without warning and quickly spread. When things like this happen, being prepared should not be a rare event.
(Photo credit 10News/NOAA)