by Francis Jock

Created on: September 05, 2008   Last Updated: March 03, 2010

A look back into recorded history shows that the origin of the word "hurricane" can be traced to the Carib Indians that once lived among the islands of the Caribbean. Although the word may have sprung from a similar word for the Maya storm god "Huracan", it has joined contemporary language as the name for tropical tempests with memorable names like Katrina, Dean, Andrew, and Betsey.

It would make sense that such a word should exist among the native islanders, as they were subject to the annual onslaught of these powerful storms for thousands of years. Furthermore, since Spanish explorers initially explored Florida and the Gulf States, it may be possible that any parallel Native American word would be replaced by the Spanish version. One curious fact about Central and North American cultures discovered during the Spanish conquest is the proliferation of great pyramids and pyramid-like mounds.

For centuries, the first people of the Americas lived in hurricane country in relative harmony with the natural forces. Nowadays, after building great cities across in the coastal areas and among the bayous, after establishing thousands of residential suburbs, business communities, and industries that depend upon oceanic commerce, some may have begun to question the wisdom having done so. For these people, the devastation and financial losses from recent hurricanes have become dark skies in the economic future.

Nevertheless, let's face the facts. Living in hurricane country means dealing with and preparing for the storms that are going to arrive every year, sometimes as early as May and as late as December. Thanks to the governments ongoing hurricane research efforts, we are adequately warned of their coming, advised when to "get out of Dodge", and almost everyone living in hurricane country is prepared to do so.

The science of hurricane forecasting has improved greatly over the decades, thanks to the hard work of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, the Navy's Hurricane Hunters (decommissioned in the 1970s) and the Air Force Hurricane Reconnaissance Squadron. Enhanced computer prediction models have made the early warning system more effective than ever, and everyone in hurricane country, from Central America and Mexico, and the southern and eastern United States are given plenty of time to prepare.

Life and living in hurricane country is not much different from that of living in earthquake, blizzard, tsunami, or volcano country. That is, with the forgivable exception that all the other don't have New Orleans. Laissez le bon temps roulette! But then, what value would life in hurricane country have without it? There, in the heart of hurricane country, hurricanes are only an occasional rude interruption in the festival of life. And that may be what Jim was singing about, afterall.

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