If the hurricane doesn't destroy the city of New Orleans, and make the city permanently unihabitable, then some people are going to be disappointed. We will see the finger-pointing and accusations of hype, even though everyone could see a massive and well-organized system barreling into the LA coast just to start to fall apart right before landfall.
Whether this is due to water temps and depths along the coast, or interference of the ground on rotation, or whatever, maybe it is part of the reason that there has not been a Big One hit the Big Easy in a long long time.
For those who are disappointed that they don't get to see mass destruction (the city of New Orleans could still flood), just remember that this storm could have killed hundreds maybe even thousands of fellow Americans, caused tens of billions in damage, and destroyed irreplaceable historical buildings and artifacts.
And with this in mind, we should rejoice in the fact that the worst of this might still be avoided.
When I went to bed last night, it looked worst-case, now it looks somewhat better. Prayers from Georgia that it continues to fall apart over land, and continues to move forward faster.
I do not believe it is "alarmist" to cry wolf when there is a wolf at the edge of the woods with a keen eye on your little cottage in the clearing. If the wolf wanders off, it is good news, not an occasion to berate someone with a legitimate concern and a forecast that was good to the limits of the current technology and experience.
I would love for us to have enough confidence to say one day that a storm that is barreling in on us will turn away or weaken at the last minute.
Maybe one day we can truly predict at birth who is going to be a serial killer, too.
Amen to what you said. Knowing when to express gratitude is a virtue too.