Cape Verde Storms

Fact is: The hurricanes that most often strike the North Carolina coast, or the Atlantic coast for that matter, develop off the Cape Verde islands, off the coast of Africa…Cape Verde-type hurricanes are those Atlantic storms that develop into tropical storms fairly close to the Cape Verde Islands and then become hurricanes long before reaching the Caribbean. They, more often than not, turn northwest.

They’re usually full tilt boogie.

I’m about 100 miles, as the helicopter flies, from the Atlantic coast. We have many hurricanes in North Carolina, and I’ve experienced steady 90 MPH winds, here in the House of Juju, on several occasions. The Cape Fear area, Wrightsville Beach, and Wilmington usually get creamed. They are ground zero.

They build early on, and roar across the Atlantic, full force, with nothing to stop ‘em, and then slam into the east coast. We never get spanked by one born in the Caribbean…they usually head for the Gulf.

Earl…this is going to be a close one…all you can do is wait and pay close attention, and have a plan. I have a plan. I’ve been through several while on the coast, and I’m telling you, if you don’t have a plan, you could die. If Earl skirts the east coast, as forecast, it will be bad, if it makes landfall it will be worse. All of ‘em are bad, but a CAT 4 or 5 could be catastrophic…even a CAT 3 with a direct hit on populated areas.

From experience, I’m telling you…sometimes Mother Nature can be some Bad Bad Juju.

Anyway, the next few days will be interesting.