[cappyjon431]

As a Florida native, I've been through several hurricanes in Florida (Andrew was by far the worst), the Bahamas, Belize and North Carolina.

You should not fear these storms, but conversely they shouldn't be taken lightly either. The nice thing about hurricanes (as opposed to tornados, earthquakes, tsunamis, etc.) is that with modern technology it is possible to start preparing for storms well in advance. Simple things like having an evacuation bag packed (with prescriptions, important documents, extra cash if the ATMs are out), plenty of supplies on hand (such as batteries, flashlights, canned goods, botled water,gas cans with gas, portable radio, extra ice in the freezer in case power is out for a few days, etc.), and an understanding of where the safest point in your house is located (no or few windows) can all make hurricanes tolerable. If you can afford a small generator (make sure you have gas too in case the pumps are out) it will make you more comfortable.

When I lived in the Keys we used to load up on canned goods (I remember lots of Spam!) during the winter so that we were prepared for hurricane season in the summer/fall. Usually we wouldn't get hit, so we ended up eating lots of canned foods all through late fall/winter/spring.

Give them a healthy respect and hurricanes are nothing to worry about here (New orleans is a different story!).

As far as lightning storms, no need to stress about them. Unplug your appliances, computers and TVs, and relax. When I lived in Panama we lived on a small island that was 90% rainforest. We received over 200 inches of rainfall annually and lightning storms that put any Florida storms to shame. We would close the windows, open the blinds, and witness nature's beauty--lightning displays are beautiful.