Everyone please remember those that got hit with these killer storms. After having to work 3 Hurricanes and a string of Massive F5 Tornados in Alabama, I can tell you that no matter how bad it looks on TV, it’s far worse in real life! What struck me the hardest was not the houses that were destroyed, it was the little things, the photographs, the trophies, the books, all the things that can never be replaced no matter how large an insurance check you get.

That reminds me of something I was telling everyone after working Hurricane IVAN, and Janice, perhaps you can spread this during Hurricane season: DO NOT TAKE IRREPLACABLE FAMILY HEIRLOOMS AND PHOTOGRAPHS TO YOUR VACATION HOME OR CONDO ON THE BEACH!!! With a Hurricane, it isn’t a question of “IF”, it’s a question of “WHEN” and “HOW BAD!” I lost count of the number of times we violated orders to enter a condemed building to retrieve a valued treasure for people.

A squall line is literally a line of thunderstorms that typically form along a front (in this case it was a strong cold front slamming into record warmth across the south) The storms need plenty of moisture (Gulf of Mexico)…and unstable warmth. As long as you have those two things (unstable atmosphere and lots of moisture, the squall line will continue to hold together, and bring with it the potential for severe weather.