Also, don’t forget to compile a home inventory, just in case. What will you do when the insurance company asks you for a list of your belongings destroyed in a storm? Will you be able to prove what property you had and the condition it was in prior to the storm? What it cost?

The Insurance Information Institute offers free computer software that can help with the home inventory process. This software makes creating and updating your home inventory easy. And with their free, secure online storage you will have access to your inventory anywhere, any time. You never know when a disaster may strike - but you can be prepared with a home inventory. The software allows you to keep track of your belongings in room-by-room files, where you can also record purchase price, date purchased, and serial number, as well as upload photos.

Q.    With preparation in mind, I asked David what is the biggest mistake people make when preparing for a hurricane?

A.    That’s easy. Not preparing! Most people don’t have a plan. People’s natural reaction is to believe bad things won’t happen to them. In short, know if you need to evacuate and what to do with your pets. If you don’t need to evacuate, then be prepared to have enough food and water for four days without government assistance and a 30 day supply of medications. Also, if you live in a condo you can’t have a generator. I HIGHLY recommend buying at least one portable ac/dc portable battery supply (Like the one to the right). Best item you can have.

Q.    What has been your worst experience with a hurricane?

A.    That’s easy. CBS4 in Miami sent me to New Orleans one day after Hurricane Katrina hit Louisiana. I was there five days and saw the worst damage and human suffering I’ve ever experienced. A true nightmare.

Q.    Many times we hear someone say a hurricane may jog to the left or right; giving an uncertainty to the forecast. The forecasts from the Hurricane Center have pretty much been spot on over the last couple of years. With the advancements of today’s forecasting technology, what is the probability that a hurricane that is forecasted to hit one area will unexpectedly change direction and hit somewhere else?

A.    Let me take that question and answer it a little differently. Most people are used to seeing the “cone of uncertainty” on television or on the internet. I always stress the forecast cone and not the individual forecast points (where you see the actual hurricane symbol plotted). Because the reality is, the hurricane is somewhere in that forecast cone 2/3 of the time. HOWEVER, 1/3 of the time the storm ends up not even being in the cone.

Q.    If tourists have a planned vacation to Miami Beach and there is a storm forming, should they try to reschedule their trip or just take the better chance that it most likely will not hit here?

A.    This all depends on where the storm is forming and the timing. If there appears to be a reasonable chance that South Florida could see some effects (in other words we are in the cone three, four or five days out), then a reschedule is the best option. November through July is the best time to visit. Our main hurricane threat is August-October.

Q.    If you were a tourist staying at a hotel and a category 1 storm was forecast to hit Miami Beach, would you cut your vacation early?

A. Yes. To begin, hotels might not allow you to stay. In addition, depending on the storm an evacuation could be ordered. Even if one is not called (evacuations are called based on potential storm surge), a Category 1 could cause power outages and other inconveniences that would not make for a happy time. There is also the distinct possibility that a storm could strengthen significantly at the last moment before landfall and you would be dealing with a much more serious situation with nowhere to go.

Q.    Since tropical storms usually cause less damage than hurricanes, (mostly downed tree limbs, some flooding, etc.), why is it forecasters seem to hype them as much as hurricanes? Do you feel that doing so may lead to “tropical storm fatigue” and cause people to take future, even stronger storms, less seriously?

A.  That’s not always the case. There have been many tropical storms over the years that have caused tremendous flooding and damage. The same goes for Category 1 hurricanes. Just look at Hurricane Irene in 1999 and Hurricane Katrina in 2005. They were both “barely” hurricanes but caused a great amount of damage and flooding to parts of our area. I treat each storm individually. They are all different and pose different threats at different times. We never “hype” at CBS4.

I want to personally thank CBS4 Chief Meteorologist David Bernard for taking time out of his busy schedule to help us prepare for this and future hurricane seasons. Although the busy 2005 season was an anomaly, as David said earlier, it only takes ONE to devastate a community. The media coverage of hurricanes is not excessive since there are still so many people who do not prepare and even ignore the trained advice all together.