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Ok, so here in the UK we get very little in the way of extreme weather. Supposedly we have a higher density of tornadoes than the US, but that always sounds like crap and I suspect less than 1/100 of 1% of us have seen one.
I know in California the general response to an earthquake will be a conversation consisting of 'did you feel the quake last night?' 'no, I musta slept through it', but to me quakes are a really scary idea.
When you actually look at it, there are very few places in your fair country that is not plagued by some sort of extreme weather/natural hazard. Most of the southeast and up most of the east coast you have hurricanes, twisters plague a huge part of the country, extreme cold patrols the north, earthquakes in the west and volcanoes in the northwest, and then there's hail and floods and droughts and thunderstorms.
So, my question, as stated in the title is what is the general view of these things? Is it a fatalistis 'well you gotta go sometime?' or just a general indifference of 'well I probably won't die in the next x'
Obviously you can't speak for everybody, but what hazards does your area face, what is your particular view and what do you perceive to be the view of the area?
I have lived in the Southern part of the USA for 73 years. In addition to the natural hazards you mentioned, we also have several varieties of poisonous snakes, poisonous spiders, scorpions, alligators, poison ivey and probably a lot more.
I have never had a problem with any of the above, except the poison ivey. Just part of life.
It's funny how most Americans are obsessed with crime even where it doesn't exist but nobody worrys about natural disasters. Even here on city Data you see so many threads where people ask "is this area safe?" My 1st thought is earthquake, tornado, hurricane, wildfire, flood but what they really care about is criminal activity.
I live in an area that really doesn't have any real weather hazards. Sure it gets cold and a bit of snow in the winter, but those are hardly real hazards. Turn on the heat in the house; fire up the snowblower a couple times a winter... no big deal. No Earthquakes, no big floods, no hurricanes, no volcanoes, and for sure no drought. Thunderstorms are just rain. Tornadoes happen a couple times a century in this area they say, but I've never seen one.
I sat through a hurricane, watched a tornado take the roof of a neighbors house, and watched Hurricane Elvis do some serious damage in Memphis.
Typically with those kinds of things there is plenty of warning before they happen, enough time to flee or take shelter in most cases, so I don't worry about it overly much.
Memphis also lies near the New Madrid fault and I will admit that worried me a little from time to time, earthquakes don't really give much warning. I kept some emergency supplies on hand "just in case" but really there's not much more you can do to prepare for something like that. It's easier to just put it out of your mind and hope for the best.
I figured I'm more likely to to die as a victim of an auto accident than I am of a natural disaster.
I live in an area that really doesn't have any real weather hazards. Sure it gets cold and a bit of snow in the winter, but those are hardly real hazards. Turn on the heat in the house; fire up the snowblower a couple times a winter... no big deal. No Earthquakes, no big floods, no hurricanes, no volcanoes, and for sure no drought. Thunderstorms are just rain. Tornadoes happen a couple times a century in this area they say, but I've never seen one.
Yes Michigan is quite safe from natural disasters, other than tornados (depending on how far north you live) If you are north of Flint and Grand Rapids tornado activity is more rare. Parts of the southern area of Michigan are quite prone to tornado activity. Overall though we have it pretty good in Michigan when it comes to natural disaster.
I grew up in Nebraska and I have never seen a tornado. I WANT to see one. I just don't want it to take my house. LOL
I actually love tornado weather and severe thunderstorms. I recently moved and I'm kind of sad that I will miss tornado season. Really, you just get used to whatever the hazard is in your area. You grow up with drills, learn how to protect yourself, and make sure to always leave a clean spot in your basement.
I grew up in Nebraska and I have never seen a tornado. I WANT to see one. I just don't want it to take my house. LOL
I actually love tornado weather and severe thunderstorms. I recently moved and I'm kind of sad that I will miss tornado season. Really, you just get used to whatever the hazard is in your area. You grow up with drills, learn how to protect yourself, and make sure to always leave a clean spot in your basement.
Me too. I hate to see when a powerful tornado touches down and does damage (I've been lucky to never have been in the path...), but there is something about the awesome power of a storm that is exhilarating and exciting. I don't want to see damaging winds...but it helps keep things in perspective when you understand the power of these storms.
As to the OP...the general attitude is: that's life. When you live in an area prone to a certain activity, you become somewhat desensitized to it.
For example, those on the east coast may be terrified of earthquakes, while a Californian may think "what's the big deal?" and the same is true when a Californian freaks out over a tornado warning in the plains or central east.
Severe weather/natural disasters are certainly something to take seriously, but I pity anyone who fears them in everyday life.
Me too. I hate to see when a powerful tornado touches down and does damage (I've been lucky to never have been in the path...), but there is something about the awesome power of a storm that is exhilarating and exciting. I don't want to see damaging winds...but it helps keep things in perspective when you understand the power of these storms.
As to the OP...the general attitude is: that's life. When you live in an area prone to a certain activity, you become somewhat desensitized to it.
For example, those on the east coast may be terrified of earthquakes, while a Californian may think "what's the big deal?" and the same is true when a Californian freaks out over a tornado warning in the plains or central east.
Severe weather/natural disasters are certainly something to take seriously, but I pity anyone who fears them in everyday life.
That's how I feel about them.
I remember someone telling me a story of how they were in a store when the tornado sirens were tested (10 am the first Saturday of every month). A person who was not from the area was in the store and started freaking out, thinking there was a tornado. It seems silly to us because that's life. It's easy to forget that's not life for everyone.
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