The 2013 Atlantic hurricane season wasted no time producing a storm, sending Tropical Storm Andrea through the elbow of Florida on June 7 as it continued up the East Coast. Hopefully, this won’t be a tell tale sign of what is to come as a busy storm season.

With Mother Nature’s recent lashing on Oklahoma, I’ve heard a lot of talk about how much we would rather face a hurricane than a tornado.

And I could not agree more.

There is only one reason that I might prefer tornadoes to hurricanes — hurricane tidal surges cause long-term and widespread erosion. But we can’t win them all, and this lingering problem of erosion in Louisiana is a whole ‘nother can of worms, which is also likely birthed from other, more man-made, happenings.

There are many traits of Gulf Coast weather that folks down here tend to complain about — the heat, the inconsistency, the humidity — but these complaints are just typical means of small talk. There is an understanding that as long as it’s predictable, it can be weathered.

However, it’s an apparent trend among the southern states to contest the powers that be — something I am not predisposed to agree with. When you are given the advantage of knowing what to expect, why test it by not leaving?

Granted, some may not have the means to evacuate, but to the ones that do — namely the majority — why not board up and take a trip? Go visit some family that you haven’t seen in awhile. Only fools bypass the opportunity for a head start.

Ask our peers in Tornado Valley; it’s always a losing fight against Mother Nature.

But something else that nags me — the apparent paradox created when a meteorologist predicts a stronger storm than what actually materializes. The general consensus is that meteorologists are not trustworthy because they are merely trying to cover their rear-ends. If persons would listen when warned, then meteorologists would not have to seemingly fabricate the strength of the storm.

But it never ceases to amaze how much of a fiasco it becomes when preparing for storms. Every time another named swirl slides across that Doppler radar, it seems like it’s the first time we’ve seen such a phenomena.

Now, I know it’s in human nature — at least in most — to seek a little adventure and excitement. And nothing does it better than weathering a bad storm while hunkered down on the back porch. However, we should be smart about it — because we can.

We should count our losses when we can before they become too numerous to count. Board up, get out while you still have time and take advantage of your blessings no matter how ironic they are.

Godspeed to all of us throughout this hurricane season.

Chris Ortte is a 22-year-old political science senior from Lafayette.