Hurricane Bill

The first major hurricane of the 2009 season was a near miss for Hatteras Island, and no one is disappointed. The National Weather Service very accurately forecast the track of Hurricane Bill. Yet even with that, there are those of us who still prepare for the just-in-case scenario.

Experience has taught us that hurricanes don’t always “behave” as predicted; the storm track may change and/or the intensity of the wind may increase dramatically. Anyone who has lived here for a period of time and for those who have witnessed a hurricane here will most likely agree, that Mother Nature is unpredictable and ultimately in control. We know that even with this improving accuracy of weather forecasting, (especially during hurricane season) the weather here changes in an instant and without notice. So we must always be prepared for the unexpected.

Even though the storm was to remain well off our coast, by Friday the surf was building and warnings of dangerous rip currents resulted in the closure of the National Seashore beaches to ORV traffic, and the rescue squad asking people to use extreme caution and not enter the water during the storm conditions.

Fortunately the predicted track of the storm did not change and the hurricane passed us by on Saturday, August 22nd, just a few hundred miles off the coast of Cape Point. By Sunday morning the storm had moved well north on a track for Nova Scotia. Surfers waited patiently at their favorite break watching for the right wave, and beach goers were once again returning to the beaches for a day of fun and relaxation.

We are thankful that this storm has gone, and now will watch the Weather Channel’s tropical updates faithfully each day so we can monitor the next tropical wave as it approaches, and be prepared for our next storm. In the meantime, we will continue to enjoy this beautiful island we call home.


Blog entry by Katherine White, Administration Support, Hatteras Office.