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Charley was a Catagory 4 hurricane when it hit southwestern Florida on August 13th, the first Catagory 4 to hit Florida since Hurricane Opal, years back. Charley didn't lose steam right away like other hurricanes, and went on to ravage places like Orlando, which was still recovering by 2005. Charley shows that small things can pack a powerful punch.
Kim and Ron ended up helping with clean up and rescue efforts in Punta Gorda before heading home. The Possibles were glad that Kim and Ron had arrived home, safe and in one piece. Johnson later thanked them for their help and sent Kim and Ron a check each for $100. Ron used his on Bueno Nacho, whereas Kim put her's in the bank. At that time, both teens thought the hurricane season was over. After Charley, what else could go wrong?
The answer came when Kim and Ron did a routine check on the Weather Channel weeks later to find Hurricane Frances barreling towards Florida's east coast. Kim, at the time, could only say "No way!" She and Ron were speechless when Frances was upgraded to a Catagory 4, but relieved when it weakened before hitting the coast. Frances caused widespread damage, though, being much larger than Charley.
When Hurricane Jeanne set herself on the same path as Frances in mid September, Ron suggested that they help. Kim agreed, and together the teens organized a donation project, putting up a new page on Kim's website called "Hurricane Helpers". It told people to send donations of clothes, food, money, and other useful things to Wade, who would mail them to florida and other locations hit by hurricanes, so that people who'd lost everything could have some things of their own until rebuilding began. The program became even more important when, in late September, Ivan hit Florida near Pensecola Beach.
Kim and Ron weren't asked to go and help meteorologists forcast during hurricanes again, but Kim knew that she'd be prepared if they ever were again. After all, every summer gave way to a hurricane season. Who knew what 2005 would bring?
August 2005
Three tropical storms, two of which occured ealy on in June, had already hit areas of the Atlantic. Then, on July 10th, Hurricane Dennis hit Alabama and parts of Florida as a major hurricane, Meteorologists were all interested in having so many storms this early in the season, when on adverage there were usually none at this time. Weeks later, Emily emerged in the Atlantic as a powerful hurricane, hit Cancun as a Catagory 4, and then reamerged into the ocean and hit just below the Texas/Mexico border as a Catagory 3. Tropical Storm Franklin ended up drifting in the Atlantic.
"KP, switch to the Weather channel for a second," Ron told his (now) girlfriend, as they sat watching TV in the Possible's living room. Kim picked up the channel changer and pressed the numbers; soon meteorologist Jim Cantore was on screen, talking about the hurricanes.
"And NOAA's predictions for this hurricane season are here," he told viewers. "NOAA expects that we'll have 18-21 named storms, 9-11 hurricanes, and 5-7 major hurricanes that are above catagory 3 status. On adverage we only get 2 major hurricanes per season. In July alone we've already had two, Dennis and Emily. We've had 8 named storms so far. Now, there's no correlation between the data shown and how many storms make landfall. Very little correlation there." An image of a tropical storm in the Atlantic came on screen. "Here we have Tropical Storm Harvey that's expected to pass Bermuda..."
"You know what Ron?" Kim asked her friend. She glanced at him before turning her attention back to the Tropical Update.
"Yeah?" Ron asked. Kim moved closer to Ron and put an arm around his shoulders. Then the other arm made its way around Ron's front. Kim was hugging stuck his head out of Ron's pocket, saw what was happening, and dove back in to go to sleep. Then Kim let go.
"Its gonna be a busy hurricane season, you know. Our Hurricane Helpers program will be in full swing. And since we've got nothing better to do, how about we go down south to do some volunteer work?"
Ron frowned and asked, "Volunteer work like how?"
"The hurricanes have been just missing Nana," Kim explained. " They have pkenty of hurricane shelters, so I'm not too worried, but Nana doesn't want her valuables to get destroyed or anything. Its no big. All we have to do is go down, get her stuff, and come back. You in?"
Ron sighed. "I guess, but what if another hurricane hits while we're there?"
Kim grinned. "Then we'll handle it. Sound good to you, Ron? Or do you want to stay here all summer and eat Bueno Nacho?"
"I'm in," Ron answered. "But on one condition: You keep an extra carefull watch on the weather." He stood up, along with Kim. "Ok?"
"Deal," Kim agreed. "Now go pack, and this time bring Rufus. He needs to get out more."
The two teens went to pack, ready for anything. And they needed to be, because thia hurricane season was just warming up.
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