2018 Atlantic Hurricane Season, Calm Now But Entering Peak Period

As we approach the end of August this year, it's a good idea to remind ourselves that we are also entering the most intense period of the Atlantic hurricane season.  Last year in late August/early September we had the one-two punch of Harvey in Texas/Louisiana and Irma in Florida, and then Maria devastated Puerto Rico during the second half of September...followed by Nate hitting the U.S. in Mississippi after causing several deaths in Central America.  So far this year we've only gone through the "E" storm: Florence, Gordon, Helene, Isaac, and Joyce are to be the next ones, hopefully none of them destined to cause any degree of damage or danger.  But although it's been relatively mild in the Atlantic in 2018, it only takes one direct hit by a strong hurricane to change everything.  I'm going to keep an eye on the weather forecasts to see what might be brewing out there: they're predicting no tropical activity in the North Atlantic for the next 48 hours, so for the time being we're off the hook. Still, a prudent inventory of hurricane supplies and some modest stockpiling might be in order at least until we pass this peak phase of the season...