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We love a good storm

By Catherine Toth Fox • July 29, 2013 • Musings, The Daily Dish

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What is it about storms that get us out of our houses and to places where we probably shouldn’t be?

Case in point: the last tsunami warning drew dozens of people to Waikiki — even in the surf — despite calls for evacuation.

And today, when weather officials warned people about flash flooding, road closures and possible danger surf caused by Tropical Storm Flossie, what do we do?

We all head out to look for it.

At least that’s what I did.

I can honestly say I enjoy a good storm. And I prefer to see it for myself, then wait at home for the impending thunder claps. (I’m actually not a fan of that.)

I’ve jumped in my car to see lighting storms — even while I lived in Chicago — and went down to the beach almost every time there’s been a tsunami warning.

And let’s not forget how Melissa Chang and I braved the streets of Taipei City during Typhoon Soulik.

I’m not one of those storm chasers or crazy people who think they can outrun a tsunami or brave monstrous surf. I’m way too chicken for that. But I like to see unusual weather patterns, I enjoy a good lighting storm, and I love seeing the rain roll in over the ocean.

And I’m not alone.

When I drove to the Halona Blowhole earlier this evening, I almost couldn’t find parking. Lots of people gathered at the lookout on the southeastern shoreline of Oahu to witness Flossie, now downgraded to a tropical depression. It’s still packing a punch, though, with winds and rainfall hitting the Big Island and Maui and now heading to Oahu. Wind gusts are still expected to be fairly dangerous, reaching up to 40 miles per hour by tomorrow.

So what are your storm plans? Going to work? Braving the surf? Heading out, like me, to Instagram?

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About the Author

Catherine Toth Fox

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7 Comments

  • Reply Tamara Woods July 29, 2013 at 9:23 pm

    I’ve been inside today. Between the movie theater and the apartment. I prefer to watch heavy storms from a window. Hope you had a great time!

  • Reply dbjack July 30, 2013 at 2:22 am

    Right there with you, I’d be sitting on the beach or sailing Kaneohe Bay. Love a good storm and believe me when I say the Carolina Coast gets some world class ones. Hurricanes and Northeasters are amazing.

    However, after what I saw in the footage from Thailand and Japan there is no way I am going anywhere except high in the hills for a tsunami.

  • Reply M July 30, 2013 at 6:10 am

    Hello Cat!
    What storm? Was there a storm? 🙂

  • Reply eddyo July 30, 2013 at 7:32 am

    Good Morning,

    Like a moth to a candle (lol)!

  • Reply Annoddah_Dave July 30, 2013 at 8:50 am

    CAT: Watching storms is like looking at an accident on the road. People don’t realize that their action could cause others to be in danger…particularly first responders. A storm that turns bad all of sudden catches on lookers off guard, then they got to be rescued. Rubber necking an accident could cause one…creating another problem for police/fire/EMS. I tend to avoid such scenarios and let the news guys get blown away trying to make a story.

  • Reply rayboyjr July 30, 2013 at 9:21 am

    Hey Cat … I prefer a clear and sunny day!!! …

  • Reply Eric July 31, 2013 at 12:16 am

    Running to the beach to see the storm is like running into a house on fire…not a good idea. In the 1960 Hilo tsunami, some of the people killed were the ones who ran over to the Wailuku River Bridge to see the water going into Hilo bay, only to get swept away when the water came back. even a couple of feet of surge tide can knock you down or out run you. Be safe.

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About Me

About Me
Born and raised on O‘ahu, Hawaiʻi, Catherine Toth Fox has been chronicling her adventures in her blog, The Cat Dish, for more than a decade. She worked as a newspaper reporter in Hawai‘i for 10 years and continues to freelance—in between teaching journalism, hitting the surf and eating everything in sight—for national and local print and online publications. She’s currently the editor of HAWAIʻI Magazine.

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