Tampa, Fla.-(9/30/2017)-After Hurricanes Irma and Maria you probably just want to forget about the hurricane season. The bad news is that we can't forget. We have two more months of this active season to endure.
Irma ripped up through Florida and caused a lot of damage. The center of the storm came close to my neighborhood, but we escaped with some minor damage. Trees and limbs down, some fences blown over and power outages.
It was worse to the south and in Polk County. One of my friends in Polk took a tree through the roof of his motor home. Another friend had an oak tree come falling on the family home. They're still staying with relatives.The good thing about surviving September is that the big storms coming off Africa usually die down. Most storms that threaten Florida this time of the season generate out of the warm Gulf of Mexico and the Caribbean.
We were very lucky here with Irma compared to the folks in Puerto Rico. They had the brush with Irma and the full assault from Maria. It's going to take years for that island to get back close to what passes for normal there.
Consider yourself a winner if you just lost power or had some damage from Irma. If you're alive to read this, it's a great day! Keep the eyes and ears open and listen to what the emergency officials say and we'll survive another hurricane season.
Photos by Steve Hall