As I write this, it is raining outside. It’s actually coming down pretty heavily. This has been going on all morning long, and according to the forecast the rain will last until at least the early evening. The culprit is a tropical system called Imelda. Now, this is not a hurricane. What started as a tropical depression has now graduated to a tropical storm, but that won’t stop the phones from ringing. I’ve already heard from family and friends in other parts of the country—checking in to make sure we are okay.
And here’s the truth: storms like this can feel dramatic in the moment, but most of them are quickly forgotten. By next week, Imelda will just be another name that came and went, leaving little more than puddles and a few branches on the ground. While hurricanes are serious business, the vast majority of storms along the coast are more of an inconvenience than a catastrophe. That’s important to remember—especially if you’re thinking about moving here and worried about storm season.
The reality is, every part of the country has its own version of “natural disaster season.” Folks in the Midwest are always on edge about tornadoes. Up north, blizzards can shut down entire cities for weeks. Out west, people live with the risk of earthquakes and mudslides. Here on the coast, it’s hurricanes and tropical storms. That’s simply the price we pay for living by the water.
In the last 22 years, I’ve lived on both the Gulf and the East Coast. In that time, I’ve faced 34 named storms—although I didn’t know that until I just looked it up. Out of all of those storms, only two were really bad: Katrina and Florence. The rest? They were blips in the radar of life—something you deal with for a few days, then move on from almost as quickly as they arrived.
So, should hurricanes stop you from moving to the coast? Absolutely not. Yes, you’ll want to be prepared during storm season, and yes, there will be days when the weather keeps you inside. But those days are far outweighed by the perks of coastal living: sunrises over the ocean, afternoons on the beach, fresh seafood at your doorstep, and a community that knows how to look out for each other when storms do get tough.
Living here means accepting storms as part of the deal. But for most of us, the benefits far outshine the risks. So, if you’re considering making the move—don’t let hurricane season scare you away. The coast is still one of the best places to call home.