Hurricane Arthur coming to Atlantic Canada, should I care?

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It's barely July and already a tropical storm is supposed to hit here soon. But I don't know if I should be very afraid and worried or be like "meh", because almost every time the media makes a big deal about such a thing and act like we should treat it like the next Hurricane Juan that was in Halifax, we nearly always end up with little more than a rainstorm and some wind that isn't any worse than a usual summer storm and it's like they cried wolf. But then again there was that awful week-long blizzard we had this winter where my parents suddenly decided to take a trip down south and I was stuck up here worried sick about them while being trapped in my apartment. I have a survival kit, but of course it has nothing to help you survive a disaster emotionally.

I think it's interesting that they named the hurricane Arthur because I have an uncle with that name. He has also survived being struck by lightening. I hear more than ever now about how really not uncommon it is to be struck by it, there was one story about a guy in the States who got struck and survived but it was a sunny day with no rain or thunder. Scary, almost like something Biblical.

it is silly how they name them.

This one isn't looking like much of anything yet, and you won't know for several days, I'm thinking.

Much of Florida from Orlando north and westward has had very little rain from it even though it's been meandering just off the coast for the past 4 days. Radar shows it's an extremely lopsided storm and the southeast quadrant has had a big shield of heavy rain the whole time while the west side has had only sprinkles. If Arthur wasn't interfering we would have had 6 inches of rain over much of the peninsula in the last 4 days.
Arthur please go away, I want my thunderstorms and rainy season back.
Florida is however way overdue for a cane strike.

Care?? Yes.

Flip out?? No.

You live near the coast. It is hurricane season.

Gather the following items:

1 weeks' worth of water, and something to disinfect it with. You need a minimum of 1 gallon per person per day in order to drink, cook, and not stink. Recently stored water should be clean and safe. There are all kinds of ways to disinfect more-- boiling, iodine tablets (cheap in the camping department of your local store), unscented chlorine bleach (8 drops or 1/8 teaspoon to 1 gallon of water, let stand 30 minutes), buying a filter (expensive, but convenient), solar distillation, sand filters... Sorry. Special interest.

1 weeks' worth of simple, shelf-stable, easy-to-prepare foods that you enjoy eating (canned, dried, packaged, or things that will keep fresh without refrigeration). Don't forget the non-electric can opener!

1 weeks' worth of comfort foods

1 weeks' worth of something to entertain you that does not require electricity

1 weeks' worth of cash to cover things like extra gasoline, something you forgot (stores may be open, and may even have backup gennies for pumps, but may not be able to operate computers to accept credit/debit cards), or a souvenir newspaper (don't ask why)

a way to cook your simple, shelf-stable food (single-burner camp stove and a few cylinders of fuel, grill and a 20-pound fuel cylinder, whatever)

a flashlight of good quality, a supply of candles, and a battery-operated radio (do not forget to also gather a lighter and several sets of extra batteries

Check these items. Replace any that are low BEFORE everyone else panics and runs to the store 24 hours before the storm.

Fill the gas tank in your vehicle, if you drive. A good rule of thumb is to keep enough gas in the vehicle to get out of the impact area at all times during whatever season you are most likely to have to deal with X disaster. It doesn't cost any more-- it just means stopping at the gas station more often and buying less gas each time. More pump, same amount of money.

Learn to shut off your utilities at the service main. Call your utility provider-- they will talk you through it. It is not difficult. It is as simple as turning a knob (for which you might need a wrench) or flipping a switch.

With these tools, you can sit tight for 1 week, and even enjoy having the power out and the world around you moving at a slower pace. It's actually sort of fun.

If you have extra resources, change "1 weeks' worth" to "2 weeks' worth." Now you can sit tight longer, worry less about "what if," and possibly even share with neighbors, thus endearing yourself to them a little bit for later.

If you need to, you know, like panic and head inland, THEY WILL TELL YOU THIS ON THE TV, RADIO, WEATHER SITE, WHATEVER. If they issue a mandatory evacuation order, GO. Plan ahead for what you are going to do. Will you go to a shelter?? If so, pack up your items in a large bag or plastic tote or whatever, so you can grab it and go. Will you stay with friends/relatives inland?? If so, make plans in advance. Ask what you need to bring and what they'd just LIKE you to bring. With planning, "evacuating to X's house" turns into "having a nice time hanging out with X for a few days." Will you get a hotel room?? If so, leave early. A lot of other people have the same plan. Will you camp?? If so, add a tent and things to make you comfortable camping to the list.

This stuff really isn't hard. I don't know about the Canadian government, but the US government actually publishes some good basic information at http://www.ready.gov It's not your country, not your central authority, all that. However, the basic information probably still mostly applies.

It really isn't hard. Really. Anyone who is capable of living on their own, or for that matter capable of fixing their own meals and taking their own shower, can handle this stuff. You do not have to be uncommonly bright and extremely high-functioning. It's one or two degrees above extremely basic life skills level.

Oh, and don't forget some plastic sackies to poop in and a covered container to put them in, just in case you can't flush the toilet. And an extra pack of toilet paper. Maybe some personal moist wipes (diaper wipes are cheap, personal hygiene towelettes for adults don't smell like flowers and aren't as oily). Those are really, really nice. They're also a great bath-in-a-bag when it's hot and sticky and you can't shower.

One final addition:

PLEASE don't flip too much. It just made Category 1 and will probably have degraded to "some rain" by the time it gets to you.

From the point of view of a woman who once went out and played in a Category 3 hurricane, running against the wind flapping her arms and pretending to fly (in my defense, I was 25 and thought I was immortal), a Category 1 storm just isn't that big of a deal.

You don't need to run out right now, get everything on the list, and cower in place. Not necessary.

But obviously these things spook you. Gather supplies, gather information, and have a plan for how to deal with a series of possible scenarios that concern you. It works WONDERS on the megrims. Absolute WONDERS.

After he is through clobbering North Carolina- it looks like Arthur is gonna pretty much leave the USA alone. He is moving to the northeast, and the US eastern seaboard bends westward, so the my midatlantic maryland home will not be affected. But he is making a bee line straight for Nova Scotia. So that part of Canada may well get hammered.