It's the peak of the hurricane season and the Gulf States are anxiously waiting for the next update from the National Hurricane Center on the approaching storms. Every year, hurricanes disrupt the lives of millions of people, forcing them to evacuate their homes for shelters in distant cities. As a nation, we have learned a lot from Hurricane Katrina. For the millions affected by the coming storms, it now appears that we have finally learned to be prepared.

Hurricanes are born in the warm summer waters of the Atlantic and the Caribbean. Heated by the relentless energy of the sun, the heated waters spawn a low-pressure center with bands of fierce thunderstorms rotating about its center. At the surface, moisture-laden winds rushing into the low-pressure center rise upwards and rise upward, releasing their contents in the form of tropical rains. When the winds and accompanying thunderstorms reach a critical mass, an eyewall cloud formation coalesces and another hurricane begins its relentless path, moving west or northwest towards land.

Ahead of the storm, hurricane watches and warnings are posted throughout the Gulf States. Warning flags with distinctive red and black markings are hoisted in the ports and marinas, and every few minutes, a hurricane update is broadcasted on the local and national news channels. The public is warned with the latest predictions of the storm's most likely point of making landfall and people begin to prepare for the worst.

For many people, the worst has come far too often. Category Five hurricanes with memorable names like Camille, Betsy, Andrew, Dean, Katrina and Rita have indelibly etched their awesome destructive power in our collective memory. Those that have previously scoffed at hurricanes, sometimes embarking on a weekend hurricane party, no longer choose to brave the elements and ride out the storm. Now, when the word spreads that a new hurricane is threatening cities like New Orleans, Galveston, Mobile, and Miami, people pay attention.

And, the government, which is responsible for ensuring the safety and security of the people, is finally prepared to deal with the storm's aftermath. There is nothing that can be done to divert or destroy the most awesome natural force on earth, all we can do is clean up, rebuild, and restore those cities after the hurricane's devastation is complete.

Families living in coastal states and low-lying areas that are prone to suffer the devastating winds and waters of a hurricane are well advised to seek shelter well inland, away from the canals, swamps, lakes, marshes and bayous of the coastal wetlands. If Hurricanes Katrina and Rita taught us anything, it's that survival can depend upon being as far away from the storm as possible. You can always return after the storm has passed to rebuild, as many people are doing today, even though rebuilding can be a struggle.

Hurricanes are going to bring devastation and are sure to disrupt the lives of millions of people in their path. Over the past few decades, the frequency and intensity of hurricanes appears to be increasing. Hurricane forecasters are working hard to develop better technology and prediction models to help alert a concerned public when and where a hurricane is likely to make landfall. Once the alert is given, the wise person will pay attention. It is best to have a family hurricane evacuation plan ready to follow. If not, you should at least follow the direction to evacuate when given by the local authorities.