Hey Rick, I agree with you totally.... from a personal safety point I would much rather face a Cat 3 hurricane than a F3 tornado... any time...

At least with a Cat 3 you do have choices, you can leave, you can prepare, you can take measures to protect your property..... with a F3 you have little if any warning....

I've been though many hurricanes over the years and they are just a way of life along the coast... but I have never experienced a tornado... and never want to either....

one of the big concerns that I have about a major hurricane is that all the coast areas of gulf have grown significantly since the last major... I know along the MS coast we have thousands of new residents that are clueless about what a hurricane is all about... not to mention the tremedous building development that occur in MS as the result of the gaming industry... If we were to get a Cat 4 storm it would have a devistating effect and I would expect to see most of the Casinos, which are on the south side of HWY 90, to be relocated over to the north side....