Next in line?
Thankfully, Gustav didn't devastate New Orleans and the Gulf Coast like Katrina 3 years previously and now it appears that Hanna may pay a visit to the Charleston area later this week. I don't expect a repeat of what Charleston faced from Hugo in 1989 but you still have to be prepared during hurricane season.
A lot of people who are considering moving to the Charleston area are rightfully concerned about hurricanes and I think especially so after watching the devastation from Katrina 3 years ago. The main thing you have to understand is that New Orleans is different than just about any other city near the coast.
New Orleans is shaped like a saucer and is below sea level with levees built to keep the city dry and pumps to get the water out. While Charleston may begin at sea level, much of the area is at higher elevations and there are no walls, pumps or whatever so you won't see pictures of canals overtopping with water and flooding devastating large portions of the city and suburbs. In Charleston, there are some areas that flood in a heavy rain especially at high tide without a hurricane sized storm but you aren't likely to see Charleston resemble the 9th Ward in New Orleans after a big storm.
If there is anything good about a hurricane, it is the advance warning you get unlike other disasters such as tornadoes and earthquakes. The track is usually fairly accurate to predict and Hanna appears to be getting her act together and looks like it will brush the Southeastern coast later this week. It's a little early to know where landfall may be so it's important to pay attention to the weather reports.
I also noticed some of the media was a little more alarming than others when reporting about Gustav over the weekend. As always, check your sources before making decisions but above all, stay safe.