Category 5 hurricanes are characterized by winds of over 150 miles per hour. For the past thirty-five years, scientists had noticed a substantial increase in the number of Category 5 storms. In 2005, Hurricane Katrina was such a storm, but - by the grace of God - had been downgraded to a Category 3 storm before slamming into New Orleans. Even so, the devastation was horrendous, causing hundreds of billions of dollars in damage and thousounds of deaths, injuries and displacements. The hurricane had vividly demonstrated how completely unprepared the Bush administration had been for such a domestic emergency. Critics had complained bitterly about the Bush war coffers, which had already put the nation trillions of dollars into debt; almost a year after the disaster, the federal government still was showing its impotency in trying to fix everything gone awry when it came to providing for the basic needs of most Americans.
Unable to fathom the impact of this premature 2008 hurricane, weather experts were referring to it as a 'Category 7' storm since winds were estimated at almost 300 miles per hour. For years, the scientific community had been divided on the issues of why the number of Category 5 storms had almost doubled in the past few decades.
At 5:00 a.m. Wednesday, March 12, the nation was waking up to horrifying news: Washington, DC had been ravaged by the storm overnight, and was almost completely leveled. The death toll was estimated at over 10,000 and was expected to climb higher - much higher. Miraculously, some of Washington's most cherished monuments and landmarks had escaped the brunt of the storm. Across from the Jefferson Memorial, which had some cosmetic damage, was an unusual bronze sculpture of an ancient warrior emerging from the bowels of the Earth. "The Awakening" it was called, and it perfectly represented what would have to become the theme of the nation. Certainly this storm, following so closely behind the 'Rebellion of '08' was a sign from God (or an intelligent designer, or an evolutionary 'big bang' process, or Nature) that Americans needed to reform their ways and wake up to the fact that the United States was not an entity onto itself. The U.S.A. had to "awaken" and emerge from this disaster as a global partner dedicated to equality and goodness across the planet. The Iwo Jima memorial, the Vietnam Wall, and the World War II memorial were all unscathed. Arlington Cemetery and the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier were saved. In fact, there were reports that the U.S. Marine contingent charged with guarding the tomb around the clock had done just that; even during the most fierce hours of the storm, they never left their post, showing nothing but contempt for what one Marine was heard to refer to as a "wimpy little windstorm". No hurricane was going to keep them from their sacred duty of guarding one of America's most beloved memorials.
John McCain appeared in front of the O.U.T.R.A.G.E. cameras, quietly issuing a blunt report. "Our nation's capital has suffered a second total annihilation in less than three months," he announced glumly. "The hurricane has destroyed the city. The city is without power; virtually no building stills stands. The death toll continues to mount every minute of every hour. May God help us." Scenes behind McCain showed O.U.T.R.A.G.E. members that were visibly fatigued; some had obviously not slept for days as they were wearing the same clothing.
The unpredictability of the storm was the only predictable thing about the storm. After slamming into Washington, the storm quickly headed eastward out into the Atlantic seaboard. Scientists were amazed how little damage was inflicted on the tiny state of Delaware, which escaped with only a few deaths and relatively little destruction. Interviewed by O.U.T.R.A.G.E. and broadcast nation-wide, weather experts only demonstrated being stymied by these unatural events. No one could accurately predict what would happen next. Hopefully, it could remain at sea until the storm blew itself out. A worst-case scenario was that ir reversed its direction and headed back up the east coast. Standing in its way would be some of the world's most important financial and educational centers: Philadelphia; New York City; New Haven; and Boston.
Being completely over water again afforded the opportunity that the storm could re-energize itself and return to land with wind and rain ever worse than that which was dumped on D.C.
Around the world, other events paled in comparison to what was happening in the U.S.A. Wars, it seemed, were put 'on hold' and other nations slowed their agressive strategies as they waited to see what would happen next to the world's greatest superpower of modern times.