Dare we even ask, as 2020 prepares to enter its eighth month, what else could happen to unbalance our national equilibrium?

We must ask; because offshore, a steady string of tropical disturbances is popping up in the Atlantic Ocean, already advanced deeply into the alphabet before the heart of the hurricane season is reached.

What else could happen, of course, is a hurricane strike. It’s never likely, but it’s always possible at this time of the year. Gloucester and Mathews have suffered too many direct hits over the decades to dismiss the threat lightly.

Because it seems we are on our own no matter what disturbance rocks our boat this year, we recommend that everyone prepare ahead of time for a storm. The Virginia Department of Emergency Management states “It can take several days or weeks for government services and assistance to reach you and your family depending on the severity of the disaster and your geographic location. An emergency kit is vital to sustaining your fam...