Around the Upstate, we don’t worry much about hurricanes, just the baggage they carry in their travels. Not so along the South Carolina coast, where longtime residents, accustomed to picking up and heading inland on short notice, take it as just part of living where they love.

Tropical Storm Hanna is reportedly on her way, and she’s not alone. Category 4 Hurricane Ike is right behind her.

Between the two of them (and tropical storm Josephine, gathering strength farther out in the Atlantic), the rush might be on. Residents and local officials weren’t waiting for an official evacuation order to be made. The Associated Press reported that by Thursday midday, boats were secured and inland hotel rooms were booked based on the uncertainty. (Gov. Mark Sanford issued a voluntary evacuation en route home from the Republican National Convention.)

Better safe than sorry seems to be the way to go in this situation. While it’s terrible to think about the possibility of losing one’s home, no property is worth the chance, despite what the hurricane party devotees might say.

(We humans have this ego thing going that tells us all will be well if only we stay around to watch the action. What makes us think we can control the weather when most of us can’t control ourselves at the dinner table?)

A hurricane watch for Edisto Beach and northward to Surf City, N.C., was issued Thursday. According to AP, “officials as far north as Washington urged people to prepare for the possibility of heavy wind and rain.”

(You would think of all places, Washington is more than prepared for heavy wind. They see enough of it when Congress is in session and the political season is in full swing.)

Also on Thursday, Charleston Air Force Base was evacuating, and in Myrtle Beach people were cleared from all of the beach areas. Coastal-area schools announced plans to close today. The American Red Cross has shelters on standby for a storm that, if it arrives, will do so this afternoon. Even Friday night football took a backseat.

But whether a storm hits or when, they will be prepared. Even in the Upstate, there are preparations under way in case evacuees need to come this far inland to find shelter.

Forecasting a hurricane isn’t easy work. In fact, it’s darn near impossible to do with certainty. Forecasters can only look at what information is available and, using both experience and education, make an educated guess.

Even those who know the most about how storms work still can’t say for sure how even the slightest deviation can change everything.

It seems they have much in common with political pundits and party faithfuls.