The TRAVELER'S JOURNAL: August thirteenth, posting summer storm warnings.

Travelers who appreciate off-season bargains know that summer can be a good time to visit traditional warm weather destinations in the Caribbean, Mexico and Central America. The temperature may be higher than in winter, but the costs and crowds are lower. An off-season vacation can be half as expensive as a winter visit.

But August through October are also the months when storm warnings are most frequently posted throughout the area. Last year's hurricane season was the deadliest in 220 years, and meteorologists anticipate a new era of major hurricane activity. Should the prospect of major storms deter you from visiting someplace? Yes, and no.

Anyone's who has ever had a vacation turn into an evacuation knows that steering a wide berth around a major storm is always a  wise course to follow. Capricious hurricanes introduce a lot of luck into the equation, but travelers can improve their odds by planning their trips in early summer or late fall. And some islands, such as the Dutch islands off the coast of Venezuela, lie out of the path of typical Atlantic hurricanes. They're big, but the Caribbean is bigger. A storm that devastates one island can produce ideal weather elsewhere. 

For storm struck vacationers, resorts handle refunds on a case by case basis. Some offer hurricane guarantees. Or you can buy travel insurance for about 5 percent of your vacation's cost. Cruises, which can always change their itineraries to avoid storms, are also good options. And even storm struck locations heal quickly. Tourist areas in Honduras have recovered from Mitch's devastation.

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