One of the really cool and unusual places I've been on God's Creation is Krakatoa.
More recently, Pinatubo was seen as a divine judgement, there in the Philipines.
Let me proffer a rule: nobody gets to claim that a particular natural occurance is/isn't a note from God for a healthy chunk of time afterwards, say a year.
After a year of praying and reflection on events, societal- and individual sin, the glory given to God by those whose actions under stress reflect His love, a healthier position may be reached.
No one save the Adversary benefits from these knee-jerk proclamations.

"What a bunch of wind! This is a meteorological manifestation—not a theological judgment. "

I generally agree, but would argue that we can't rule out God's use of such events to further His Kingdom. We just probably won't know for certain in this lifetime . . .

Just when we think we have God figured out he goes and challenges our conclusions.

Sometimes weather is just weather...

Go out and stand before me on the mountain,” the Lord told him. And as Elijah stood there, the Lord passed by, and a mighty windstorm hit the mountain. It was such a terrible blast that the rocks were torn loose, but the Lord was not in the wind. After the wind there was an earthquake, but the Lord was not in the earthquake. 12 And after the earthquake there was a fire, but the Lord was not in the fire. And after the fire there was the sound of a gentle whisper. I King 19:11-12

And sometimes God has his hand in it....

He displays his power in the whirlwind and the storm.
The billowing clouds are the dust beneath his feet.
At his command the oceans dry up,
and the rivers disappear.
The lush pastures of Bashan and Carmel fade,
and the green forests of Lebanon wither.
In his presence the mountains quake,
and the hills melt away;
the earth trembles...Nahum 1:6-5

As God said to Job...

“Can you shout to the clouds
and make it rain?
Can you make lightning appear
and cause it to strike as you direct?
Who gives intuition to the heart
and instinct to the mind? Job 38:34-36

Jim,
You claim that this hurricane is a meteorological manifestation, and not a theological one.

Then you say that your prayers will be with those along the Gulf coast.

Are you praying for a theological intervention in the current meteorological manifestation? It seems like this would put you in Michael Moore/RecentAmerican territory.

Or does God need your encouragement to do the right thing?

I'm sorry, Michael Moore said, what?!

Well, at least it's not only Christians who gleefully enjoy other people's suffering in order to make an ideological point.

Ahh, Michael Moore is a ideologue of the worst-kind - but he is a master at pointing out irony (even though I think he fails to communicate it well in his public speaking). You don't think his "Gustav is proof there is a God" sprang out of that childish Focus on the Family video asking Christians to pray that Obama get rained out during his acceptance speech, do you?

If God has nothing to do with the weather then why do you bother praying? How could this possibly help? If God intervenes and does something does this not affect the outcome and therefore there are theological implications?

Your view seems illogical; God isn't in control yet you will pray to god to do something about the situation.

Instead of trying to find someone to blame for these judgments, let us praise God that we are not all judged immediately and eternally as we deserve.

I must be from a different planet, because I understand how believers can still pray for those who may be impacted by physical circumstances, like Jim. Even if the earthly calamity is definitely sent from the Lord as a judgment, what did Abraham do when he knew that the Lord's hand was about to devastate the area his nephew inhabited? When Jonah knew the people of Ninevah were facing certain doom if they didn't repent, could he have prayed?

I believe it's from God, as is everything, all things good and bad, God allows them. God allows/brings suffering and good things. He's in complete control of all events, all atoms and electrons, their location and properties - every milisecond he is consciously holding the universe, the earth, my brain, together.

Not saying he's bringing this to punish anyone, or stop the convention, I'm just saying He's doing it - don't know why. And if we ask Him to stop it, He might do that too.

promotion comes neither from the east or from the west but from God.
God will not allow you to be tempted beyond what you are able to bear, but will with the temptation also make a way to escape.
Unless the Lord builds the house, the builders labor in vain.
God disciplines those he loves.
Thank God for trials of many kinds.