I vote “No”, but not for the reasons most people would think. The major reason is that science has not gotten to the point where we should try to alter any system of the Earth. We just do not have a good enough understanding of the processes that create these destructive storms.
One thing we all must realize is that nothing in this world is independent of another. Dropping your french fry in a cafeteria is not an independent act, as it could alter many things outside of your individual bubble. We have already consciously altered one earth system, the biosphere, which include all life on this planet, and have seen dire consequences. Whether for agriculture or for sheer entertainment, we have taken indigenous animals and plants from their native habitats, and transplanted them to alien environments. Lets think of an instance that is sort of outside the box, just for our reading enjoyment. Why do trees have fruits and nuts? In case you’ve never eaten one, fruits and nuts have seeds in them. This is a reproductive strategy of the tree to spread its species through the use of animals, such as squirrels. They eat the fruit, and kick out the seeds as wasted, with their feces serving as fertilizer for the seed. Then what happens? We have another tree! Now lets say you buy an exotic python from the amazon for your son, and you happen to lose it in your backyard. We all know that snakes have an appetite for rodents, and you find out after a month or two that all the squirrels that used to annoy you are now non-existent. How is the tree going to reproduce? If the snake kills all the small animals that eat the fruits and nuts in that area, and the snake reproduces, you may have a forest in peril. Now, this is a very extreme example, but I think you can see my point.
The climate is no execption to the rule. From the oceans, to the animals, to even outer space, climate is just another component of a billion year old system that we have only begun to explore. Altering the path of a hurricane, could disrupt not only the short term system, but also a long term system that has been going on since the beginning of our planet. If you throw a wrench in an engine, what happens? If you have one missing link in your bicycle chain, your not going anywhere.
Having said that, I would love for science to stop a hurricane from obliterating my home town, or farm. But I think the argument for protecting cities vs. protecting rural is small compared to the potential global affects of doing so.
