Hurricane Wilma - Strongest Hurricane Ever Recorded!

Wow the storm is really working its butt off. Its now at 120 MPH. The news guy seems very concerned.

well, its kinda windy here, nothing of concern right now anyways, im on the northern edge.

Im in Tampa. I went for a small walk with the little 5 lb dog Im babysitting. When I was bringing him in we had a gust enough to make him roll over . Id say its only 15-20 mph. Wont take much to blow this dog away. Ill be staying up for the next day or two until the things fully passed. Ill post updates until my power goes out.

im pretty near you, i can barely hear wind tho,

Target: MARCO ISLAND FL
Impact ETA: 10:40UTC

5 AM EDT POSITION...25.5 N... 82.4 W.
MOVEMENT TOWARD...NORTHEAST NEAR 20 MPH.
MAXIMUM SUSTAINED WINDS...125 MPH.
MINIMUM CENTRAL PRESSURE... 950 MB.

Category Three Hurricane: Winds 111-130 mph

Strong Cat 3 hurricane and NHC says she won't intensify much more.









[edit on 24-10-2005 by Regenmacher]

At what local time is the landfall expected?

This hurricane is really something to be worried about, I am worried for all the ATS members living on the path of Wilma... I hope they keep safe.

Originally posted by Ptolomeo
At what local time is the landfall expected?

Looking at the radar Ptolomeo in about 2 hours. Super wide windfield too, the whole southern part of the state will feel hurricane force winds.

[edit on 24-10-2005 by Regenmacher]

funny, this reporter said "hide in your basement" with a tornado watch...

Thank you, Rain.

I am really worried about this hurricane´s effects. I have been trying to watch a live cam in the area, but (as expected) most are out of order, others have the date of Saturday...
Even though, just before it came out of order I have been able to check the cam at Hog´s Breath Saloon (Key West), there was a tree in the terrace...

Originally posted by Indy
don't be shocked if this sucker rapidly intensifies to a cat 4. I'm guessing right now 125 to 135 range

This really isn't one I wanted to be right on. With a couple hours left the storm may still hit 130mph. 131 is a cat 4. Basically you will see cat 4 type damage at 130. That 1mph extra isn't the difference between extensive and extreme damage . The extremely fast movement of this storm will help keep damage down because it will be in and out so fast. However I believe this fast momement will also add to the wind gust problem. There are going to be people on the southwest coast of Florida that are going to wish they didn't stay. I think most people were expecting a weakening category 1 storm or every low end category 2 storm and not one on its way to a high 3 or borderline category 4.

Yes, I agree with you, Indy.
I have read articles about it, mentioning that most residents did not evacuate because they were expecting a hurricane with a cat. 1 or 2...

I really hope they all keep safe.

Strong cat 3 coming into the lowest elevations of the state will not be good at all. Afraid Marco is going to be under 10+ feet of water.

Mangroves won't even like it.

spellcheck: more coffee

[edit on 24-10-2005 by Regenmacher]

The good news is that there can't be much of anything weak left standing in FL after being hit now by the 8th hurricane since August of 2004. I think all the easy stuff probably broke with Katrina. The surge is a huge concern though.

This is an amazing radar image showing the severe winds only miles from the coast. Things will be going down hill very fast along the coast in the next few minutes. Its not that often that you get a major hurricane come so close to a radar site that you can get a clear wind profile like this.

My aunt and uncle have (or at least had ) a winter house on Marco Island. I wonder what will be left?

They're on Long Island, NY now so not worried about them...


[edit on 10/24/2005 by djohnsto77]

Katrina was weak cat 1 when it passed south Florida. Naples hasn't had a direct hit in decades. There's going to be a lot of wind damage and new breakage. Naples is usually untouched most the time.

www.atmos.umd.edu...

Hurricane Isbell (1964) made landfall in the same area Wilma will be hitting.
weather.unisys.com...



[edit on 24-10-2005 by Regenmacher]

I am going back to bed. If someone wouldn't mind grabbing a radar loop of the storm as the eye crosses the coast I'd greatly appreciate it. Unless there is a change in this storm I won't be back until afternoon.

One last note. People in Miami should watch out. This storm isn't going to weaken or won't weaken much as it crosses the state. At least weakening won't come from land interaction. It will be too fast and storms that cross this area typically don't change much. Weakening may come from interacting with the front instead. But people near Miami should keep an eye out for very heavy winds. Possibly 100mph as this storm passes.

Enjoy whats left of the night.

Originally posted by IndyEnjoy whats left of the night.

Laters Indy thanks for stopping by and helping out


HURRICANE WILMA TROPICAL CYCLONE POSITION ESTIMATE
NWS TPC/NATIONAL HURRICANE CENTER MIAMI FL
6 AM EDT MON OCT 24 2005

AT 6 AM EDT...1000Z... THE CENTER OF THE LARGE EYE OF HURRICANE
WILMA WAS LOCATED NEAR LATITUDE 25.8 NORTH...LONGITUDE 81.8 WEST OR
VERY NEAR THE SOUTHWEST FLORIDA COAST ABOUT 10 MILES SOUTH-
SOUTHWEST OF MARCO ISLAND AND ABOUT 25 MILES SOUTH OF NAPLES
FLORIDA.

THE CENTER WILL CROSS THE COAST WITHIN THE HOUR.

Looks like it already made landfall on radar though:
www.weatherunderground.com...
radar.wrh.noaa.gov...


WTNT64 KNHC 241033
TCUAT4
HURRICANE WILMA TROPICAL CYCLONE UPDATE
NWS TPC/NATIONAL HURRICANE CENTER MIAMI FL
630 AM EDT MON OCT 24 2005

AT 630 AM EDT...THE CENTER OF HURRICANE WILMA MADE LANDFALL VERY
NEAR CAPE ROMANO FLORIDA. THIS POSITION IS ABOUT 20 MILES WEST OF
EVERGLADES CITY FLORIDA. MAXIMUM SUSTAINED WINDS AT LANDFALL WERE
ESTIMATED TO BE 125 MPH...A STRONG CATEGORY 3 HURRICANE.



[edit on 24-10-2005 by Regenmacher]

Bahhh!!! Storm sucks (As in no action) . Im going to bed. Il post back if a gust comes out of nowhere to punish me for speaking to soon.

[edit on 10/24/2005 by AndrewTB]

Flagler County schools now closed too. Pretty much the whole State I guess.

Heading off to work in Daytona, expecting some flooding on roads (though still passable) on my commute.