Hurricane Wilma - Strongest Hurricane Ever Recorded!

Update from WorldWatcher....

She called and said the storm is pretty much gone now, but a lot of cleanup to do... Her fence is toast, and a local water main is broke, but she's well stocked. See folks, that bottled water bit is important.... She says the estimate is a few days to a week for getting power restored...something she's not happy about.... Unfortunately, it was just a voicemail, but I'll call her later this evening and touch base, and let you know how she's doing, and also let her know we're all thinking about her...

Thanks for the update Gazrok. Anyone know how many other members were in harms way?

All of us in Tampa Bay (and there are a few for some odd reason), pretty much dodged the bullet like we always do.... We had some rain, some wind, and a few power flickers, but nothing like what WorldWatcher is likely going through now (or this morning)....

I think we have some other Miami area members, but chances are, they are (and have been) out of power for a while now...so it will be days till we hear from them most likely......

It's too bad to hear about WW's property damage but its great to hear she is okay.
You guys in Tampa Bay are tough .

Sun Sentinal
Glad to hear worldwatcher is ok. Thanks for the update. The above link to news story tells just how bad it was. 3.2 million without power. 2 persons killed so far. I bet the folks in southern Florida are ready to get things back to normal but seems it may be a while.

[edit on 24-10-2005 by Harry55]

I am so happy to know about her being Ok.

Please, tell her we are thinking on her and are happy she is safe and ok.

Thanks for sharing

Here's the latest recon,............ she just doesn't want to quit!

URNT12 KNHC 242110
VORTEX DATA MESSAGE
A. 24/20:53:50Z
B. 28 deg 57 min N
077 deg 33 min W
C. 850 mb 1026 m
D. 100 kt
E. 131 deg 071 nm
F. 203 deg 132 kt
G. 130 deg 067 nm
H. 955 mb
I. 15 C/ 1500 m
J. 22 C/ 1524 m
K. 20 C/ NA
L. RAGGED
M. C85
N. 12345/ 8
O. 0.02 / 3 nm
P. AF304 2724A WILMA OB 17
MAX FL WIND 136 KT S QUAD 20:01:40 Z
RADAR PRESENTATION OF EYE IMPROVING.

136kts = 157mph!

Originally posted by Gazrok
Update from WorldWatcher....

She called and said the storm is pretty much gone now, but a lot of cleanup to do... Her fence is toast, and a local water main is broke, but she's well stocked. See folks, that bottled water bit is important....

She says the estimate is a few days to a week for getting power restored...something she's not happy about.... Unfortunately, it was just a voicemail, but I'll call her later this evening and touch base, and let you know how she's doing, and also let her know we're all thinking about her...

Thanks, Gaz...I was worried about her. This has given me a glimmer of hope for her well being.

NO doubt there'll be some interesting snaps from her once she's back online.
Wilma certainly moved fast...

Here's a recap now that she's gone.

start.earthlink.net.../435c5c40_3ca6_15526200510241682526177

More than one-third of the state's residents lost power. Florida Power & Light, the state's biggest utility, said it could take weeks to restore electricity to everyone.

The storm's reach was so great that it blacked out homes and businesses as far north as Daytona Beach, an eight-hour drive north from Key West. Also, a tornado spun off by the storm damaged an apartment complex near Melbourne on the east coast, 200 miles from where Wilma came ashore.

In Fort Lauderdale, Miami and Miami Beach, countless windows were blown out of high-rises. Along downtown Miami's Brickell Avenue, broken glass from skyscrapers littered streets and sidewalks. Broken water mains in the Fort Lauderdale area prompted advisories to boil water, and a ruptured main in downtown Miami sprayed water 15 feet in the air.

The Broward County Courthouse and the 14-story school board office complex looked like bombed-out buildings.

The Miami police department building lost some letters on its sign.

She really was a beast!

Wilma Kills 6 in Florida: 6 Million Without Power

Hurricane Wilma knifed through Florida with winds up to 125 mph Monday, shattering windows in skyscrapers, peeling away roofs and knocking out power to 6 million people, with still a month left to go in the busiest Atlantic storm season on record.

Two men look at cars piled upon each other by Hurricane Wilma in Sunny Isles, Florida October 24, 2005.


A real estate business sign stands in several feet of water on a flooded street in the aftermath of hurricane Wilma in Everglades City, Florida.


Barbara Cassidy, left, and her son, Richard, stand on what was the living room of their Davie, Fla. home Monday, Oct. 24, 2005 after Hurricane Wilma destroyed the house.

Hurricane Wilma hits Florida harder than expected; FPL’s electrical grid suffers extensive damage from broad swath of hurricane and tropical force winds; FPL asks for customers’ patience as repairs may take weeks

• FPL anticipates restoration could begin late today with its first full day of restoration Tuesday. Crews will be able to work when winds subside below 30 miles per hour.

• As soon as the storm passes, FPL will begin damage assessments and will be providing a system-wide time of restoration as soon as possible.

• Stay tuned to local radio, TV and newspapers for specific reports on FPL’s progress in assessing and repairing damage to the electric system in your area.


Hope it isn't weeks before Worldwatcher gets power back on.

Believe it or not, at the time of this post, she's STILL a Category 3 Hurricane!!!

She actually looks better organized now than before landfall this morning. But that won't last long for cold waters cometh and she will go extra-tropical and decrease in strength.

WHEN WILMA TRANSFORMS INTO AN
EXTRATROPICAL CYCLONE IS NOT CERTAIN. IT MIGHT BE ABLE TO KEEP
FROM BECOMING TOO ENTANGLED WITH THE STRONG BAROCLINIC TROUGH OVER
THE EASTERN UNITED STATES FOR 24 HOURS OR MORE WHILE RUNNING
ROUGHLY PARALLEL TO THE COASTLINE. WILMA HAS BEEN RATHER RESISTANT
TODAY IN ALLOWING ITS INNER CORE TO BE DISRUPTED...AND IT COULD
MAINTAIN DEEP CONVECTION NEAR THE CIRCULATION CENTER AND HOLD ON TO
HURRICANE STATUS WELL INTO TOMORROW. SHORTLY THEREAFTER IT SHOULD
MAKE THE TRANSITION TO EXTRATROPICAL...BUT REGARDLESS OF WHEN THAT
DESIGNATION IS MADE...A LARGE AND STRONG CYCLONE WILL TRAVERSE THE
WESTERN AND NORTHERN ATLANTIC FOR SEVERAL DAYS.

MOVEMENT TOWARD...NORTHEAST NEAR 38 MPH.
MAXIMUM SUSTAINED WINDS...125 MPH.
MINIMUM CENTRAL PRESSURE... 955 MB.

-INITIAL- 24/2100Z 29.0N 77.4W 105 KT
012HR VT 25/0600Z 33.1N 72.6W 85 KT
024HR VT 25/1800Z 39.4N 65.2W 70 KT
036HR VT 26/0600Z 43.1N 58.2W 60 KT...EXTRATROPICAL
048HR VT 26/1800Z 45.0N 53.0W 55 KT...EXTRATROPICAL
072HR VT 27/1800Z 46.1N 42.5W 55 KT...EXTRATROPICAL
096HR VT 28/1800Z 47.5N 33.0W 55 KT...EXTRATROPICAL
120HR VT 29/1800Z 51.5N 22.5W 55 KT...EXTRATROPICAL

Last visible sat of the day:

click image to enlarge

Hurricane Wilma Advisory Number 40
Statement as of 11:00 PM EDT on October 24, 2005

Wilma is moving toward the northeast near 47 mph...76 km/hr... and
a continued increase in forward speed is expected during the next 24
hours. On the forecast track... Wilma is expected to pass a few
hundred miles southeast and east of the North Carolina Outer Banks
Tuesday morning... and possibly reach the Canadian Maritimes late
Tuesday night or early Wednesday morning.

Maximum sustained winds are near 125 mph...205 km/hr...with higher
gusts. Wilma is a strong category three hurricane on the
Saffir-Simpson scale. Some weakening is forecast during the next
24 hours...but Wilma will likely remain a hurricane through much of
the day Tuesday.

www.wunderground.com...

Still a strong cat 3!

This storm just doesn't want to die...but at least she's not really affecting many right now....

What a season....and still a little of it left to go....

Originally posted by Gazrok
This storm just doesn't want to die...but at least she's not really affecting many right now....

What a season....and still a little of it left to go....

It should stay strong for the next 24-48 hours.

www.nhc.noaa.gov...

WILMA HAS ABOUT ANOTHER 18 HOURS OR SO OVER 26C AND WARMER SSTS
AHEAD OF A COLD FRONTAL SYSTEM. ALTHOUGH THE VERTICAL SHEAR IS
FORECAST TO INCREASE TO WEST-SOUTHWESTERLY AT 71 KT BY 24 HOURS...
THE RAPID MOTION AND LARGE SIZE OF THE WILMA'S CIRCULATION SHOULD
OFFSET THESE OTHERWISE VERY ADVERSE CONDITIONS... AND ALLOW THE
CYCLONE TO REMAIN A HURRICANE UNTIL MUCH COOLER WATER IS REACHED BY
OR SHORTLY AFTER THE 24-HOUR TIME PERIOD. ALTHOUGH WILMA WILL
LIKELY LOSE MUCH IF NOT ALL OF ITS CONVECTIVE ORGANIZATION BY 36
HOURS... THE LARGE CIRCULATION WILL NOT SPIN DOWN VERY QUICKLY...
WHICH MEANS THAT WILMA SHOULD REMAIN A POWERFUL EXTRATROPICAL
WINTER-TYPE STORM SYSTEM AT 48-120 HR OVER THE FAR NORTH ATLANTIC.

FORECASTER STEWART

Gonna cause some rain and wind in North Carolina.

Check this out, two eyes and a mouth just in time for the coming Halloween weekend...booo.










[edit on 24-10-2005 by Regenmacher]

She's staring to weaken.

www.wunderground.com...

Hurricane Wilma Advisory Number 41
Statement as of 5:00 am EDT on October 25, 2005

Wilma beginning to weaken as it races northeastward...

Wilma is moving toward the northeast near 53 mph ...85 km/hr...and
this motion is expected to continue for the next 24 hours...keeping
Wilma well offshore of the northeastern United States.

Maximum sustained winds are near 115 mph...185 km/hr...with higher
gusts. Additional weakening is forecast during the next 24
hours...and Wilma is expected to lose tropical characteristics
during the next day or so.

Hurricane force winds extend outward up to 105 miles...165 km...
from the center...and tropical storm force winds extend outward up
to 430 miles...695 km.

Wilma is moving toward the northeast near 53 mph

Wow, that's an incredible rate!

Our National Weather Forecasters have told us that the remains of Wilma will move towards Europe and will reach the UK around Thursday... But, in the meantime...



It is moving Northeast and is a Super Storm:
as mentioned by Accuweather

I live in Rhode Island. I guess its our turn to moan about the weather. A nor'easter is all we need after the flooding the last couple of weeks. We'll keep an eye out for her arrival.