Hurricane Wilma Live Thread, Part IV

Category Three Major Hurricane Wilma is barreling toward the Southwest Florida coastline. The storm is packing wind speeds of 125mph, moving NW at 20mph, with an enormous eye 65 miles in diameter. Landfall is anticipated shortly in Collier County between 6:00 and 7:00AM ET.

Storm surge flooding of 9 feet to 17 feet is possible along the coast near and to the south of where Wilma makes landfall. Storm surge of 5 to 8 feet is predicted for the Keys. The storm has spawned tornados throughout the Florida peninsula since yesterday evening.

Category	Wind Speed	Barometric Pressure	Storm Surge	Damage Potential
Tropical Depression	< 39 mph < 34 kts			Minimal
Tropical Storm	39 - 73 mph 34 - 63 kts			Minimal
Hurricane 1 (Weak)	74 - 95 mph 64 - 82 kts	28.94" or more 980.02 mb or more	4.0' - 5.0' 1.2 m - 1.5 m	Minimal damage to vegetation
Hurricane 2 (Moderate)	96 - 110 mph 83 - 95 kts	28.50" - 28.93" 965.12 mb - 979.68 mb	6.0' - 8.0' 1.8 m - 2.4 m	Moderate damage to houses
Hurricane 3 (Strong)	111 - 130 mph 96 - 112 kts	27.91" - 28.49" 945.14 mb - 964.78 mb	9.0' - 12.0' 2.7 m - 3.7 m	Extensive damage to small buildings
Hurricane 4 (Very strong)	131 - 155 mph 113 - 135 kts	27.17" - 27.90" 920.08 mb - 944.80 mb	13.0' - 18.0' 3.9 m - 5.5 m	Extreme structural damage
Hurricane 5 (Devastating)	Greater than 155 mph Greater than 135 kts	Less than 27.17" Less than 920.08 mb	Greater than 18.0' Greater than 5.5m	Catastrophic building failures possible

Category

Wind Speed

Barometric Pressure

Storm Surge

Damage Potential

Tropical
Depression

< 39 mph
< 34 kts

Minimal

Tropical
Storm

39 - 73 mph
34 - 63 kts

Minimal

Hurricane 1
(Weak)

74 - 95 mph
64 - 82 kts

28.94" or more
980.02 mb or more

4.0' - 5.0'
1.2 m - 1.5 m

Minimal damage to vegetation

Hurricane 2
(Moderate)

96 - 110 mph
83 - 95 kts

28.50" - 28.93"
965.12 mb - 979.68 mb

6.0' - 8.0'
1.8 m - 2.4 m

Moderate damage to houses

Hurricane 3
(Strong)

111 - 130 mph
96 - 112 kts

27.91" - 28.49"
945.14 mb - 964.78 mb

9.0' - 12.0'
2.7 m - 3.7 m

Extensive damage to small buildings

Hurricane 4
(Very strong)

131 - 155 mph
113 - 135 kts

27.17" - 27.90"
920.08 mb - 944.80 mb

13.0' - 18.0'
3.9 m - 5.5 m

Extreme structural damage

Hurricane 5
(Devastating)

Greater than 155 mph
Greater than 135 kts

Less than 27.17"
Less than 920.08 mb

Greater than 18.0'
Greater than 5.5m

Catastrophic building failures possible

Expires 7:30 AM EDT on October 24, 2005

Statement as of 5:10 AM EDT on October 24, 2005

... Wilma poised to move onshore over southwest Florida...

... New information...
Hurricane Wilma continues as a category 3 storm with maximum
sustained winds of 125 mph with higher gusts. Little change in
intensity is expected before landfall.

... Areas affected...
this statement is for all residents of west central and southwest
Florida

... Watches and warnings...
a Hurricane Warning is in effect for the coastline and tidal
shorelines of Lee... Charlotte... DeSoto... and Sarasota counties.

An inland Hurricane Warning is in effect for non coastal or non tidal
locations of Lee... Charlotte... DeSoto... Hardee... Highlands and
Sarasota counties.

A Tropical Storm Warning is in effect for the coastline and tidal
shorelines of Manatee... Pinellas... Hillsborough... Pasco... Hernando
Citrus and Levy counties.

An inland Tropical Storm Warning is in effect for non coastal or
non tidal locations of Manatee... Pinellas... Hillsborough... Polk...
Pasco... Hernando... Citrus... Sumter and Levy counties.

A Flash Flood Watch remains in effect for Charlotte and Lee counties
into early Monday afternoon.

A Tornado Watch continues in effect for all of west central Florida
from Citrus County southward until 11 am EDT today. The threat for
tornadoes will continue this morning as additional rainbands from
Wilma reach the area. Any tornadoes will be fast moving.

... Storm information...
at 5 am EDT... the center of Hurricane Wilma was located near
latitude 25.5 north... longitude 82.4 west or about 85 miles
south southwest of Fort Myers and 170 miles south of Tampa.
Wilma was moving to the northeast at 20 mph.

... Wind impacts...
dangerous winds are expected this morning in Lee County and
possibly Charlotte... DeSoto... and Highlands County. A period of
sustained hurricane force winds... 75 to 80 mph... is expected between
6 and 9 am. Because Wilma is expected to maintain at least category
3 strength while accelerating inland... gusts to 100 mph are possible
in stronger squalls.

For Sarasota and Hardee counties... sustained tropical storm force
winds of 50 to 65 mph with gusts of 75 to 85 mph... are possible
between 7 and 10 am.

In the Tampa Bay area and points north through Hernando County...
tropical storm force sustained winds should arrive around 5 am... with
the highest winds... 40 to 50 mph with gusts up to 65 mph... expected
between 7 am and 12 PM.

Impacts for Charlotte and Lee County include:
poorly constructed or unsecured Mobile homes will be heavily damaged
or destroyed. Others will have substantial damage to roofs... walls...
and windows... and will likely be uninhabitable until repaired.
Houses of poor to average construction will have partial wall and
roof failure... as well as blown out windows. Most Lanai screens and
pool cages will have damage... some will be destroyed. Unsecured light
to moderate weight outdoor items will become projectiles... causing
additional damage and perhaps injury. Many areas will have power
outages... hundreds of wires will fall... transformers will pop... and
some power poles will be pulled down. Rotting large trees will be
uprooted... most common on saturated ground. Numerous large branches
of healthy trees will snap... and moderate damage is expected in
Citrus Grove. Up to one half of newly planted crops will be damaged.

Impacts for Sarasota... DeSoto... Highlands... and Hardee County
include:
older Mobile homes will experience moderate to substantial damage.
Some of poor construction will be uninhabitable until repaired.
Houses of poor to average construction will have damage to shingles
... Siding... and gutters. Some windows will be blown out. Many
Lanai screens and pool cages will be damaged. Unfastened home
items of light to moderate weight will become airborne... causing
additional damage and possible injury. Dozens of wires will be
blown down. Local power outages will affect entire neighborhoods.
Many large branches of healthy trees will be snapped... and rotting
small to medium sized trees will be uprooted. Dozens of Palm fronds
will be blown down... and minor damage will occur to Citrus Groves
and newly planted lowland crops.

Impacts for the Tampa Bay and Lakeland areas include:
minor damage will occur to many Mobile homes. Poorly constructed
homes may receive some wall damage and partial roof removal. A
few houses may have minor damage to roof shingles and siding. A
few pool cages and Lanai screens will be damaged. Unsecured light
weight items may become projectiles... causing additional damage.
Some electrical wires will be blown down... and local power outages
are likely. Most newly planted trees and shrubs will be damaged or
uprooted. Some rotting small trees will be uprooted... and rotten
large branches will snap. Numerous small twigs will separate from
trees. A few Palm fronds will be blown down.

... Surge impacts...
tides continue running around a half foot above normal at gaging
points from the Tampa Bay area south. Tidal departures may
range up to 2 feet above normal this morning in Charlotte and Lee
counties... and up to 1 foot above normal elsewhere... before winds
turn more north or northeasterly and evacuate water from many of
these areas.

... Flood impacts...
overnight rainfall amounts have been in the 2 to 3 inch range
with higher localized amounts. Bands of showers and thunderstorms
will continue to move across the region this morning. These rains may
produce locally heavy rainfall amounts across west central and
southwest Florida. Minor flooding of low lying areas is possible.
Rainfall today will generally range from less than an inch in Levy
County. Southward to the Tampa Bay region 2 to 3 inches are expected
with locally 5 inches in heavier bands. South of the Tampa Bay region
to 4 inches with locally 5 inches elsewhere north of Charlotte and
Lee County... and 4 to 5 inches with locally 6 inches in Charlotte and
Lee counties... where a Flash Flood Watch is in effect.

The Little Manatee River and Manatee rivers are expected to rise
above flood stage during the next 24 hours. Other area rivers remain
are forecast to remain below flood stage at this time.

... Next statement...
the next hurricane local statement for Hurricane Wilma will be issued
from the National Weather Service office in Ruskin around 715 am EDT
this morning.

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