Hurricane Wilma Live Thread (As of 2:30 am EDT, Wilma is a Category 5 with 175-mph winds )

NHC - NOAA ^ | 18 October 2005 | NHC - NOAA

[NautiNurse]

Hurricane Wilma has formed in the NW Caribbean Sea. The NHC forecast indicates she will emerge into the Gulf of Mexico as a major Category Three storm. Current forecase models indicate a Florida peninsula landfall.

The following links are self-updating:

Public Advisory Currently published every 3 hours 0500, 0800, 1100 etc. ET
NHC Discussion Published every six hours 0500, 1100, 1700, 2300 ET
Three Day Forecast Track
Five Day Forecast Track

Wilma Forecast Track Archive
Forecast Models
Buoy Data SE Florida
Current Weather Warnings and Watches for Florida

Images:

Storm Floater IR Loop
Visible Storm Floater Still (only visible during daylight hours)
Color Enhanced Atlantic Loop
Florida Radar/Sat Loop Caution: Broadband users only
Extra Large Miami Radar Broadband only
Extra Large Key West Radar Broadband only
Miami Long Range Radar Loop
Key West Long Range Radar Loop
Miami Experimental Radar Still Image
Key West Experimental Radar Still Image

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

[ken5050]

It can't hurt......

[NautiNurse]

Nice 90deg. turn they got this thing on now, eh?

Will be interesting to watch this one turn on a dime.

[NautiNurse]

If the logo showed a hurricane in the GOM, I might be inclined to agree...

[ExSES]

Will be interesting to watch this one turn on a dime.

I'm afraid that it is not that interesting for me, I can feel the HSS (Hurricane Stress Syndrome) arising. After getting hit by three last year, I was hoping to have a year or so of relief. Well, time to drag out the generator and stock away 30+ gallons of gas just in case!

[ken5050]

Actually, maybe you should consider doing a vanity thread of chat..to your ping list, asking the troops if they want to keep the logo, for next season.. or alternatively to submit any they might want to offer..

[NautiNurse]

I hear you. Evac for one, and hit by two more. Hard to trust a hurricane to turn on a dime, ya know?

[NautiNurse]

For this entire busy hurricane season, while you live far away from hurricanes in NY, nobody else has mentioned a need to change the hurricane ping logo. Why is this a problem for you today?

[laz]

If she moves as fast as they're forecasting after she enters the GOM, she's not going to have much time to weaken. If she gets up to Cat 3 or 4 before zeroing in on the peninsula, this could be a very bad weekend.

[laz]

Maybe after such a busy season, he feels the logo should be retired. ;)

[NautiNurse]

The key will be her strength when she begins the bullet speed. Folks to the south of her eye will need to add her forward speed to the sustained winds for the total wind impact. I just hope I am to the north of that track.

[NautiNurse]

Maybe after such a busy season, he feels the logo should be retired

There are six months following hurricane season to chat about ping logos. For now, I have other priorities, including securing property in preparation for this storm.

[LikeLight]

NautiNurse has been doing yoeman's work on these threads all season. They are her threads. If she likes the logo, then it's her call. Why this bizarre interest in changing the logo, or submitting it for consensus debate? This isn't a democracy.

[Guenevere]

We're on the east central side of the peninsula....

...guess we'll put up our shutters and stay put, rather than travel to Jacksonville or wherever...

We were suppose to help with a harvest festival this Saturday...(outdoors, of coures)...

..bet it gets rained out!

[laz]

The way it looks right now, I'm going to be either south of the eye or right under it. Not good. I have a feeling this is going to be a lot worse for Miami than Katrina was.

[No Blue States]

Boomark.

(good luck FL)

[No Blue States]

Bookmark.

(good luck FL)

[exhaustedmomma]

Hurricane Stew Recipe
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 med. onion, chopped
2 tbsp. cooking oil
1 can tomatoes
2 c. water
2 c. thin sliced smoked sausage *Could sub aligator meat
2 c. cubed potatoes
Salt & pepper to taste
2 c. zucchini or eggplant, cubed

Saute garlic and onion in oil until tender. Add tomatoes, water, sausage, potatoes, salt and pepper. Cook on low heat until potatoes are almost done. Add squash and cook until tender. Serve with hot Cuban bread and a green salad for a quick supper.

[laz]

Folks to the south of her eye will need to add her forward speed to the sustained winds for the total wind impact.

The distance covered from 8 AM Saturday to 8 AM Sunday in NHC's 5-day cone looks to be around 500 miles. That means a forward speed for Wilma of about 20 MPH. Even if she were to weaken to a Cat 1 before landfall, that'll make her feel like a Cat 2 to anyone south of the eye. If she comes in as a Cat 3... shudder.

Well, at least she won't be hanging around for long.

[steveegg]

Bastardi is blowing smoke again over on Cavuto.

[bunches]

"Maybe you should have posted your post on one of the Rita threads where FReepers were reporting the damage to their homes and were checking in about where they had evacuated to and the losses they had suffered. I'm sure your making fun and laughing your a$$ off comment would have been greatly appreciated"

"Do you live in a coastal area which could be affected by a hurricane or have relatives or close friends who do?"


My folks-in-law live in Boca Raton, Tampa and Orlando.

I pray for the whole State of Florida when a hurricane approaches!! My folks are kind, patient people who don't complain - they just break out the generator and storm shutters and do all other sensible preparations or they evacuate if need be.

God bless them and all Floridians facing this storm.