| This thread has been locked, it will not receive new replies. |
|
Locked on 10/24/2005 2:24:18 AM PDT by Jim Robinson, reason:
New thread: http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/news/1508056/posts |
Posted on 10/22/2005 1:25:10 PM PDT by NautiNurse
Hurricane Wilma slowly drifts toward the Southeast Gulf of Mexico after relentlessly pounding Cozumel and Cancun for more than 24 hours. Early reports indicate extensive wind and flood damage to Mexico's resort-studded Mayan Riviera. Mexican officials said about 20,000 tourists were at shelters and hotels on the mainland south of Cancun and an estimated 10,000-12,000 were in Cancun itself. About 50 hotels were evacuated.
In preparation for Hurricane Wilma's anticipated Florida landfall, a Hurricane Watch and mandatory evacuation have been issued for the Florida Keys and Florida Bay. Mandatory evacuations for Marco Island and much of Naples are in effect, as well as high surf advisories and high risk of rip currents along Florida's panhandle and Big Bend coasts. Bus services are available for Monroe Co. and other counties for residents who do not have transportation. Additional storm watches for the Florida peninsula are expected later today.
The 2005 hurricane season altered the record books again today with the formation of Tropical Storm Alpha south of Hispanola. Preliminary forecasts indicate TS Alpha will not affect the U.S. mainland.
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
Florida Department of Emergency Management
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
Streaming Video:
WBBH-TV/WZVN-TV Ft. Myers (WMP): http://waterbc.wm.llnwd.net/waterbc_netvideo
WESH-TV/DT Orlando/Daytona Beach (RP): http://mfile.akamai.com/7883/live/reflector:24028.ram
WFTV-TV/DT Orlando (RP): http://mfile.akamai.com/7883/live/reflector:20361.ram
WKMG-TV/DT Orlando (RP): http://mfile.akamai.com/7883/live/reflector:23942.ram
WPBF-TV/DT West Palm Beach (RP): http://mfile.akamai.com/7883/live/reflector:24035.ram
WSVN-TV/DT Miami (WMP): http://216.242.118.140/windowsmedia/asx/wsvn_broadband.asx
WTVJ-TV/DT Miami: http://nbc6.feedroom.com/iframeset.jsp?ord=381015
WPLG-TV/DT Miami (RP): http://mfile.akamai.com/8660/live/reflector:23941.ram
WFOR-TV/DT Miami (WMP): http://wfor.dayport.com/viewer/content/special.php?Art_ID=612&Format_ID=2&BitRate_ID=8&Contract_ID=2&Obj_ID={obj_id}
WTSP-TV/DT St. Petersburg/Tampa (WMP): mms://wmbcast.gannett.speedera.net/wmbcast.gannett/wmbcast_gannett_sep252004_1915_64623
Hurricane City (Real Player) - http://hurricanecity.com/live.ram
ABCNews Now (Real Player) - http://reallive.stream.aol.com/ramgen/redundant/abc/now_hi.rm
Additional Resources:
Pet Friendly Florida Shelter Info
Central Florida Hurricane Center
Hurricane City
CrownWeather.com
| 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 |
Previous Threads:
Hurricane Wilma Part II
Hurricane Wilma Live Thread
Tropical Storm Wilma
Tropical Depression #24
If anyone is still awake
8PM UPDATE CONT.
8PM CANCUN:
We saw Plaza Las Americas with incredible damage from the Hurricane, the glass window roofs are gone, walls "look" like the have partcially fallen and or are falling, roof down in parts, fronts of stores are gone, hurricane doors and plywood that was protecting is gone and everywhere.
We saw footage of Plaza Avenidas with extensive damage which is in downtown, Tulum Av. with extensive flooding.
Police trapped in the hotel zone by the water reported to Televisa Reporters that the crocodiles were in the water near them and pleaded for help.
Cancun confirms another death from a window that exploded into the home during the winds and killed the person nearest the window.
The Ritz Carlton is showing extensive damage as well. For those of you with knowlege of Cancun and the Hotel Zone PLAYA DELFINES where we lost our video and camera equipment on Thursday to a fall the water passed over the road and met the lagoon. I am not that good with the height but I would say 30 feet or more of sea wall to climb. That is located next to the Hilton and the area was described last night by patrols as "out of control" now I know why.
Cancun is reporting that 28 kilometers of beach is gone. There is no beach according to authorities and the conditions are still very bad.
Downtown Cancun is Flooded at 85% of the surface area. Some areas called Popular Regions like 232, 230, 240 etc. the water is up to 5 feet there and people are still trying to get out who did not evacuate yesterday or Thursday.
Commision Federal of Electricity who handles the electric in Cancun is saying that it will be 15 to 20 days to restore partial service to parts of Cancun.
The footage we saw had trees everywhere, cars floating, signs down, glass everywhere, water tanks floating and in general an incredible amount of damage that I have not seen.
More...
http://www.cancuntravelonline.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=1251
LOL! That's for sure.
7:30pm, Saturday
Adrian (shown at left) just phoned us. They have only been able to walk around downtown. The small piers for dive boats are destroyed. Punta Langosta cruise ship pier near downtown is partially destroyed. The roofs of Casa Denis restaurant and Plaza del Sol shopping area are gone. The giant flag pole is gone. he talked with the owner of Rock 'n Java restaurant and the building is intact, but all contents destroyed, as is the case with most oceanfront businesses. Almost every palapa structure has disappeared. It sounds like McDonalds has been destroyed. The expensive oceanfront shops were severely damaged or destroyed and are being looted. They found a dead body on the oceanfront, but thought that this person had been dead for several days--and was washed up by the hurricane (Do not panick, we do not think there was loss of life in Cozumel). The oceanfront street on ! the west side of downtown is intact--the seawall held. Most concrete structures are intact, but received water damage. Flooding was not a major problem in downtown, although rain was forced into every crack, so many homes received some water damage.
Scuba Tony and Encarna who we lost contact with yesterday are also fine. It is dark in Cozumel now, and they won't be going back out until mo rning. We hope to bring you further updates
http://stormcarib.com/reports/2005/mexico.shtml
Migrant workers in Southwest Florida face fear with storm snip
Because of the seasonality of their work, many undocumented laborers -- 10,000, by one estimate --
snip
''If 10,000 people show up, we can open additional shelters. We'll accommodate as many as we can,'' Torre said.
I am... but I'm fading fast. Stayed up to post the 1 AM intermediate and confirm what I've been seeing since 7 PM last night -- that Wilma's been moving NE. I'll be going to bed soon. Tomorrow will be an all-nighter.
This woke me up.
I wonder if some local citizenry will come to the police's rescue. LOL
http://www.cfnews13.com/weather.aspx
This link may be helpful to Floridians waiting for Wilma.
exhaustedmomma
Hey, you need to be sleeping! I used to be one of those. Thankfully, they grow up. And sleep.
I'm signing off too. Tomorrow will be an all nighter. Stay safe. G'nite everyone!
"Police trapped in the hotel zone by the water reported to Televisa Reporters that the crocodiles were in the water near them and pleaded for help."
That is an amazing report isn't it? Could be there is no truth to it whatsoever. It will take a while to sort it all out. It won't be like NO tho. No city on earth is as dysfunctional as that one is.
For an off-topic story about coffee, read this thread I posted about a South Carolina carjacking. I'm convinced that the quick-thinking driver who fought off his assailant was a FReeper -- power to him:
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1507149/posts
I raised mine too... now, I am raising 3 grandkids. They are at the sleeping stage. I've had bronchitis and been on med's... sleeping, sleeping, sleeping. Now, I am better and slept out.
Wow. The reports of damage at that link are very sobering. But not surprising, considering how Wilma sat on top of them for a whole day of relentless pounding. Just imagine -- all the beaches are gone. Complete erosion.
Oh honey! Bless your heart. I know there are way too many parents raising their children's children. It may work out way better for the kids tho. You have to be special for taking that on.
Hope you stay healthy. For you and those kids.
Floater looks like the dry air is affecting it. Would be par for the course this year if it dwindled down to Charley size and intensified.
I hope you will be OK in Vero Beach. I had an opportunity to move to North Hutchinson Island in 2003, but had a bad premonition about it. Everyone thought I was out of my mind to turn down such luxury, but after Frances and Jeanne, I'm glad I trusted my gut.
My daughter's grandmother decided not to evacuate last year. The neighbors in her tower chose to band together because it was hard to re-enter the island once you left. Her living room windows shattered, and the furniture got sucked straight through them like something out of a movie.
Shortly afterward, her son decided to permanently relocate there from New Jersey. He's been making a very successful living as a contractor repairing hurricane damage. I guess his business will be booming again shortly courtesy of Wilma and maybe even Alpha. I have to respect his entrepreneurial spirit, though.
Stay safe!
Your tagline... the book? You from Louisiana?
Oh no, too funny -- that's the very same stuff we were eating during our power loss from Rita -- LOL!!!
Sam, if you're serious about a snowstorm list, you might as well add me. I'll be moving back to MA by December 1st!
The best of Blue Bell!!
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.
