Hurricane Wilma Live Thread, Part IV

NHC - NOAA ^ | 24 October 2005 | NHC - NOAA

[NautiNurse]

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.

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 Radar Still Image w/watches warnings
Melbourne Radar Still Image w/watches warnings
Key West Radar Still Image w/watches warnings
Tampa Bay Radar Still image w/watches warnings

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 Live Thread, Part III
Hurricane Wilma Part II
Hurricane Wilma Live Thread
Tropical Storm Wilma
Tropical Depression #24

[patriciaruth]

My aunt uses a walker and isn't able to stand much, so lines are out.

Having the taxi driver pick up some tarp, firring strips, etc. at Home Depot that I pay for by credit card may be the only reasonably fast way to go.

FEMA wants victims to call with your insurance and social security number so they can tell you how to fill out an emergency assistance report. That's all well and good, but the lady admitted there was no way they'd respond within a few days even if the phone lines were working and my aunt could call them.

So, we keep marching and checking out everything. I'm putting fire stations on the list for possible ice, and thanks for the tip, but I don't know who is going to stand in a line to get it.

And that is why most of the deaths in Katrina were older people. Older white people, not black people.

[patriciaruth]

That is a very generous offer and come Friday, if I have not convinced my aunt to let me come and help my aunt pack up and fly out with her cats or got some temporary protection up on her house top, I may be back begging at your doorstep for help.

[patriciaruth]

You're right about the cold.

I remember being in Alaska in the winter for a family wedding and thinking, "If the power failed for long, all these people would die..."

[inflorida]

Hi NautiNurse and All...SW Orlando seems to have very minimal damage, a few trees down, street signs knocked over and branches here and there along the roads. Besides that we made it out fairly untouched.
From about 5:30AM through Noon we had some heavy winds and storms but by 2PM seemed to be in the clear. The result was an amazingly beautiful day with lots of sunshine and cool weather.

[patriciaruth]

"Miami International Airport will be closed Tuesday -- and possibly late into the week, said County Manager George Burgess.

In addition to the leaks sent water streaming onto terminals and concourses, the airport's perimeter gate suffered breaches in 15 places."

This is the fly in the ointment that may make it hard for me to get there in the next couple days even if my aunt agreed to let me come and pack her up.

[VeniVidiVici]

You know, I just remembered that a friend of the family used to be a police chief down there. Let me call him tomorrow and see if he knows anyone that could possibly stop by her house and check on her and the condition of the house.

Don't give me any personal information or address just yet, but you did say she lives in Hialeah, right?

Even if you could fly in tomorrow, if the area down there is anything like it was after Charlie here, it may be difficult to navigate the roads for a few days.

[patriciaruth]

We have a taxi driver who has been faithful in checking on my aunt over the last couple years. He will be going by tomorrow, too, as he did this evening.

What I need most is a licensed, honest roofer to go by and see what the situation is so we can contract with him to put up the tarp or whatever is necessary for temporary protection before the permanent solution is formulated with the insurance company.

[patriciaruth]

Your police chief may know someone who can help get a roofer there, so I would appreciate it if you would contact him.

[patriciaruth]

If his phones are out, too, it may be a real challenge to get in touch with him.

As posted above, almost a million homes in Dade County (excuse me Miami-Dade County) are without power. It's a real mess down there.

[VeniVidiVici]

What I need most is a licensed, honest roofer to go by and see what the situation is so we can contract with him to put up the tarp...

And, unfortunately, after the storm those are very difficult to find.

Let me ask if he knows anyone. He's from that area so he may know someone. I don't know anyone other than the folks who did my roof.

[metmom]

They do die. There is also the issue of frozen water pipes. They'll freeze before you do. We always shut off the water when we leave home for any length of time in the winter.

[VeniVidiVici]

He's now in charge of a dept up the coast so I should be able to get in contact with him.

[aberaussie]

I am in Winter Park and lost a *lot* of shingles in the hurricanes last year - my roof was old, but we had a double layer and we were not leaking after the hurricanes. FEMA came out and could not believe we were not leaking. We we happy to get a blue roof...but then the roof did start leaking, not a lot, but enough to cause some stains and consternation! We got our new roof finally in May as well. How nice to not watch the ceiling for new spots every time it rains!

[patriciaruth]

You know, I just realized I called Home Depot in Hialeah and there phones were working because they answered, so the phone situation may be just locally there.

I think I'll call the phone company and let them know that block is not functioning.

I'm on hold for AT&T now.

[patriciaruth]

What was the procedure you went through for FEMA to come out and tarp your roof? How long after the hurricane did the roof get tarped?

[patriciaruth]

Nice fellow at AT&T is going to check with Bell South the local carrier and get back to me in 1/2 hour or so.

I also gave him the telephone number of her neighbor whose phone is also out.

Sure dropped the ball not thinking of doing this earlier.

[patriciaruth]

Maybe the people who did your roof would know someone in Miami-Dade County who does roofs?

[VeniVidiVici]

:) Ok. I'll ask them too! They may do work down that far.

Lucky me had my roof put on in March of last year; just few months before the hurricanes.

First time I ever did anything in a timely manner my entire life.

[LibertyRocks]

Sorry didn't see your post till just now. In answer to your question: no, I'm all the way up here in Wisconsin. Just reporting from the online streaming news out of Miami. (o:

[patriciaruth]

Thanks!!

FreeRepublic is great at holding my hand. Even if we don't end up accomplishing anything, I'll know we tried as hard as we could.