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

[flattorney]

###Update - 10.26.05-1530 CDT###

Added to Wilma Data on my profile page: http://www.freerepublic.com/~flattorney

Wilma SFP Track & PinPoint Windspeeds Map
Thanks Jeffers (Click Thumbnail to Enlarge)






10.26.05 - Combined Wilma Live Threads: over 185,000 views - 6,000 posts
Thanks NautiNurse & everyone that contributed to the threads

Comments: I took some grief for "pounding the table" to close our law offices, Thru 10/20, and everyone to get their property secure and get the hell out of the Miami-Dade area. With the extensive damage and total power out in the Miami-Dade & Ft. Lauderdale area, I'm not looking so "silly/over-reactionary" now. Those stupid computer projection models, particularly the SHIPS model totally blew it on Wilma's strength coming on-shore. Hell, the SHIPS model keep showing that Wilma would come ashore "only" as a deteriorating Cat 1. I keep looking at the images, charts, and Navy data, and saying that was total garbage.

On-shore, the NHC measured 138 MPH upper level winds on the SE quadrant. Further, Wilma had higher levels of kinetic energy that Ivan, Katrina, or Rita. I'm still amazed how Wilma significantly strengthened on the West side of the SFP, once it started getting past the Everglades and getting into the Atlantic. That's what REALLY hurt us on the W-SFP

Tell everyone something else...the $9-10 billion damage estimate in the media, is WAY too low. The damage to local W-SFP boats and yachts could be billions alone, that the press is not talking about.

PS - NautiNurse: Went to the Astros-Sox game last night. Going again tonight. Thank God I'm didn't pay for the tickets, ouch! Chicago just has a better ball team and the Stros look tired. May be a 4 - 0 sweep. I knew the Stros were in trouble last night when Barbara Bush showed up with here worthless son Neil Bush, lol. (Bush-I has season tickets). Don't know where King George-I was at. He's been making the home playoff games. Maybe he will be their tonight. Stros need all the "royal blessing" they can get.

[flattorney]

###Update - 10.26.05-1330 EDT###



The areas hit hardest by Wilma -- Broward, northern Miami-Dade and southern Palm Beach counties -- may have to wait for up to four weeks for all homes to have power restored.

10.26.05-1400 EDT: W-SFP Airports Update:

Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport is still closed

Palm Beach International Airport: Limited commercial - Limited private aircraft being allowed. Very long delays and significant congestion. Avoid unless an emergency. Structural damage to the terminal. The roof on Concourse B was torn off, along with water damage, concrete panels buckled. Estimated damage: $3-5 million.

Miami International Airport: Two runways open, running at 30% net traffic capacity. Very long delays and significant congestion. Avoid unless an emergency. Many people showing up at MIA, are not for air travel - Looking for food and water. Thirty-nine passenger jetways damaged. One parked commercial jet's nose was slammed into another parked commercial jet causing significant damage to the second jet. Cargo area suffered highest damage levels, some roofs torn off, and some structural damage.

[NautiNurse]

Have a great time at the game. Tampa Bay area is hosting lots of Wilma refugees this week. Traffic looks like peak snowbird season around here, except all the license plates are from Florida.

[steveegg]

What they need is for Selig to stop giving his friend Reinsdorf and the Sox every last advantage :-)

[flattorney]

Typo Correction: E-SFP not W-SPF

On-shore, the NHC measured 138 MPH upper level winds on the SE quadrant. Further, Wilma had higher levels of kinetic energy that Ivan, Katrina, or Rita. I'm still amazed how Wilma significantly strengthened on the West side of the SFP, once it started getting past the Everglades and getting into the Atlantic. That's what REALLY hurt us on the E-SFP.

Tell everyone what else....the $9-10 billion damage estimate in the media, is WAY to low. The damage to local E-SFP boats and yachts could be billions alone, that the press is not talking about.

[flattorney]

Stros left more people on base last night, than the # of displaced Wilma Floridians.

[Trust but Verify]

I've never been through a single hurricane, let alone the number the people in Florida have been through in just the last two seasons. I'm flabbergasted by the number of people who are bitching about where is the government aid! I understand having high expectations of Gov. Bush, but where is the self-accountability? People who are desperate for food and water within 24 hours of the storm? What were they doing for the 7-10 days before the storm arrived? Good grief this is frustrating.

[flattorney]

Tampa Bay area is hosting lots of Wilma refugees this week. Traffic looks like peak snowbird season around here, except all the license plates are from Florida.

Hey NN, pick up a couple of boxes of Little Debbie Fudge Brownies for me. After hearing about my home, I may be headed you way Friday too, lol.

Deb's a real Floridian kind of girl, haa

[NautiNurse]

Hey NN, pick up a couple of boxes of Little Debbie Fudge Brownies for me.

Will do. Let me know when you are due to arrive.

[Michael Goldsberry]

jsh3180 just checked in.

[Dane]

Thanks for the added information, FLA.

Hope your property hasn't been majorly damaged and hoping the best for you and your loved ones.

Take care.

[sheikdetailfeather]

I saw ABC news tonight and it called the top news "THE FURY OF FLORIDA." (CAN YOU BELIEVE IT?) I think they probably just throw away any interviews of people who are not complaining. LETS HOPE SO ANYWAY!

[steveegg]

That's Scrap Iron ball for you (I ought to know, we suffered through it for serveral years up in the land of cheese and beer).

[Sam Cree]

Hi elfman, yes we did fine. We live up on the rocky ridge, so surge is never a concern here, just wind. Had boarded up the entire house. IMO, we took a glancing blow and "got away with it" again. I'm very thankful.

Electricity back a few hours ago!

[Sam Cree]

I understand they are going to use the Hebrew alphabet after we go through the Greek one. We probably will be seeing "Aleph" by late December.

[twin2]

Hey Sam, glad to see you got power back. I'm in Miami Lakes area and still powerless. Ran into the FPL guy yesterday and he said it may be 10 days til our neighborhood gets power. Though looking at the progress today, I think it will be less.

I had to kill half the day getting gas for the generator, but it is well worth it. The house survived fine but the landscaping is a big loss. Three of my big beautiful trees are destroyed. There goes the shade.

Overall we were well prepared, but I get better with each storm.

[Sam Cree]

I think they are getting power up faster than we expected, yes. I thought we might wait for a week or more, but we were only out 3 days, pretty great. The infrastructure is not as trashed as it can be, that's a help.

How many watts is your generator? Do you know how many got power restored today? My little 5600 watt gen does a pretty fair job and doesn't use much gas.

I don't see many damaged houses in this neighborhood either, lots of fencing down, a few isolated pool enclosures down, lots of trees and branches, what a mess.

The best thing about this storm is the cool weather that followed!

[twin2]

I think the generator is 7000 watts, but not sure, hubby got arranged it. My parents bought it in Lake Placid yesterday and drove it down to us. It has really saved us, I almost feel human again. We are powering alot of things with it. Tonight I boiled water in the microwave and took a warm bath. It felt like heaven!

[Luis Gonzalez]

Hey guys.

Everyone is fine, thanks for the concern and the prayers.

I heard the sound I mentioned in post #562 and went upstairs to investigate, this was as the back part of the hurricane was going through...as it turned out the back half was way worse than the front.

I made it upstairs and was checking for leaks when I felt my roof (or rather what I thought at the time was my roof) lift up, and drop back down again.

I stood there trying to figure out what to do next when it happened again, and then I heard my attic door begin to move. I bolted downstairs calling "sanctuary" (code word for get in the safe room).

It was hell from that moment on, things were crashing into the house, and the last thing I saw before going into sanctuary was my sliding glass doors bowing...in spite of the fact that I had them shuttered.

We sat out the rest of the storm in the safe room.

This was every bit as Andrew.

The roof held.

The tings crashing against my house were my roof tiles from neighbors on either side of me, my fence banging against the shutters, and the next door neighbor's barbecue.

I lost all power, electric, water, and even my wireless Internet connection was down; this is the first time I've been able to log on...I hope I can actually post this.

I live in a cul de sac, and these last few days have been the best days we've had living here.

Everyone has pulled together, we've had huge cookouts in the street every night, no lights for miles and so many stars in the sky that all the kids from the block have been sitting in the grass and looking up at the skies while we all cook, eat, and just hang out.

I just found out that I've been living down the street from a retired New England Patriots starting receiver Michael Tummey(?sp).

The block's kids have been outside playing all day long (no school until Monday) and I've made some new friends.

The power came on tonight on my side of the street, and I was almost sorry that it did.

All's well that ends well.

I don't know how long I'll have this signal, hope you all get this and thanks again.

P.S. I hung my flag back up last night after a party in my drive way...you all should have heard the cheering and clapping when Old Glory flew again.
The house, the fence, and the cars can be fixed.

[Luis Gonzalez]

P.S. The sound that I thought was my roof lifting and dropping was actually made by my barrel tiles lifting up and dropping back, not the rood itself.

The neighbors across the street told me that they watched them through the slots in their shutther.

We heard them rip from the safe room...like a big zipper.

I can't describe the sound wind blowing that fast makes...never want to hear it again.