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

[STARWISE]

Have you seen this??

The Mystery of the Eye (Wilma)

On the page ... hit "click for video" .. weird.

[sheikdetailfeather]

Looks like the hurricane was saying it knew it was on channel 2. Spooky. It is Halloween isn't it? BWAAHAHAHAHAHA.

[Caipirabob]

Hi all!

We still don't have power back yet but we have more of a roof than most of our neighbors.

We were blessed to be very well prepared for this storm so it has not been as bad as it could be going without power for a week. We have lots of supplies including a generator and a window A/C unit to maintain a "cool room". We have a massive stockpile of movies from Netflix so we've been coping pretty well.

I've spent the last week doing roofing repairs for myself and many of my neighbors. My son's friend, Rubin, has a granddad down the road who's roof was stripped to the plywood and his ceiling has lots of water damage. We gave them our tarp because we don't have any damage to that extent. Most other neighbors need one or two tarps. I applied roofing cement to my holes as it's more permanent and we are going to be like this for a very long while. Every home except two or three in our neighborhood will need a new roof.

Lots of trees down and no patio left undamaged. Most of them will need to be replaced as well.

I estimate an average of 20K+ damage to each home in our development.

I need to say thanks to all of you FReepers who passed on advice on bracing the garage doors and additional covering for certain areas of the house. I believe it made a major difference in our well-being throughout this storm. We apparently were hit pretty heavy in South Palm Beach County. Again, we were blessed to be as prepared as we were. All of you deserve thanks for that!

On the bright side, we are all healthy and well. I pray that all of you are as well.

I'll check in when I have more time. I just wanted to post a thank you and get back to work. All the best and keep well!

Rob

[NautiNurse]

Hooray! Very glad you and your family are safe, and in good spirits. Prayers answered.

[laz]

Glad to hear you made it through. Not surprised at the extent of the damage, though. That western eyewall hit Broward and Palm Beach hard. By the time it reached those counties, Wilma's eye was mostly over the Atlantic and convection had re-organized and intensified. It was bad enough down here in Cutler Ridge, and it had to be much worse farther north.

[Caipirabob]

I'm amazed at the extent of the area of devastation! Who would have thought? Well, you did.

Oh, and that prediction/flame war with the meteorologist? That was you, right Laz? Well, you won...we got slammed! If it wasn't for our storm preps - YIKES!

And the scary thing is that many, many people didn't prepare. We can never underestimate a hurricane again!

[Sam Cree]

Hi Rob, very glad to hear from you again, glad you came through OK!

[laz]

Oh, and that prediction/flame war with the meteorologist? That was you, right Laz? Well, you won...we got slammed!

Yeah, that was me. And yes, I won... but I wish I hadn't.

I think a lot of people, hoping for the best, believed the forecasters who predicted Wilma would be a Cat 1 or even a TS by the time she arrived in Florida. But having hoped for the best, they neglected to prepare for the worst, and they got caught with their pants down.

Others didn't prepare because they simply never do, leaving it to the government to take care of them after the storm. These are the types that showed up for ice and water less than twenty-four hours after Wilma left.

Nobody along the Gulf Coast should take a hurricane that reaches Cat 5 lightly, no matter how much it's predicted to weaken by the time it reaches them. Chances are, it'll strike them as a Cat 3, as Katrina, Rita, and now Wilma have shown.

[Caipirabob]

First, WOO-HOO! We got power! Good-bye Neolithic era, Hello CABLE TV! Yeah, Maria's got "Los Plateados" playing right now. Life is good. *Grin*

Others didn't prepare because they simply never do, leaving it to the government to take care of them after the storm. These are the types that showed up for ice and water less than twenty-four hours after Wilma left.

Well stated. Did any of you see the interview that occured I think on Channel 7 news? It was one of the best interview questions I'd seen because it was so unexpected from what I thought was a liberal group of newscasters.

Some lady was standing in one of those Gubmint Cheez lines and complaining how the timing was so messed up. She was right, but she was blowing it way out of proportion. She said "This is New Orleans all over again!" and the commentary at the station was "Hey Bob, ask her if she takes any responibility for not preparing? Why doesn't she have any water or ice...". I was surprised even more when "Bob" comes right back to the lady and repeats the question to the lady. The woman sputters on live TV and says something like "It shouldn't be like this!". I was in shock over the whole interview. "They shoot, they score!" I kept thinking.

So anyway, thank God we were as prepared as we were.

Catch you all later and good night!

[Sam Cree]

I heard Jeb say to a reporter, "It's not FEMA's responsibility, it's ours. How much trouble is it to have a 5 day supply of water on hand anyway?" Fabulous!

But why in the world couldn't the ones who had no reserve water just fill up every container in the house with tap water Sunday night? I mean, really!

[brytlea]

We just got power up about an hour ago! Yippee! It was like a nine day camping trip you couldn't leave! My cable does not seem to be working, but oddly, my cable internet is! Who cares. If I have intenet all is well. We fared well, some vegitation damage (big deal) and some torn screens (again, big deal) and my mailbox door flew away. I have not had time to read thru this thread, I hope all other Freepers are well and have their power back. One thing tho....I need a camp stove for next year! I cannot live without coffee!!!
And...this whole thing reminded me why the US is the best place in the world to live. God Bless the USA!
susie

[brytlea]

Thanks for the prayers! We did fine, just no power for 9 days. I didn't miss anything nearly as much as I missed my morning coffee. Oh, and of course, my little battery operated TV only got Katie Couric in the morning. I think that should be illegal!!!
susie

[NautiNurse]

Welcome back! Very glad to know you are safe and in good spirits. Hooray for hot coffee and hot showers. Thanks for checking in.

Why is it that NBC and PBS are the only channels to come through via antenna anymore? Nuts.

[brytlea]

Yeah, I noticed we got PBS...I thought, what a waste! Like I wanted to watch Barney!! 8-o

susie

[Caipirabob]

Hey congrats! Welcome back to the 21st Century! Say goodbye to our Neolithic roots! Woo-hoo! : )

It took a day to get re-used to turning on the switches - lol!

[laz]

Welcome back! Nine days without power? Where are you located? Thank God I was only out for three, but cable and internet were out for five. Yeah, NBC came in clear as a bell without an antenna. The only other station I could get was ABC, but it was quite fuzzy.

NN, has everyone who was unaccounted for now checked in? Also, has anyone heard anything more from flattorney? He said he was returning to Miami this past weekend to check out his property. I hope he didn't find much damage.

I just got back from Wal-Mart down in Florida City, and I saw a LOT of houses missing shingles from the turnpike. A couple of homes in the Goulds area looked like every shingle was gone. Lots of damaged palm trees too. Some of the trees along the turnpike had only one single frond left. They looked pretty pathetic.

[laz]

Uh-oh...

As TWC's Dave Schwartz said after Rita, "No mas, por favor."

[NautiNurse]

has everyone who was unaccounted for now checked in? Also, has anyone heard anything more from flattorney?

I believe everyone has now checked in post Wilma. Flattorney has been busy posting since the World Series ended. Haven't heard how the property fared the storm.

[NautiNurse]

Accuweather is the only entity getting worked up about that wave. Their sat pic doesn't look like the IR image.

[laz]

Well, they were wrong about the superstorm. Let's hope they're wrong about Gamma too. Enough records have been broken this year.