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

[NautiNurse]

Neighbor's boat was still on the lift last time I checked. Maybe he tied it down after all.

[PogySailor]

Checking in from Brandon. Rain and some gust up to 20-25 I'd say. Woke up to my UPS beeping at about 5:00, but the power came back within 5 minutes or so. Temp is DROPPING fast. 71 when I got up, 61 now. Looking at WTVT they show the front is right over Tampa. Things should get better fast. And cooler ;-)

[dirtboy]

Local news types seem to be amazed its still on at all.

I imagine the most vulnerable tree branches were taken down a couple of months ago by Katrina.

[DocRock]

Just heard my first transformer blow up down the street. It won't be long now until the power goes out.

[publiusF27]

He feels bad for the Charlotte/Sarasota county areas because we were down there a couple months back and couldn't believe the amount of businesses, homes, etc that suffered damage in Charley and were still not rebuilt.

What are you talking about? It looks pretty much cleaned up to us! ;-)

You do just kind of become numb to the semi destroyed structures all around. This one won't do much to us, just rinse off some of the debris! ;-)

[NautiNurse]

Glad you still have electricity, and thanks for the local update. Godspeed.

[CholeraJoe]

Got the call about 2 hours ago. Me and the cadaver dog are headed for south Florida.

[Dane]

And I know there's a hurricane because I have a vicious headache. Does anyone else get those?

That's due to the drop in air pressure, I've known people whose knees start to hurt when a storm is coming.

Stay safe and all the best.

[ThreePuttinDude]

Punta Gorda & Port Charlotte are going to be rebuilding for a few more years.
The Holiday Inn that was on the river has finally been leveled, to make room
for what ever they intend to replace it. I hope it's another Holiday Inn,
they need a medium price hotel in that area. Some of the other local businesses
are still trying to get reorganized after 14 months. Its tough for some of them.

Whats great about this area, they don't sit back and complain (much) with
their hand out, like other areas that won't be mentioned.

[patriciaruth]

If you happen to be in Hialeah, I'll FReepmail the address of my aunt, in case I don't hear from her.

[dawn53]

Yeah, I guess you get desentitized, to the building shells.

Quick question, why were some of those businesses along 41 never rebuilt? Did the folks take insurance money and build elsewhere, or were they not insured?

[NautiNurse]

Electricity still on in Brandon? Will wonders never cease! Y'all lose electricity if a crow lands on a power line.

Thanks for you update, I can see the first hint of daylight...finally.

[jeffers]

This plot puts Wilma precisely on the same track it's been following since 4 pm Sunday, and does not reflect any significant turn at landfall.

What I believe is happening is that the windfield and eyewall precipitation are no longer concentric, as evidenced by this image:

http://www.boatus.com/hurricanes/hurricane_field.asp

I don't know what effect this will have on its future track or associated damage paths.

[mewzilla]

One of the news nets yesterday reported on what someone had spray painted on some plywood over a window: Wilma's mad as heck, Fred left her for Barney.

[LBKQ]

Are you hearing anything about Longboat?

[NautiNurse]

Uh oh. Thank you for helping Florida during another difficult time. One of these days, you'll have to visit under better circumstances. Safe travels.

[ThreePuttinDude]

Do you know what they are going to replace the Holiday Inn with?
I always thought that was a perfect location for a hotel. With the view of the
harbor and the bridges, very touristie...

[Capt. Tom]

STATE COLLEGE, PA (AccuWeather.com) -- Hurricane Wilma has made landfall in southwest Florida, and is quickly moving across the state. The eye came ashore at Cape Romano, about 22 miles south of Naples. At 7:00 AM EDT the center of Hurricane Wilma was about 10 miles north of Everglades City.

[patriciaruth]

We used to call it the Florida Power and Darkness Company back when I grew up in Miami Springs.

[publiusF27]

Different stories with each biz. Our former neighbors, Anchorman Marine, had their building destroyed and moved back to New Jersey. The destroyed building is still there, and likely will be for a while. It was condemned, then somehow uncondemned, but we're not sure if that will take. The land is contaminated (really long story) and the building, if it has to be replaced, is a liability.

Most were insured, and in any case, property values are quite high, if you don't have a possibly condemned building on contaminated land.