Hurricane Wilma Live Thread, Part IV

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

I just spoke to a friend whose parents live in NW Boca Raton, west of the Turnpike. They, obviously, have no power but the phones were still up as of about an hour or so ago. The canals nearby didn't look to be a threat at the time, either. The only damage was some broken windows despite being boarded up. Low pressure is a beast.

From the looks of this...

http://www.srh.noaa.gov/radar/images/DS.p37cr/SI.kamx/latest.gif

...it looks like Boca is getting ready to get pounded by the eyewall again.

641 posted on 10/24/2005 9:04:38 AM PDT by mwp99 (Long Beach, MS)

Hope the Golden Girls are OK.

642 posted on 10/24/2005 9:05:39 AM PDT by Hillarys Gate Cult

Haven't had a chance to look through all the post since last night.

Any reports on the Fort Myers and Bradenton areas. Relatives have winter homes in both locations.

Assume Bradenton was far enough north to escape most of the storm.

643 posted on 10/24/2005 9:07:24 AM PDT by fjsva

Prayers for your mom and all in the path.

644 posted on 10/24/2005 9:07:43 AM PDT by sheikdetailfeather (Apopka, 20 miles north of Orlando)

I haven't heard yet from my sis in Ft. Myers, but Jeff Goldblatt on FOX reported in from there saying damage was minimal.

645 posted on 10/24/2005 9:09:49 AM PDT by sageb1 (This is the Final Crusade. There are only 2 sides. Pick one.)

Moron reporters already starting the myth that the storm was much worse for S. Florida than predicted, that everyone was caught by surprise.

Nevermind that they've been in the forecast track for almost a week, that the NHC had repeatedly said Cat 2 or 3 for FL, that just days ago it was the strongest Atlantic hurricane every recorded. "Save us from our butterfly ballots!"

646 posted on 10/24/2005 9:10:41 AM PDT by Diddle E. Squat (SonofaBuckner Qualls and Lidge, king and queen of Choke City, USA)

Bradenton is just across the bridge from us and I wouldn't imagine there was much damage. Wind, rain, but nothing drastic. Not enough rain, IMHO, to cause any river flooding if they were on one of the rivers down that way.

In fact, NautiNurse announced earlier that Ellenton Mall is opening at noon today (that's a big outlet mall just outside Bradenton.)

647 posted on 10/24/2005 9:12:12 AM PDT by dawn53

Local Statement as of 11:56 AM EDT on October 24, 2005

... Large eye of Wilma moving into the Atlantic... .

... New information...
a Flash Flood Warning is in effect for Brevard County until 230 PM
this afternoon. A Flood Warning for wide spread flooding has been
issued for Okeechobee... Martin... St. Lucie and Indian River counties.
The Tornado Watch for east central Florida has expired. Sustained
winds near 50 mph with gusts to 70 mph have been reported along the
coast between ft. Pierce and Cape Canaveral.

... Watches and warnings...
a Hurricane Warning remains in effect from Jupiter Inlet to
Titusville... with a Tropical Storm Warning in effect from north
of Titusville to Saint Augustine. An inland Hurricane Warning is in
effect for Okeechobee and Osceola counties. An inland Tropical Storm
Warning is in effect for Orange... Lake... Seminole and interior
Volusia counties. A Hurricane Warning is in effect for Lake
Okeechobee.

... Areas affected...
this statement recommends actions that should be taken in
Brevard... Volusia... Saint Lucie... Martin... Indian River...
Okeechobee... Orange... Seminole... Osceola... and lake counties.

... Storm information...
at 1120 am EDT the center of Hurricane Wilma was located over Palm
Beach Florida. Wilma is moving toward the northeast near 25 mph.
Maximum sustained winds are near 105 mph with higher gusts.

... Precautionary/preparedness actions...
east central Florida residents are strongly encouraged to stay safely
inside and continue to listen for tornado warnings and flood warnings
for their area this morning and be ready to take cover. In the event
of a tornado... or even for destructive winds within the inner
rainbands and eyewall of Wilma... the safest place is in an interior
room on the lowest floor of a sturdy block home or building... and
away from windows.

... Wind impacts...
Wilma is being pushed off the Florida East Coast by an advancing
surface cold front and upper level trough. Intense rain bands with
wind gust between 60 and 70 mph are occurring along the coast
between ft. Pierce and Cape Canaveral. Winds at the upper floors of
beach front high rise condominiums are likely gusting between 8o
and 90 mph. In the last hour St. Lucie nuclear Power Plant reported
gusts to 74 mph... Cape Canaveral wind towers reported gusts to 69
mph. Melbourne Airport had a gust to 60 mph.

Damaging northerly winds will spread south behind the large eye of
Hurricane Wilma into Osceola and Okeechobee counties and across the
interior of the coastal counties between Stuart and Port Canaveral.
With the eye moving rapidly off the coast these winds will being to
subside through the early afternoon hours.

... Tornado impacts...
the Tornado Watch for east central Florida has been allowed to
expire. A threat for isolated tornadoes will linger mainly over the
coastal areas of Brevard County.


... Flood impacts...
a Flash Flood Warning is in effect for Brevard County until 230 PM
this afternoon. A Flood Warning for wide spread flooding has been
issued for Okeechobee... Martin... St. Lucie and Indian River counties.
At 1150 am... Doppler radar showed torrential rainfall continuing to
occur across Brevard... Indian River... Saint Lucie and Martin counties
on the west and northwest side of the eye of Hurricane Wilma.


... Next update...
the next hurricane local statement will be issued by NWS Melbourne
around 3 PM... or sooner if conditions warrant.

A graphical version of this hurricane local statement can be
viewed on the National Weather Service web Page at...
www.Srh.NOAA.Gov/mlb and clicking on Wilma local info.

648 posted on 10/24/2005 9:14:54 AM PDT by NautiNurse (So. Tampa Bay)

Just talked to my sister-in-law and she said it was a lot of wind and some rain. They are in Tampa Shores. My brother is the Minister at Tampa Shores Bapist Church.

I love Ellenton Shoppin Center. I really need to get down there for the holidays.

649 posted on 10/24/2005 9:16:27 AM PDT by dixie sass

Duh! Thinking of the winds. They're worxe on the right side but had the direction wrong.

650 posted on 10/24/2005 9:17:29 AM PDT by metmom (Welfare was never meant to be a career choice.)

To: Hillarys Gate Cult

Thank you. He is making up for last night, lol, calling every hour for updates. Talked to my Sister-in-Law, now I only need to make 14 more calls and wait for my brother, the Sheriff, in Broward County to touch base.

651 posted on 10/24/2005 9:20:52 AM PDT by dixie sass

Cape Coral Update: My parents are in Cape Coral (next to Fort Myers, just south of Punta Gorda). I just heard from them, and they have mostly exterior damage. All of their trees are down, and parts of their fence. Their roof is fine, despite still not being repaired from Charlie.

The scariest part was that they thought there was a fire in the house. Billowing smoke was coming out of the bedroom, but it turned out that a house a block away was on fire, and the smoke came through. With a flashlight they were running around the house, inside and out, trying to find out where the fire was.

Everyone else in the neighborhood seems to have faired well. They are about 1 mile from the coast, and had no surge at all. Some minor street flooding from the rain. Power is out, but that is to be expected. It is starting to clear up now, and they said they are much more happy with the cooler weather this time, unlike having a week without power in 98 degree weather like with Charlie.

So if anyone has family/friends in the area, they seem to have done okay!

652 posted on 10/24/2005 9:21:52 AM PDT by uca99 (Land O Lakes, north of Tampa)

Wind gust 72 mph at 10ft elevation near the Sunshine Skyway Bridge.

76 mph gust at top of the Skyway Bridge.

Per Baynews9 reporter who spoke with highway patrol. No small wonder they closed the bridge.

653 posted on 10/24/2005 9:23:12 AM PDT by NautiNurse (So. Tampa Bay)

That cold front showed it who's boss, didn't it? Just sweeping it out to sea.

654 posted on 10/24/2005 9:23:31 AM PDT by kenth (There were only a few thousand hippies marching, but it smelled like half a million.)

Good news. Thanks for the update.

655 posted on 10/24/2005 9:24:23 AM PDT by NautiNurse (So. Tampa Bay)

Do you have additional info for this photo, e.g., are any of those buildings new construction?

656 posted on 10/24/2005 9:27:57 AM PDT by NautiNurse (So. Tampa Bay)

To: dawn53; sageb1

Good to hear. Although it doesn't take much to damage those trailer type homes. One is on a small lake/pond so I'm not sure about flooding.

We're getting some rain and occasional gust from Wilma up here in Va Beach.

657 posted on 10/24/2005 9:29:19 AM PDT by fjsva

http://nbc-2.com/

info Marco Island, Lee County, etc. - also a blog link here

658 posted on 10/24/2005 9:29:41 AM PDT by sageb1 (This is the Final Crusade. There are only 2 sides. Pick one.)

MSNBC's run it. Roker was out in the wind with a guy kneeling down and clinging to Roker's leg, helping Roker stay put. A particularly strong gust came up, blew the guy and Rker sideways, knocking Roker down. Both of them actually started to slide before Roker fell. Roker was fine, not hurt. But I think they went inside for a bit after that.

659 posted on 10/24/2005 9:32:40 AM PDT by mewzilla (Property must be secured or liberty cannot exist. John Adams)

Golfing definitely be out! Did you see the temps??? BRRR...

660 posted on 10/24/2005 9:36:06 AM PDT by al_again

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