[NautiNurse]

You know the drill. No graphics >50KB, yada, yada...

Best wishes to all Florida FReepers and family in the path of this storm.

[AntiGuv]

I wonder if it might make it to Cat 4 before landfall. A very close call!

[NautiNurse]

Major Hurricane Wilma, winds 125mph, making landfall shortly in Collier Co. Florida

[NautiNurse]

Major Hurricane Wilma, winds 125mph, making landfall shortly in Collier Co. Florida

[steveegg]

Glad to see you got this thread up without blowing up the computer.

[steveegg]

Current warnings -

Eyewall Wind Warning now in effect for southern Collier and mainland Monroe Counties until 6:15 am EDT.
Tornado Warning for southeastern Orange and northeastern Osceola Counties (including Holopaw) until 6 am EDT.

[Dallas59]

[HAL9000]

AP News Alert

MIAMI (AP) -- Forecasters at the National Hurricane Center say that Hurricane Wilma's outer eyewall has started hitting Florida near Marco Island.

[steveegg]

I was remiss in getting the 6 am position update out quickly; it looks like landfall will be before 7 am-

ZCZC MIATCEAT4 ALL
TTAA00 KNHC DDHHMM
HURRICANE WILMA TROPICAL CYCLONE POSITION ESTIMATE
NWS TPC/NATIONAL HURRICANE CENTER MIAMI FL
6 AM EDT MON OCT 24 2005

AT 6 AM EDT...1000Z... THE CENTER OF THE LARGE EYE OF HURRICANE
WILMA WAS LOCATED NEAR LATITUDE 25.8 NORTH...LONGITUDE 81.8 WEST OR
VERY NEAR THE SOUTHWEST FLORIDA COAST ABOUT 10 MILES SOUTH-
SOUTHWEST OF MARCO ISLAND AND ABOUT 25 MILES SOUTH OF NAPLES
FLORIDA.

THE CENTER WILL CROSS THE COAST WITHIN THE HOUR.

FORECASTER PASCH

[publiusF27]

Conditions in Punta Gorda, FL at 6:34 am are fair to partly hurricany, with raging gusts making sleep difficult.

[brytlea]

I'm not reading thru all the posts here, just wanted to check in. We amazingly still have power here in Delray for the moment (we usually lose it as soon as the hurricane comes within the boundries of the state!) So, I thought I would get on the computer while I could, update my blog and then come here and check out the Wilma thread.
It's really windy (maybe 50 mpg right now) but not extremely rainy (altho both the dogs decided it was a bad idea to go out and do their business--wimps!) And I know there's a hurricane because I have a vicious headache. Does anyone else get those?
Anyway, God bless everyone in the path, hopefully she won't be so bad. I guess at least we'll get to see what the eye looks like this time. Not sure if that's a good thing...
susie

[Buffettfan]

It's almost 8am here in Southeast Florida and the winds are really swirling wildly, some of my small trees and plants have been blown away and it is getting worse by the minute. The hurricane shutters are up so I expect minimal structural damage. Time to shut everything down until Hurricane Wilmer (kennedy pronunciation)leaves town.

PS I promise not to loot and steal other peoples' property.

[WasDougsLamb]

I was wondering, the news just said something about the everglades. Is it possible that alligators could be in the flood waters and be washed into neighborhoods? If so, that could be really dangerous for those who didn't evacuate.

[bvw]

Noticed on WeatherUnderground that two of the models have Alpha heading towards FLA. One has it striking the northenmost keys.

[DoctorMichael]

Thanks for the Thread!

[ex-Texan]

There is a new Wilma "Super Storm" Scenario Brewing . . .

Where Wilma passes over Florida, encounters the jet stream, then meets low pressure and high pressure zones near the coast ... and WHAMMO ! . . . the Mother of Storms drenches the Carolinas and regions Northward . . . Details Posted Here

[Jaded]

Stay safe Florida Freepers and families.

[Altair333]

Amazing season- never seen anything like this.

[clintonh8r]

East Ft. Lauderdale...we lost power about 2AM....severe tree damage here...no structural damage that we know of, but can't go outside yet...wondering when wind will begin to subside...

[vigilante2]

rain heavy in Cocoa..some streets have a foot of water

[al_again]

The good thing is that by 6 PM we should have great weather. This thing is moving quick - should allow for relief efforts to start by early afternoon.