Tropical Storm Alpha Forms in the Eastern Caribbean. Hurricane Watches Up For Florida

5PM Update
Hurricane Watches are up from Longboat key southward on the west coast of Florida and from Titusville southward along the east coast of Florida. This means hurricane conditions may be felt in those areas within 36-48 hours. Warnings may be issued for portions of the watch area tomorrow as Wilma approaches. Wilma is nearly offshore of the Yucatan now.

Wilma is forecast to be a category 2 or 3 hurricane when it makes landfall on the western coast of Florida, and will be moving very rapidly, so that there won't be much time for it to weaken all that much before reaching the east coast. The timing is still during the day on Monday. The forecast track was shifted a bit to the north. But remains mostly the same as before. Affects will be felt thoughout the watch area.

Tropical Storm Watches are up for points north of the hurricane watch area.

Again,most of the Florida Peninsula will feel some effects from Wilma

Original Update
Tropical Storm Alpha has formed. Breaking the record number of tropcial storms in a season set this year and in 1933, and for the first time exhausting the list of names for the season. It is expected to make landfall over Hispaniola. The 5PM advisory will reflect this.

Wilma is still drifting slowly over the Yucatan, continuing to weaken. It still has not cleared the peninsula. It has a small chance to gain strength again when it gets into the Gulf, so the Category 1-3 range for landfall later remains the most likely. Wilma has been undergoing a large eyewall replacement cycle, so the new eye is actually partially over water. The remains of the old eye still fill the center.

No change on timing, and track.

More to come later in the day.

Tropical Storm Alpha Discussion
Report Conditions from Wilma in your area here
Make your landfall prediction or forecast in this topic.

(full size)
Image courtesy SkeetobiteWeather.com Click here for full size image
Comments/Feedback on the maps look here.

Event Related Links

Stormcarib reports from Cozumel/Cancun (Includes Photos)
Stormcarib reports from the islands
Cancun Radar Animation (Flhurricane mirror) (Note: Radar hasn't sent a new image since 7:30 it will still continue to check, but the radar may be down due to Wilma)

Florida Keys Long Range Radar Loop
Tampa, FL Long Range Radar Loop
Miami, FL Long Range Radar
Melbourne, FL Long Range Radar

Emergency Management/County info
Florida County Websites (South to North along the West Coast):
Monroe County Emergency Management (Florida Keys)
Collier County, FL
Lee County, FL
Charlotte County, FL
Sarasota County, FL
Manatee County, FL
Pinellas County, FL

Other Florida County Emergency Management Websites

State of Florida Division of Emergency Management/floridadisaster.org

Forecast Discussions for (Show All Locations):
Tampa,Miami, Key West, Melbourne

"Spaghetti" style model plots from Colorado State / Jonathan Vigh

Local Newspapers/Websites
Naples News
Florida Today (Brevard County)
Orlando Sentinel
Tampa Tribune
Miami Herald
Daytona Beach News Journal
News Press (Southwest Florida)

Web based Video and Audio
Many websites require realplayer for video and audio, you can get real player here or an alternative real media player here (Ie WinXp64)

Jim Williams, from Hurricane City and West Palm Beach, will likely be doing his live audio show as Wilma approaches on hurricanecity. Listen here He usually starts at 8PM eastern and runs until the 11PM advisory comes out.

Marc Sudduth over at hurricanetrack.com is heading toward South Florida see some of his live streaming video and audio here

Hurricanenow - Former CNN hurricane Reporter Jeff Flock reports from the storm with video updates and live streaming
Weathervine.com storm chasers/video/audio
radioNHCWX (not affiliated with the real NHC)
Barometer Bob

WebCams
Royal Resorts Webcams in Cancun
The Royal Sands Animated WebCam (Flhurricane Mirrored)

Reply and let us know of other links.

Wilma

* NEW * Skeetobite Animated Model Graphic
South Florida Water Management District Animated model plot of Wilma - Static Image
Wilma Microwave Imagery Animation
Floater Satellite with storm track overlays
Weather Underground Model Plots
cimss page

Tropical Storm Alpha

* NEW * Skeetobite Animated Model Graphic of TD#25
South Florida Water Management District Animated model plot of TD#25 - Static Image
cmss page

Post Extras

Flhurricane.com - Central Florida Hurricane Center - Tracking Storms since 1995Hurricanes Without the Hype! Since 1995

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