Category 3 Wilma, Strengthening, Moving Rapidly Toward Florida

11 PM EDT Update
Wilma is now a category 3 storm. Track has not changed.

Full track and archive here: SkeetobiteWeather.com

9:20 PM EDT Update
Recon is reporting 114 Knot winds at flight level, which equates to roughly 103 knots at the surface, or near 120MPH winds.

8:30 PM EDT Update
The latest recon report suggests 110 Knot winds in flight level, which would equate roughly to 115MPH winds at the surface. It looks like Wilma may become a Major Hurricane this evening once again.

8PM EDT Update
Wilma is strengthening. Up to 110MPH winds, it appears that the shear isn't as great, or rather the relative shear isn't as great as expected. It is likely that Wilma will make landfall as a Category 3 system.

The atmosphere this evening is very ripe for short lived Tornadoes and waterspouts spawned off of Wilma. In fact, several tornadoes have already been reported across the peninsula this evening.

Jim Williams from Hurricane City is doing his Hurricane Warning Show tonight you can listen/view his show Here.

The chat room link here is also open tonight.

Original Update
Hurricane Wilma is making its move toward Florida now racing 14mph northeastward to the Peninsula. The outer Squalls of Wilma are beginning to approach the Keys, and conditions there will deteriorate overnight.

Wilma is still forecast to make landfall near Naples as a high category 2 or low category 3 storm, Wilma has strengthened just a bit in the late afternoon, the windspeed is up to 105 MPH from 100. It has a chance to strengthen a little more before landfall.

For reference the threshhold for Category 3 is 115 MPH. It is expected to exit the state around Jupiter. However one should not focus too much on these points, as the error could be large either north or south. Anywhere in the hurricane warning area should be prepared.

As it is rocketing across Florida, it may begin transforming into an extratropical system, which will likely mean an expansive windfield around the system. Make sure loose items in the yard, etc are brought in if you are in the warning area (Tropical Storm) or have an inland wind warning out for your area.

For east central Florida, expect frequent showers and isolated thunderstorms on Sunday, with conditions rapidly deteriorating late Sunday evening.
Expect heavy squalls and winds near hurricane force from 9am Monday morning through 1pm Monday afternoon with three to five inches of rain likely between Sunday morning and Monday evening.

Listen to local media and officials for more details about your specific area and please use official sources for information as well. This is an unofficial site and although we make every effort to be correct and help, we do not have the resources and knowledge that the National Hurricane Center does. Always, If there is any doubt whatever, take their word over what you see here or any unofficial source.

A storm surge of nine to seventeen feet is possible on the west coast near the point of landfall, mostly on the south side because of the direction of approach, ie Everglades City and the 10,000 islands area.
Storm surge is also possible in lake Okeechobee up to 5 to 8 feet.

The potential for tornadoes exists throughout the warning areas.

More to come...

Alpha is now a tropical depression and moving north of the island of Hispaniola. Tropical storm watches/warnings for the southeastern Bahamas have been dropped.

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

Tropical Storm Alpha Discussion

Event Related Links

Long Run Animated Radar recording of Wilma's Florida Approach (Flhurricane mirror of NWS radars)

Stormcarib reports from Cozumel/Cancun (Includes Photos)
Stormcarib reports from the islands
Cancun Radar Animation (Flhurricane mirror) (Note: We have stopped recording this radar, but you still may view wilma's approach and departure of the Yucatan here)
West cuban Radar

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 in Naples, and has set up equpiment to record the storm in Marco island and in Everglades City 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
Various Wilma Satellite Imagery
Floater Satellite with storm track overlays
Floater IR Satellite with storm track/front overlays
Weather Underground Model Plots
cimss page

Tropical Storm Alpha

* NEW * Skeetobite Animated Model Graphic of TD#25
[url=http://flhurricane.com/modelanimator.php?25]South Florida Water Management District Animated model plot of
Various Alpha Satellite Imagery
TD#25[/url] - Static Image
cmss page

Edited by SkeetoBite (Sun Oct 23 2005 11:12 PM)

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