Hurricane Wilma - Cat. 5

[Derek Ortt]

it is STILL forecast to hit Florida as a major hurricane

[DESTRUCTION5]

Off Topic:

Is it me or does Max Mayfiels sound exactly like Peyton Manning..Or Vice Versa...

[DESTRUCTION5]

it is STILL forecast to hit Florida as a major hurricane

Do you buy it Ortt?

[Josephine96]

A slower recurve? Hmm.. could that mean if she's gonna make a longer turn, she could make landfall further up the coast..?

Also.. Just out of curiosity.. If you look where the dot for Monday is.. Does that mean they think she's gonna exit the coast a little further north..?

My amateur eyes could be wrong, so please don't blast me..

[cycloneye]

it is STILL forecast to hit Florida as a major hurricane

Derek do you think that the sentence about the weakening before Florida before landfall should be at discussion? I ask because now people see that and will relax in Florida and that is my fear about lack of preparation there.

[Derek Ortt]

that sentence is the reason why I believe the discussions should be inter govt use only still

while it is true, a cat 3 is a lot weaker than a 5, the public will not interpret it in that manner. Besides, there has been no real change to the forecast intensity anyways

[storms in NC]

I don't think the eye will hit the Yucatan. it will stay off shore. This will not weaken her that much. And there is still warm edds in the GOM to the Fla west coast.

[skysummit]

that sentence is the reason why I believe the discussions should be inter govt use only still

while it is true, a cat 3 is a lot weaker than a 5, the public will not interpret it in that manner. Besides, there has been no real change to the forecast intensity anyways

Right...and they need to remember what Katrina did on the east coast as a Cat 1. Also, what Cindy did to New Orleans as a strong TS. Both these girls surprised their audience, and I believe Wilma will do the same.

[gtalum]

"Slower recurve" could also just mean she won't be moving as quickly as she recruves.

[storms in NC]

that sentence is the reason why I believe the discussions should be inter govt use only still

while it is true, a cat 3 is a lot weaker than a 5, the public will not interpret it in that manner. Besides, there has been no real change to the forecast intensity anyways

Right...and they need to remember what Katrina did on the east coast as a Cat 1. Also, what Cindy did to New Orleans as a strong TS. Both these girls surprised their audience, and I believe Wilma will do the same.

Katrian a cat 1? don't think so. must be a type O

[gtalum]

Katrian a cat 1? don't think so. must be a type O

She was a Cat 1 when she made landfall in SE Florida.

[edbri871]

Katrina hit southeast Fl as a Cat 1 storm, and caused a lot fo damage.

Wilma is definetely going much more north now. Lets see if this motion continues. I think the yucantan channel is looking like a good predicted path right now. It may barely miss the yucatan penisula.

[skysummit]

that sentence is the reason why I believe the discussions should be inter govt use only still

while it is true, a cat 3 is a lot weaker than a 5, the public will not interpret it in that manner. Besides, there has been no real change to the forecast intensity anyways

Right...and they need to remember what Katrina did on the east coast as a Cat 1. Also, what Cindy did to New Orleans as a strong TS. Both these girls surprised their audience, and I believe Wilma will do the same.

Katrian a cat 1? don't think so. must be a type O

Nope...no type O. Katrina hit the SE coast of Florida as a Cat 1.

[Chigger_Lopez]

"WILMA IS NOW EXPECTED TO
SPEND ENOUGH TIME IN OR NEAR THE YUCATAN TO RESULT IN A
SIGNIFICANTLY WEAKER STORM IN THE GULF WHEN IT APPROACHES FLORIDA."

If cited alone, this may seem to some like NHC is referring to a significantly weaker storm than what was originally forecasted at landfall approach. It is being taken out of context. It refers to the previous sentence where NHC said it could regain strength to a CAT 5. "SIGNIFICANTLY WEAKER THAN A CAT 5 AT LANDFALL", which would be a CAT 2-3.

[storms in NC]

Katrian a cat 1? don't think so. must be a type O

She was a Cat 1 when she made landfall in SE Florida.

You are right I am so sorry. I forgot even that I watched her go across to the south of Fla that night.

[Seele]

All in it's path, please remember this has turned into a large storm and effects will be seen well away from the center. While land interaction and conditions may weaken her the forecast is very uncertain right now. If I was in the path, I'd be making preps for a Cat 4 to be making landfall Saturday - Sunday.

[wxwatcher2]

Slightly off topic. I'm in florida and I am so tired of hurricanes.

Anyone else kind of like so be it just come on already Wilma and do whatever it is you're going to do.

Tracking storms is no longer fun for me. I'm actually over it.

I view them as interruptions to life rather than anything even slightly interesting anymore.

[mikemiller18]

So let me get this straight...

the shear is high enough that this will not reintensify to a 5 or so? How high was it for charley and katrina?

[mtm4319]

Looking at the satellite loop on CNN right now, I notice two things:

(1) The eye looks like it will clear out and start tightening in the next six hours (it's at 35 nautical miles right now, up from 5 miles at the 4am CDT advisory), and

(2) It needs to start going NNW to miss the Yucatan. I don't see that much of a NW turn yet -- slightly, but not enough right now to avoid a Yucatan hit. Adding both of these up means that Cozumel might be seeing a strong cat 4 or even a cat 5 by this time tomorrow.

[greels]

Good morning everyone...

I truly hope this is not off-topic, but I thought I would share with you what we have experienced here on our island as a result of what I believe were feeder bands off Wilma the night before last.(I could be very wrong, but please bear with me, I am a newbie here.....) I live on the island of Provo, 575 miles SE of Miami.

Our island has suffered much damage here as a result of the horrific storms we had the night before last.(combination of winds, lightning and heavy rains) ...roads flooded out, many trees down. Our power has just gone on again after being out since 8PM Tuesday......No one seems to have been prepared for what we experienced in terms of weather that night.

No other way to describe it, but a 'weather event' I will never forget(I went thru a few 'canes on the coast of NE as a child...).

My thoughts and prayers are with all of you.
Gretchen