Wilma top sustained winds below 85 mph in Dade, Broward

[Derek Ortt]

Wilma was larger than Katrina at final landfall, which is why Key West through Palm received hurricane conditions

[zlaxier]

Well, those Miami Beach high-rises, especially the older ones are in for a world of hurt then.

One positive note, Cancun and Miami Beach are very similar in the storm surge aspect. Max surge is only 10 feet even in Cat 5 because of the deep water off the coast.

And I didn't see any Cancun hotels that looked like the Mississippi coastline. There was window, water and some structural damage but they didn't crumble.

Even the Burger King Building in South Dade after 17 feet of surge. while gutted, i don't think the damage was that extreme structually. The concrete and steel support beams held the building together.

[WxGuy1]

And I didn't see any Cancun hotels that looked like the Mississippi coastline. There was window, water and some structural damage but they didn't crumble.

The vast majority of damage in LA and MS from Katrina was from the surge. There was some significant wind damage between Port Christian MS and Slidell LA (the area where the eyewall made direct impacts). For the most part, however, the decimated structure that were seen on the MS coastline was from the surge. This is the main reason why there was relatively light damage 5-10 miles inland from the coast in areas away from the eyewall.

Surge forecasts for the Wilma landfall in the Yucatan were much less than what was experience with Katrina largely because of the deep waters immediately off that part of the Yucatan.

[Derek Ortt]

The high rises on Biscayne Bay, though, are subject to a much higher surge. As Andrew shows, Biscayne Bay surges can reach up to 15-20 feet

[HurricaneBill]

Derek, in terms of sustained winds, what do you think Miami received in the 1926 hurricane?

[Opal storm]

Katrina had about 65 m.p.h. winds inland. The hurricane force winds were confined to the beaches and causeways

Precisely. As I said up thread, most people who experience a hurricane do NOT experience hurricane force winds(usually the winds are confined to the eyewall).

Depends on the size of the storm.For example with a small storm like Dennis everybody that was not in the eyewall only saw sustained T.S force winds.But with a big storm like Ivan,people well outside of the eyewall still experienced hurricane force winds.

[Brent]

Katrina had about 65 m.p.h. winds inland. The hurricane force winds were confined to the beaches and causeways

Precisely. As I said up thread, most people who experience a hurricane do NOT experience hurricane force winds(usually the winds are confined to the eyewall).

Depends on the size of the storm.For example with a small storm like Dennis everybody that was not in the eyewall only saw sustained T.S force winds.But with a big storm like Ivan,people well outside of the eyewall still experienced hurricane force winds.

Yep... Katrina was the biggest example of the hurricane force winds extending over a very large area, and also going well inland.

[T'Bonz]

I find it difficult to believe given the damage and what I went through that it was a one and not a two or borderline three, but I'm admittedly not an expert.

But I saw palm trees snapped clean in half and other stuff that seemed to be damage from higher wind speeds.

What really scared me is that I experienced shutter failure. Our locked shutters popped open. 3 in the front (where the storm was the worst) and then when the backside hit, 1 in the back of the house.

Nothing like having to go out in the storm to relock them. And I heard on the radio afterwards and also from my husband's coworker that this was NOT an isolated event, that it happened to quite a few.

How the hell am I supposed to feel safe when they pop open in a cat 1?

[thunderchief]

cat 1 winds can snap palm trees in half.

3s cause isolated complete structural failure, especially amongst mobile, mortar, or poorly maintained structures, and numerous roof failures as well.

[HurricaneBill]

cat 1 winds can snap palm trees in half.

3s cause isolated complete structural failure, especially amongst mobile, mortar, or poorly maintained structures, and numerous roof failures as well.

The northern-facing wall of the Radisson Hotel on Marco Island collapsed due to wind.

[Scorpion]

If your structure gets Cat 4 or 5 sustained winds(it is highly unlikely it will happen), shutters won't help you. I am now fearful of Cat 4's and 5's and will evacuate if they come. I can't believe the strength of Cat 1 winds, and it goes up exponentially.

[WxGuy1]

If your structure gets Cat 4 or 5 sustained winds(it is highly unlikely it will happen), shutters won't help you. I am now fearful of Cat 4's and 5's and will evacuate if they come. I can't believe the strength of Cat 1 winds, and it goes up exponentially.

Cat 5 winds will destroy most houses, and Cat 4 winds will lead to widespread roof removals and the collapse of many outer walls. I wouldn't want to be in a house during true Cat 4 or higher winds, that's for sure. The "power" of the wind is a square function of velocity, so 175mph winds (78 m/s) has about 2.4 times the energy of 115mph (~51m/s) winds (in other words, Cat 5 winds have more than twice the energy of Cat 3 winds, roughly).

[simplyme]

What surprises me is that the damage from Wilma seemed worse then Jeanne.... and Jeanne made landfall on the East coast as a Cat 3 (I think?) and Wilma a Cat 3 on the West coast. Why does there seem to be such a big difference in damage?

[Scorpion]

What surprises me is that the damage from Wilma seemed worse then Jeanne.... and Jeanne made landfall on the East coast as a Cat 3 (I think?) and Wilma a Cat 3 on the West coast. Why does there seem to be such a big difference in damage?

We were on the south side of Jeanne so we got basically nothing. Also Wilma was moving very fast.

[ericinmia]

What surprises me is that the damage from Wilma seemed worse then Jeanne.... and Jeanne made landfall on the East coast as a Cat 3 (I think?) and Wilma a Cat 3 on the West coast. Why does there seem to be such a big difference in damage?

I don't remember the specifics... but in Jeanne and Frances last year a VERY small area experienced high winds. Most places got <60mph sustained winds. So technically most places didn't get even cat1 winds.
-Eric

[Scorpion]

What surprises me is that the damage from Wilma seemed worse then Jeanne.... and Jeanne made landfall on the East coast as a Cat 3 (I think?) and Wilma a Cat 3 on the West coast. Why does there seem to be such a big difference in damage?

I don't remember the specifics... but in Jeanne and Frances last year a VERY small area experienced high winds. Most places got <60mph sustained winds. So technically most places didn't get even cat1 winds.
-Eric

Yes, I was rather surprised since I would think Frances would at least have a large area of hurricane winds with its size. IMO Frances was a very unimpressive storm and the reason so many people were shocked was that they never experienced hurricane force winds before even though they thought they had.

[WxGuy1]

What surprises me is that the damage from Wilma seemed worse then Jeanne.... and Jeanne made landfall on the East coast as a Cat 3 (I think?) and Wilma a Cat 3 on the West coast. Why does there seem to be such a big difference in damage?

From the NHC/TPC report on Jeanne ( http://www.nhc.noaa.gov/2004jeanne.shtml ):

Maximum winds at landfall are estimated at 105 kt over a very small area north of the center and it is not clear whether these strongest winds reached the coast or remained over water.

So, it sounds like few (if any) folks saw Cat 3 winds. Even if you were impacted by the eyewall, chances are you only saw Cat 2 winds. If you weren't in the eyewall -- you likely only saw Cat 1 winds. Look at Table 3 ( http://www.nhc.noaa.gov/2004jeanne.shtml?#TABLE3 )... It looks like the highest recorded ob (unofficial) was 80kts at the NWSFO Melbourne (borderline Cat 1/2). No doubt there were more solid Cat 2 winds around, but even the NHC/TPC seem to doubt Jeanne was Cat 3 at landfall, or that there were Cat 3 winds on land.

EDIT: Frances made landfall as a Cat 2 as well. Actually, reading the report, the highest recorded sustained wind observation in Florida was only about 70kts, or weak Cat 1. Gusts were up to 94kts.

[boca]

T'Bonz I have to agree with you I'm in West Boca and my wife's van on the corner of the bumper had tree bark embedded into the bumper.I tried to wipe it out thinking it was on the surface but I was pulling splinters out of her bumper.

[caribepr]

Gosh, y'all get so technical!!! I'm going with the FPL idea...

FPL Vice President Geisha Williams said the poles were built ''to the highest standard in the utility industry'' and she believes an unusual force felled the poles.


Unusual force...Area 51...One World Conspiracy Plot...it's so obvious!

[weatherwindow]

since i just got back up....local media has reported a credible gust to 120 at the pompano beach EOC and i could see that in line with 85 sustained, IMHO...........rich..........excuse me if this has been mentioned before