Foo - Confirmed: Hurricane Wilma most intense on record

It's been confirmed: Hurricane Wilma, with a pressure of 882 mb, is the most intense hurricane on record in the Atlantic Basin. Wilma, after undergoing a stunning intensifcation overnight, is now a catastrophic Category 5 hurricane packing sustained winds of 175 mph. The eye of the violent storm is now following a wobbling WNW track through the western Caribbean with a turn toward the NW expected within the next 24 hours.

http://www.weather.com/newscenter/tropical/?from=wxcenter_news

When does it make landfall ?
The last 3 hurricanes now have all been cat 4 and cat5 when they struck and then drastically reduced strength prior to making landfall.

What I find interesting is that the hurricane winds extend only 15 miles from the center, and the eye is between 2 and 4 mile wide. From the Hurricane Center forcast discussion:
"THIS IS ALL IN ASSOCIATION WITH A VERY SMALL EYE THAT HAS BEEN OSCILLATING BETWEEN 2 AND 4 N MI DURING EYE PENETRATIONS."

National Hurricane Forecast Discussion (http://www.nhc.noaa.gov/text/refresh/MIATCDAT4+shtml/190851.shtml)

What I would find interesting is if you could explain in laymans term what that means and what would ersult from that.

So, KingTermite, what is your evacuation plan if Wilma decides to check out Busch Gardens?

If he starts cycling now, he oughtta be able to hit the florida stateline no?

This is a very small intense hurricane. The Hurricane Center predicts that Wilma will not be able to maintain this level of intensity. After it enters the Gulf of Mexico and starts moving to the northeast, they believe the prevailing winds ("Westerlies") and wind shear (winds blowing in different directions at different altitudes) will weaken Wilma before landfall.

NOAA has a entry website of all US weather info (http://www.nws.noaa.gov/) where you can click on your location and it will then open the local NOAA website. If you click on your location to get your local forecast, you should find a link to the weather discussion for your area in the lower right of the page. If you go to the Hurricane Center website, for each storm there is a discussion of the storm. Some of the terms are difficult to understand, but here is a glossary (http://www.srh.noaa.gov/oun/severewx/glossary.php) of some of the terms used. I find it interesting to read the analysis of the various computer models NOAA uses to predict the weather, and how the forecasters think and plan.

I'd find it interesing too, except If i talk to my dad I usually learn more from him, and find his predictions are closer to accurate then most of theirs. NOAA seems to be having problems with simple 2 day forecasts for almost every hurricane i've followed a bit. :p

Alright, I think I've just about had it. If Wilma hits the Tampa area or we have another crappy hurricane season next year then I might be ready to check out of Florida and head north. I lived here 36 years and this is too much!!

I'd find it interesing too, except If i talk to my dad I usually learn more from him, and find his predictions are closer to accurate then most of theirs. NOAA seems to be having problems with simple 2 day forecasts for almost every hurricane i've followed a bit. :p

so then.. what does the ole fart say?

We won't know anything until at least Friday. No sense panicing now.

We won't know anything until at least Friday. No sense panicing now.
Haha, Exactly. First they said it was going to hit the gulf coast and probably die down - now they say its going to miss it. I think I'm going to win the lottery tomorrow. tomorrow morning comes. I don't think I'm going to win the lotteyr.

Don't fret too hard, but still be prepared in case the time to panic/evacuate/cyanide pill/etc arrives.

We just need to plan the perfect bike ride if it comes through so that, planned correctly, we get a great tail wind both up and back. :D