This is the Hurricane Warning
archive of hurricane Wilma.
The best data available was used
to create this archive, in order to
make it as educational as possible.
Meteorological Analysis
Wilma originated from a different source than most storms. A lower tropospheric
circulation built over the Caribbean sea in Mid-October and a large area of
disturbed weather formed. This area of disturbed weather split up, with half of
it merely moving north and being absorbed into an extra-tropical system. The
other half became more concentrated near Jamaica, convection and vorticity
increased. Some tropical waves added energy to the disturbance as well. On
October 14th a tropical depression was declared, 190 nm ESE of Grand
Cayman Island. The steering currents around the new depression were weak.
They were mostly influenced by a ridge and anticyclone to the north, so the
depression generally moved west, although erratically. Environmental
conditions were very good in this pattern, and the depression became
tropical storm Wilma on the 17th. Wilma became a hurricane on the 18th as it
drifted more WNW. Then, the most amazing strengthening in Atlantic hurricane
history occurred starting on the 18th and into the 19th. Wilma's winds hit
185 mph, and the pressure dropped to 882 mb. This was an Atlantic record low
pressure. The eye at this time contracted to 2 nm, the smallest eye known in
Atlantic history. Recon described their eye penetrations as being like dive
bombing. All dropsondes failed sadly at this crucial moment, and there will
always be a data gap for this important moment in hurricane history. Wilma
stayed a Cat 5 until the 20th, when its eye expanded to 40 nm. On the 21st,
the ridges steering Wilma began to erode from the typical assault of fall cold
fronts, pulling Wilma north. Wilma made landfall in Cozumel on the 21st with
140 mph winds. It maintained this intensity as it hit the mainland of the Yucatan
a few hours later. Wilma moved over the Yucatan for 2 days, causing massive
devastation. Wilma entered the Gulf of Mexico on the 23rd with 100 mph winds.
Wilma was then booted to the northeast by a cold front towards Florida, and
shear increased. Wilma strengthened to a 125 mph Cat 3 over the gulf
before landfall nonetheless, probably due to the very warm waters. The eye
and eye wall structures also became much more pronounced. Wilma made
landfall in Florida on Cape Romano during the 24th. Wilma crossed Florida in
4 and a half hours, and brought wide spread devastation. Wilma restrengthened
to 125 mph once offshore of Florida, and devastated Grand Bahama. Wilma
raced rapidly to the north and east after that, dissipating on the 27th over Nova Scotia.
Casualty and Damage Overview
Wilma took 23 lives. 12 were in Haiti, 5 in Florida, 4 in Mexico, 1 in Jamaica, and 1 in the Bahamas. Damage was severe across the north eastern Yucatan. Widespread surge damage also occurred in Western Cuba. When Wilma's
large core passed over South Florida, the destruction was unprecedented.
98% of the region lost power, and over $20.6 billion in damage occurred,
making Wilma the third costliest hurricane in U.S. history. Wilma also caused
serious damage on Grand Bahama Island.
