Wilma (2005)

Hurricane Wilma formed as a tropical depression on October 15, 2005, about 190 nautical miles east-southeast of Grand Cayman. It moved slowly over the northwestern Caribbean Sea, became a tropical storm on October 17 and a hurricane on October 18, then underwent an unprecedented explosive intensification on October 18–19. Wilma reached peak strength on October 19 and then tracked northwestward, striking the Yucatán Peninsula, crossing the southern Gulf of Mexico, and accelerating northeastward across southern Florida before becoming extratropical near Nova Scotia on October 26.

Wilma made several landfalls. The center crossed Cozumel, Mexico, about 2145 UTC on October 21 with estimated maximum winds near 130 kt (Category 4). It crossed the northeastern Yucatán coast near Puerto Morelos about 0330 UTC October 22 at roughly 115 kt. In the United States the storm made landfall near Cape Romano, Florida, around 1030 UTC on October 24 with estimated sustained winds near 105 kt (Category 3), then crossed the Florida peninsula and emerged into the Atlantic southeast of Jupiter later that day.

Wilma’s maximum sustained winds at peak were estimated at 160 kt (about 184 mph) around 1200 UTC October 19, with a best-estimate minimum central pressure of 882 mb — the lowest pressure on record for an Atlantic hurricane. At peak the storm was Category 5; it retained major-hurricane strength for a period before weakening during its passage over the Yucatán and then restrengthening somewhat over the Gulf.

Storm surge and rainfall were severe in several areas. Measured and estimated surge included 12 ft or more along southwestern Grand Bahama Island, likely 12–15 ft in parts of the northeastern Yucatán Peninsula, and observed surges of about 4–8 ft in coastal Collier County, Florida, with local higher surges (visually estimated near 9 ft) around Marathon in the Keys. Measured storm tide and surge reports across the Keys and southwest Florida produced considerable coastal flooding. Rainfall was extreme in the Yucatán—Isla Mujeres reported 62.05 inches in 24 hours—while Florida saw generally modest totals because Wilma moved quickly there, with many locations receiving about 3–7 inches (some places 1–2 inches).

Twenty-three deaths were directly attributed to Wilma: 12 in Haiti, 1 in Jamaica, 4 in Mexico, 5 in Florida, and 1 in the Bahamas. Damage was especially severe in the northeastern Yucatán Peninsula and southern Florida. In Florida widespread tree loss, roof and window damage, destroyed mobile homes, crop losses, and massive power outages occurred—media reported up to 98% of South Florida without power. U.S. insured losses were estimated initially at $10.3 billion, with total U.S. damage later estimated around $20–21 billion, making Wilma one of the costliest U.S. hurricanes.

Noteworthy aspects include Wilma’s record-setting rapid deepening and its all-time low Atlantic hurricane pressure (882 mb), along with an exceptionally small eye (about 2 nautical miles) observed at peak intensity. Forecast track errors through 72 hours were below the 1995–2004 average, and hurricane warnings for the Yucatán and Florida were issued well in advance (over 48 hours for parts of the Yucatán and about 31.5 hours before Florida landfall), but intensity forecasts substantially underpredicted the rapid intensification early in Wilma’s life.