Strengthened overnight into a high Cat 3 storm, Wilma has made landfall on the west coast of Southern Florida. Now it's streaking across the peninsula and will come out on the other side. Steve Gregory of the Weather Underground was predicting the center of the eye would pass over Jupiter Island, about 2 miles north of my brother's house on one of the inland waterways (read: canals). Hopefully he had an attack of good sense and drove down to my folks' place, which is about 10 miles south and constructed (by Mom and Dad themselves) old school style with a hip roof and concrete blocks on the only high ground in town. I haven't found much in the way of reports from Naples yet, and the Palm Beach Post is focusing on the east side news.
UPDATE: 8:15 am. Called my mom a few minutes ago, and confirmed that my brother is riding it out at his place. Think it's OK because his main danger is flooding, not wind, and with the fast movement and west to east movement over land, he should be fine. While I was talking to my mom the power went out. Looks like FPL's prediction has started.
Watch local streaming news coverage here on WPTV.
UPDATE II: Just talked to mom again at 11:30. All seems well with the family homesteads, but one neighbor's house across the street lost its roof completely, and another is heavily damaged. Someone else's storm shutters have come off the the house and are rattling on my folks' porch, and wrapping themselves around other people's cars (on the street). A carport has detached and is blowing around the street. No power. Howling and shrieking winds have been very bad, very sustained, though relatively brief as the storm is moving quickly. The eye has almost passed, and they are waiting for the backside, which local media tells them will be nearly as bad. My folks have ridden out every storm since 1953 in this house, and my mom says this one has been the worst for the sustained winds (others were higher speed, but more gusty). She sounds wiped, but the report is mostly good. It sounds like people have property damage, but their safety is not threatened.
Posted by binky at October 24, 2005 07:37 AM | TrackBack | Posted to Natural DisastersUPDATE: Mom and Dad are without power, and have to boil water (how, without power, eh?). They aren't miserable, and did not suffer the property damage of their neighbos (though they have a big mess to clean up of crap that has blown into their yard). Check the photo galleries at the Palm Beach Post including Recovery under way, Florida Damage, and User-submitted photos. Some of those are taken in my (old) neighborhood.
Posted by: binky at October 25, 2005 03:37 PM | PERMALINK
