Hurricane Wilma floods S Florida
Calling it perhaps the largest Florida storm since 1927, officials were stunned as Wilma struck in the early morning darkness about 6:30 AM, a cat 3 storm.
At this post, less than 6 hours later, Wilma is speeding toward an exit into the Atlantic basin. The storm's eye is over open ocean now and the trail bands of gusting winds and rain still stretch from Naples on the Gulf Coast to Miami enveloping virtually the entire state.
Flooding is believed to be extensive and estimates of the destruction are expected to be record breaking as Wilma brought an estimated storm surge of between 12 and 18 feet over much of south central Florida.
Coursing over the Everglades Wilma met little resistance from the low lying land as she traveled roughly parallel west to east along Florida's famous Alligator Alley.
Unlike other land falls in the Yucatan Peninsula Florida's extremely flat topography is subject to flooding from storm surge as far as 50 miles inland. The average width of the state is less than 100 miles.
At this post, less than 6 hours later, Wilma is speeding toward an exit into the Atlantic basin. The storm's eye is over open ocean now and the trail bands of gusting winds and rain still stretch from Naples on the Gulf Coast to Miami enveloping virtually the entire state.
Flooding is believed to be extensive and estimates of the destruction are expected to be record breaking as Wilma brought an estimated storm surge of between 12 and 18 feet over much of south central Florida.
Coursing over the Everglades Wilma met little resistance from the low lying land as she traveled roughly parallel west to east along Florida's famous Alligator Alley.
Unlike other land falls in the Yucatan Peninsula Florida's extremely flat topography is subject to flooding from storm surge as far as 50 miles inland. The average width of the state is less than 100 miles.
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