Dear South Florida

[dhweather]

You guys are in for at least a category 2 hurricane, quite possible a
category 3 hurricane, with a large windfield. While Wilma weakened
significantly over the Yucatan, she still may very well surprise you
with a cat 4 storm surge.

There is time right now to evacuate and not risk your life. Take advantage of that opportunity while you can.

My cousin in Naples and her family are in Orlando, as I recommended
Friday.

Godspeed.

[Ziptar]

You guys are in for at least a category 2 hurricane, quite possible a
category 3 hurricane, with a large windfield. While Wilma weakened
significantly over the Yucatan, she still may very well surprise you
with a cat 4 storm surge.

There is time right now to evacuate and not risk your life. Take advantage of that opportunity while you can.

My cousin in Naples and her family are in Orlando, as I recommended
Friday.

Godspeed.

And you are basing your predictions on??

[dhweather]

Wilma is currently a category 2 hurricane, so that's a no brainer.

The seas surface temperatures in the southern GOM are warm,
which will support intensification. The NHC has not ruled out
intensification either, so it is quite possible that Wilma could
regain category 3 status before landfall.

The windfield has been measured to be very large - hurricane force
winds up to 80 miles from the center, tropial storm force winds
up to 200 miles from the center - thus a large windfield.

Wilma was a category five hurricane earlier this week. The things
that happen in the atmosphere happen in the ocean, just at a slower pace.
While the winds may be cat 2 right now, the seas most likely have not
subsided as much. I fully expect the seas to be one category higher
than the winds at landfall, as demonstrated by Katrina and Rita.

[Agua]

Well, one thing in SoFla's favor is I doubt very much of the Cat 5 seas churned up in the Carribean made it past Cuba into the Gulf.

[djtil]

recon begs to differ.

[rainydaze]

We will have to worry about tornados though.....