Wima Weakens: Winds Still 145 MPH

Hurricane force winds are already engulfing the Yucatan Peninsula. The storm is moving slowly at six miles an hour. And will continue to batter the peninsula for some time. People are evacuating on the west coast of Florida, and their are reports of gas stations running out of fuel. Early reports are that mandatory evacuations will be ordered tomorrow, in many areas of west Florida.

From the NOAA website:


WILMA IS MOVING TOWARD THE NORTH-NORTHWEST NEAR 6 MPH... 9 KM/HR. ONTHIS TRACK... THE CORE OF WILMA WILL BE VERY NEAR OR OVER COZUMELTHIS MORNING AND NEAR THE NORTH EASTERN COAST OF THE YUCATAN PENINSULA LATER TODAY. HOWEVER... WILMA HAS A LARGE CIRCULATION AND HURRICANE CONDITIONS ARE PROBABLY ALREADY BEING EXPERIENCED IN COZUMEL AND ALONG PORTIONS OF THE NORTH EASTERN COAST OF YUCATAN.CANCUN RADAR CONTINUES TO SHOW STRONG RAINBANDS OVER COZUMEL AND CANCUN.MAXIMUM SUSTAINED WINDS HAVE DECREASED SLIGHTLY AND ARE NEAR 145 MPH... 230 KM/HR... WITH HIGHER GUSTS. WILMA IS A CATEGORY FOUR HURRICANE ON THE SAFFIR-SIMPSON SCALE. SOME FLUCTUATIONS IN INTENSITY ARE POSSIBLE TODAY. HURRICANE FORCE WINDS EXTEND OUTWARD UP TO 85 MILES... 140 KM...FROM THE CENTER... AND TROPICAL STORM FORCE WINDS EXTEND OUTWARD UPTO 200 MILES... 325 KM. NOAA BUOY 42056 LOCATED ABOUT 75 MILES EAST OF THE CENTER RECENTLY REPORTED SUSTAINED WINDS OF 69 MPH WITH 35FOOT SEAS.

[Wilma]