S.W. Florida Anxiously Watching As Hurricane Wilma Approaches Cancun

Floridians living in the south tier of the state, in the Keys, on the southern west coast as far north as Tampa, and in Miami, are closely watching Hurricane Wilma slow its forward speed to 5 mph, and wind-speed drop to 145 miles an hour as it threatens Cozumel, Mexico.

Wilma’s slowdown meant that hundreds of thousands of Floridians anticipate at least another few days at home before their cities and towns initiate mandatory evacuation efforts. Residents of Key West, always the first to evacuate, breathed a sign of relief, but city officials are ready to announce the evacuation if Wilma turns in their direction.

The National Hurricane Center issued a bulletin at 11 a.m. EDT, saying Floridians had an extra day or two to prepare for Wilma’s arrival. Due to weather effects, such as fronts moving in the continental U.S. everyone seemed unsure of exactly where Wilma might make landfall.

Meteorologists sill predict that after Wilma crosses Cozumel, weather conditions should cause it to swing northeast and toward the southwest Florida coast early next week. After Wilma makes landfall in southwest Florida, the NHC predicts she will travel across the state and for the eighth time in two years, a hurricane will ravage South Florida.

Cuba evacuated nearly 370,000 people in the face of the storm, which has already killed at least 13 people in Haiti and Jamaica. The hurricane is expected to hit the tip of Mexico’s Yucatan Peninsula and sideswipe Cuba, 130 miles east of Cancun, then swing east and head toward hurricane-weary Florida.

The National Hurricane Center in Miami said before dawn Friday that the storm’s slow-moving, wobbly center was 55 miles southeast of Cozumel. The hurricane was moving toward the northwest at 6 mph, which was expected to bring the eye to shore by midday.

Forecasters said the storm could strengthen to a Category 5 hurricane before hitting land. Its slow progress delayed its expected arrival in Florida until early next week, but raised fears that it would have more time to dump rain and pummel Mexico’s low-lying Mayan Riviera. The hurricane was expected to churn over the Yucatan for most of the weekend.

The hurricane’s eye is so large it might take hours to pass over land, leading to fears that confused residents might leave shelters in the middle of the storm.

Topics Florida Catastrophe Natural Disasters Hurricane Mexico