Hurricane Wilma
Profile
|
Event dates |
16 October – 26 October 2005 |
|
Affected areas |
Mexico, US, Cuba, Jamaica, Haiti |
|
Fatalities |
38 |
|
Insured loss |
USD 13 bn |
Event description
This year marks the first time since 1933 that 21 tropical storms were reported in one season. Forming southwest of Jamaica on 15 October 2005, Wilma became the 12th hurricane of the season and exhausted the list of 21 hurricane names used by the World Meteorological Society (click to view track).
Satellite image of Hurricane Wilma over the
Gulf (c) NASA
Moving slowly at 8 km/h (5 mph), Wilma initially tracked an erratic path. While still in the Atlantic basin, it very rapidly gained strength becoming a Category 5 hurricane, registering a central pressure of 882 hPa and wind speeds of 278 km/h (173 mph), making it the strongest hurricane ever recorded in the Atlantic.
As Wilma moved towards the Gulf of Mexico, it weakened slightly before making landfall on the Yucatan Peninsula on 21 October 2005 as a Category 4 hurricane. Still travelling slowly, it pounded the Cozumel and Cancún vacation resort areas for three days with heavy rainfall and maximum sustained winds of up to 241 km/h (150 mph). Wilma’s havoc resulted in damage to 90% of the hotels in Cancún. Power lines were down, trees uprooted and debris blocked streets. The main dock on Cozumel, which is a vital link to the mainland, sustained severe damaged.
Hurricane Wilma then headed directly towards Florida. Losing some of its power after the landfall in Mexico, Wilma again gained strength and brushed past Cuba as a Category 3 hurricane, flooding large parts of Havana.
Wilma’s speed increased substantially before it made second landfall on 24 October at Cape Romano, Florida as a Category 3 hurricane with maximum sustained winds of 201 km/h (125 mph). It then rapidly traversed Florida as a Category 2 hurricane with wind speeds of 161 km/h (100 mph).
Since it quickly passed over densely populated areas such as Fort Lauderdale, Palm Beach and Miami, the damage in its wake was less severe. However, because of the system’s large diameter with the outer bands extending 90 miles from the storm centre, it caused widespread damage and left 3.2 million homes and businesses without power.
Six hours after making landfall in Florida, Wilma entered the waters of the Atlantic Ocean and moved in a northeasterly direction before dissipating.
Insured loss
Hurricane Wilma is estimated to have caused insured claims of USD 6 bn - 12 bn.
Hurricane Wilma storm track
