In a year of hurricane superlatives, 2005 Hurricane Wilma stood out in anumber of aspects, among which was its devastating blow struck on SouthFlorida.Landfall on southwestern Florida happened on October 25 at Cape Romano as aCategory 3 storm packing 120-mb sustained winds.
Roaring towards the northeast, Wilma swept over the state within 4 to 5 hours.
Its top winds were still a destructive 110 mph as it barreled out to sea nearJupiter.
Deaths directly caused by Wilma in Florida number at least 26. And damage, interms of 2009 dollar terms, reached $32.6 billion, the third most costlyhurricane disaster.
Well before reaching Florida, Wilma had become the most intense Atlantichurricane ever measure with a minimum pressure down to 882 millibars, or 26.04inches.
And the measured rate of intensification (100-millibar pressure drop in 30hours) was unprecedented among Atlantic hurricanes.
Story by AccuWeather.com Senior Meteorologist Jim Andrews
