Quote:
Originally Posted by Carl in Tampa
The official NOAA report on Wilma states that it struck Florida's west coast with maximum sustained winds of 105 knots (Cat 3.) After crossing the state, it emerged on the east coast with maximum sustained winds of 95 knots (Cat 2.)
The actual quote is: "Wilma strengthened over the southeastern Gulf of Mexico and its winds reached about 110 kt as it approached Florida. Maximum sustained winds were estimated to be near 105 kt (category 3 intensity) when landfall of the center occurred in southwestern Florida near Cape Romano around 1030 UTC 24 October. Continuing to accelerate and now moving at a forward speed of 20 to 25 kt, the hurricane crossed the southern
Florida peninsula in 4.5 hours, with the center emerging into the Atlantic just southeast of Jupiter around 1500 UTC. Maximum winds had decreased to near 95 kt (category 2) during the crossing of Florida."
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Carl.....I was going by radio reports while this was happening. It only lost 10 kts from coast to coast around the center, and that was estimated but you have to realize the forward speed of the storm has to be added to the wind speed on one side and subtracted on the other side that is moving away for a true wind speed. As this storm picked up forward speed so did the wind damage on the southern side of a counter-clockwise storm moving easterly.
This was always reminded to us during hurricane broadcasts by meteorologists.
You are right that storms lose intensity when the eye moves over land but this is a much narrower part of Florida where we live. Wilma was very large with feeder bands extending out over a lot of water after the eye came ashore.
Our best bet, if we had to have one, would be a strike from the south where the storm has to travel over much land. Our worst bet would be if it came in from the Gulf.