We missed the storms of the year at home in Mexico and now face the hurricane of the century in a hotel room in Miami-- a snazzy hotel room, at least.
It doesn't seem fair. At home in Mexico the hurricane might be worse and it is our own house, but there is a generator, room for supplies, all the comforts of home until it does something terrible if it so decides. Hurricanes do that which they want and the meteorologists with their satellites and forecasts are better and better but still are only betting on the outcome.
Here at the Doral Resort the guests ( who are mostly conventioneers and business training groups and meetings) are fleeing quickly as the huge resort empties.
My wife wants to run after the storm passes the Yucatan by plane down to Cancun and home but I cannot accompany her since I can't fly. Any evacuation north on the Atlantic seaboard seems futile as Wilma may be fickle and just decide to follow. As a Floridian, I don't trust hurricanes but, at least, the Doral is inland, reasonably high and I checked to make sure there is a generator for this building. Survival is possible.
NOAA tracks and projections at NOAA's Wilma Projections are showing a track that could hit the Florida Keys and then, following a cold front, make a strong eastward turn through southern Florida perhaps from Naples through to Palm Beach. It has become a category 5 with 175 mph winds sustained. It should lose some of its power as it crosses the state to category 3 or 4 but will increase again as it hits the Atlantic coast. By Sunday the eye is projected to be well off the coast of Florida toward Nassau. Thus, it should come and go and the damage should be less than with a slow moving cyclone.
Article comments
1 - demabloggery
Businesses in the Naples area are beginning to close and residents who have learned to be prepared are buying up the staples. I must do the same tomorrow.
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Why are they buying staples? Shouldn't they buy, like food or something? (sorry...a little humor...I have relatives in Naples)
2 - RJ
As many of you already know, I work at a hotel in Central Florida. I cannot even try to estimate the vast number of calls we have received in the last 24 hours from terrified people looking for a place to go. Some were from The Keys, others from SW Florida, and still others from SE Florida.
We are already booked up, as is the entire area. This, despite the fact that the storm could very well change course slightly and hit our location with strong winds and heavy rains.
Panic has already set in. It will only get worse as Wilma draws closer to the Sunshine State...