Content deleted Content added
Wording |
|||
Line 1:
{{Short description|Category 5 Atlantic hurricane in 2005}}
{{
{{
{{Other hurricanes|List of storms named Wilma|the Atlantic hurricane of 2005}}
{{Pp|small=yes}}
{{Use American English|date=October 2024}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=October 2024}}
{{Infobox weather event
| image = Wilma 2005-10-19 1345Z.png
| caption = Wilma at its record peak intensity northeast of [[Honduras]] on October 19
| formed = October 15, 2005
| extratropical = October 26, 2005
| dissipated = October 27, 2005
}}{{Infobox weather event/NWS
| winds = 160
| pressure = 882
| pressure-suffix = <br/>([[List of Atlantic hurricane records#Most intense by minimum barometric pressure|Record low]] in the [[Atlantic hurricane|Atlantic basin]])
}}{{Infobox weather event/Effects
| year = 2005
| fatalities = 52 total
| damage = 26500000000
| areas = {{hlist|[[Jamaica]]|[[Puerto Rico]]|[[Cuba]]|[[Cayman Islands]]|Central America|Mexico (especially [[Quintana Roo]])|United States (especially [[Florida]])|[[Bahamas]]|[[Bermuda]]|[[Nova Scotia]]|[[Saint Pierre and Miquelon]]}}
| refs =
}}{{Infobox weather event/Footer
| season = [[2005 Atlantic hurricane season]]
| related = {{Hurricane Wilma related}}
}}
'''Hurricane Wilma''' was the most intense [[tropical cyclone]] in the [[Atlantic basin]] and the second-most intense tropical cyclone in the [[Western Hemisphere]], both based on [[barometric pressure]], after [[Hurricane Patricia]] in 2015. Wilma's rapid intensification led to a 24-hour pressure drop of {{convert|97|mbar|inHg|abbr=on|lk=on}}, setting a new basin record. At its peak, Hurricane Wilma's [[Eye (cyclone)|eye]] contracted to a record minimum diameter of {{cvt|2.3|mi|km}}. In the record-breaking [[2005 Atlantic hurricane season]], Wilma was the twenty-second storm, thirteenth hurricane, sixth major hurricane,{{#tag:ref|A major hurricane is a tropical cyclone that reaches at least Category 3 intensity on the [[Saffir–Simpson scale]].<ref name="Background">{{cite web |url=http://www.cpc.ncep.noaa.gov/products/outlooks/background_information.shtml |title=Background Information: The North Atlantic Hurricane Season |work=[[Climate Prediction Center]] |publisher=[[National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration]] |date=August 9, 2012 |access-date=May 2, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130503033808/https://www.cpc.ncep.noaa.gov/products/outlooks/background_information.shtml |archive-date=May 3, 2013}}</ref>|group="nb"}} fourth [[Category 5 hurricane]], and the second costliest in Mexican history.
Its origins came from a [[tropical depression]] that formed in the [[Caribbean Sea]] near [[Jamaica]] on October 15, headed westward, and intensified into a [[tropical storm]] two days later, which abruptly turned southward and was named Wilma. Continuing to strengthen, Wilma eventually became a hurricane on October 18. Shortly thereafter, [[explosive intensification]] occurred, and in only 24 hours, Wilma became a Category 5 hurricane with wind speeds of 185 mph (295 km/h). Wilma's intensity slowly leveled off after becoming a Category 5 hurricane, and winds had decreased to {{convert|150|mph|km/h|abbr=on}} before it reached the [[Yucatán Peninsula]] on October 20 and 21. After crossing the Yucatán, Wilma emerged into the [[Gulf of Mexico]] as a Category 2 hurricane. As it began accelerating to the northeast, gradual re-intensification occurred, and the hurricane was upgraded to Category 3 status on October 24. Shortly thereafter, Wilma made landfall in [[Cape Romano]], Florida, with winds of {{convert|120|mph|km/h|abbr=on}}. As Wilma was crossing Florida, it briefly weakened back to a Category 2 hurricane, but again re-intensified as it reached the Atlantic Ocean. The hurricane intensified into a Category 3 hurricane for the last time, before weakening while accelerating northeastward. By October 26, Wilma transitioned into an [[extratropical cyclone]] southeast of [[Nova Scotia]].
Early in Wilma's duration, flooding and landslides caused 12 deaths in [[Haiti]] and 1 death and about $93.5 million in damage in Jamaica.{{refn|All damage figures are in 2005 USD, unless otherwise noted|group="nb"}} The Yucatán Peninsula experienced intense winds, torrential precipitation, and high storm surge. Wilma damaged 28,980 homes and 473 schools. The hurricane caused $4.6 billion in damage and eight deaths in Mexico. In Cuba, the storm damaged crops, roads, railways, 7,149 homes, 364 schools, and 3 hospitals. A total of 446 dwellings were destroyed. Damage throughout Cuba reached about $704 million. In Florida, strong winds impacted much of the southern portions of the state, while storm surge led to coastal flooding, especially in [[Collier County, Florida|Collier]] and [[Monroe County, Florida|Monroe]] counties. The former, where the storm made landfall, suffered about $1.2 billion in damage, with 16,000 businesses and homes impacted to some degree. In the [[Miami metropolitan area]], [[Palm Beach County, Florida|Palm Beach County]] reported damage to nearly 59,000 businesses and homes, while 5,111 residences in [[Broward County, Florida|Broward County]] and at least 2,059 others in [[Miami-Dade County, Florida|Miami-Dade County]] became uninhabitable. Approximately $19 billion in damage and 30 deaths occurred in Florida. Within the Bahamas, Wilma caused one death and damaged or destroyed hundreds of homes, mostly on [[Grand Bahama]]. Overall, at least 52 deaths were reported and damage totaled to $26.5 billion, most of which occurred in the United States.
== Meteorological history ==
{{Main|Meteorological history of Hurricane Wilma}}
{{storm path|Wilma 2005 path.png|colors=new}}
In mid-October 2005, a large [[monsoon trough|monsoon-like]] system developed in the [[Caribbean Sea]]. A broad [[low pressure area]] formed on October 13 to the southeast of Jamaica, which slowly became more defined while acquiring additional deep [[Convection (meteorology)|convection]]. On October 15 at 18:00 [[Coordinated Universal Time|UTC]], the [[National Hurricane Center]] (NHC) classified the system as Tropical Depression Twenty-Four while located about {{convert|220|mi|km|abbr=on}} east-southeast of [[Grand Cayman]]. The depression drifted west-southwestward through a favorable environment, including warm [[sea surface temperatures]], due to a [[high-pressure area]] over the [[Gulf of Mexico]], a mid-tropospheric anticyclone to the east-northeast of the storm, and weak and poorly defined steering flow. The depression turned southwestward and strengthened into a tropical storm on October 17, whereupon the NHC [[tropical cyclone naming|designated]] it ''Wilma''. Initial intensification was slow, due to Wilma's large size and a flat [[pressure gradient]], although the associated convection gradually organized.<ref name="tcr">{{cite report |author1=Richard J. Pasch |author2=Eric S. Blake |author3=Hugh D. Cobb III |author4=David P. Roberts |url=http://www.nhc.noaa.gov/data/tcr/AL252005_Wilma.pdf |title=Tropical Cyclone Report: Hurricane Wilma |date=January 12, 2006 |publisher=[[National Hurricane Center]] |access-date=May 7, 2010 |___location=Miami, Florida |archive-date=March 4, 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160304000300/http://www.nhc.noaa.gov/data/tcr/AL252005_Wilma.pdf |url-status=live}}</ref>
On October 18, Wilma curved west-northwestward and intensified into a hurricane, and subsequently underwent [[rapid deepening|explosive deepening]] over the open waters of the Caribbean Sea. In a 30–hour period through October 19, Wilma's [[barometric pressure]] dropped from {{convert|982 to 882|mbar|inHg|lk=on}}; this made Wilma the [[List of the most intense tropical cyclones#North Atlantic Ocean|most intense Atlantic hurricane on record]], based on pressure. During the same intensification period, the winds increased to a peak intensity of 185 mph (295 km/h), making Wilma a Category 5 on the [[Saffir–Simpson scale]]. An [[eyewall replacement cycle]] caused Wilma to weaken below Category 5 status on October 20. The storm then drifted northwestward toward Mexico's [[Yucatán Peninsula]] as a result of an increase in [[Ridge (meteorology)|mid-level ridging]] to the northeast. Late on October 21, Wilma made landfall on the island of [[Cozumel]], [[Quintana Roo]], with sustained winds of {{convert|150|mph|km/h|abbr=on}}. About six hours later, 03:30 UTC the next day, Wilma made a second landfall on the Mexican mainland near [[Puerto Morelos]], but with winds reduced to 135 mph (215 km/h).<ref name="tcr"/>
{{Most intense hurricanes|align=right}}
The hurricane weakened over the Yucatán Peninsula to Category 2 intensity, but gradually re-strengthened once it reached the Gulf of Mexico, despite a significant increase in wind shear. Wilma re-intensified into a Category 3 hurricane early on October 24 as it accelerated to the northeast, steered by a powerful [[trough (meteorology)|trough]]. After passing northwest of the [[Florida Keys]], the hurricane struck southwestern Florida near [[Cape Romano]] around 10:30 UTC with winds of {{convert|120|mph|km/h|abbr=on}}. Wilma rapidly crossed the state and weakened to a Category 2 hurricane, emerging into the Atlantic Ocean near [[Jupiter, Florida|Jupiter]]. The cyclone briefly re-intensified to a Category 3 hurricane while passing north of the Bahamas later on October 24 while absorbing the smaller [[Tropical Storm Alpha (2005)|Tropical Storm Alpha]] to the east. The hurricane passed west of [[Bermuda]] on October 25. After cold air and wind shear penetrated the core of convection, Wilma transitioned into an [[extratropical cyclone]] on October 26 approximately {{convert|230|mi|km|abbr=on|round=5}} southeast of [[Halifax, Nova Scotia]], before it was absorbed by another extratropical storm a day later over [[Atlantic Canada]].<ref name="tcr"/>
=== Records ===
At 18:01 UTC on October 19, a [[dropsonde]] from a [[hurricane hunter]] measured a barometric pressure of {{convert|884|mbar|inHg|abbr=on}} in the [[eye (cyclone)|eye]] of Wilma, along with sustained winds of {{convert|23|mph|km/h|abbr=on}}; the wind value suggested that the central pressure was slightly lower, estimated at {{convert|882|mbar|inHg|abbr=on}}. This is the lowest central pressure on record for any Atlantic hurricane,<ref name="tcr"/> breaking the previous record of {{convert|888|mbar|inHg|abbr=on}} set by [[Hurricane Gilbert]] in 1988.<ref>{{cite news |title=Wilma Sets Barometric Pressure Record |work=Associated Press News |date=October 19, 2005 |access-date=April 14, 2020 |url=https://apnews.com/eb0e0dc5355f2cd99934f055718aeeb7 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210916002307/https://apnews.com/article/eb0e0dc5355f2cd99934f055718aeeb7 |archive-date=September 16, 2021}}</ref> Wilma's intensification rate broke all records in the basin, with a 24–hour pressure drop of {{convert|97|mbar|inHg|abbr=on}}; this also broke the record set by Gilbert. At the hurricane's peak intensity, the Hurricane Hunters estimated the eye of Wilma contracted to a record minimum diameter of {{convert|2.3|mi|km|abbr=on}}.<ref name="tcr"/>
While striking Mexico, it dropped torrential rainfall on the offshore [[Isla Mujeres]]. Over 24 hours, a [[rain gauge]] recorded {{convert|1633.98|mm|in|abbr=on|order=flip}} of precipitation, which set a record in Mexico for the nation's highest 24–hour rainfall total, as well as the highest 24–hour rainfall total in the western hemisphere.<ref name="wmo"/><ref>{{cite web |author=Randall Cerveny |author2=Valentina Davydova Belitskaya |author3=Pierre Bessemoulin |author4=Miguel Cortez |author5=Chris Landsea |author6=Thomas C. Peterson |title=A New Western Hemisphere 24-hour Rainfall Record |year=2007 |publisher=World Meteorological Organization |url=https://public-old.wmo.int/en/bulletin/new-western-hemisphere-24-hour-rainfall-record |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231218171917/https://public-old.wmo.int/en/bulletin/new-western-hemisphere-24-hour-rainfall-record |url-status=dead |archive-date=December 18, 2023 |access-date=April 14, 2020}}</ref>
When Tropical Storm Wilma formed on October 17,<ref name="tcr"/> it became the 21st named storm of 2005 season, which broke the record for most tropical cyclones in a single season, 20, set in [[1933 Atlantic hurricane season|1933]].<ref>{{cite journal |author=Philip Klotzbach |author2=Carl Schreck III |author3=Gilbert Compo |author4=Steven Bowen |author5=Ethan Gibney |author6=Eric Oliver |author7=Michael Bell |title=The Record-Breaking 1933 Atlantic Hurricane Season |date=March 1, 2021 |pages=E446–E463 |journal=[[Bulletin of the American Meteorological Society]] |volume=102 |issue=3 |publisher=American Meteorological Society |doi=10.1175/BAMS-D-19-0330.1 |bibcode=2021BAMS..102E.446K |s2cid=225148236 |doi-access=free}}</ref> An [[2005 Azores subtropical storm|additional unnamed subtropical storm]] was added to 2005's tally after the season was over,<ref>{{cite report |title=Tropical Cyclone Report: Unnamed Subtropical Storm |author1=Jack Beven |author2=Eric S. Blake |publisher=[[National Hurricane Center]] |___location=Miami, Florida |date=April 10, 2006 |url=https://www.nhc.noaa.gov/data/tcr/AL212005_Unnamed.pdf |access-date=July 10, 2023 |archive-date=April 28, 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170428082151/http://www.nhc.noaa.gov/data/tcr/AL212005_Unnamed.pdf |url-status=live}}</ref> making Wilma actually the 22nd storm of the season. With Wilma, an entire alphabetic 21-name list was fully used up for the first time, necessitating the naming of subsequent storms in that season by letters of the [[Greek alphabet]].<ref>{{cite web |title=Tropical Storm Alpha |date=October 23, 2005 |url=https://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/images/15751/tropical-storm-alpha |publisher=[[Goddard Space Flight Center]] |___location=Greenbelt, Maryland |access-date=July 10, 2023}}</ref> No season would again have 22 storms or make use of the Greek alphabet for storm names until [[2020 Atlantic hurricane season|2020]].<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/weather/2021/03/17/greek-names-hurricanes-ends/ |title=No more Greek names for Atlantic hurricanes, WMO decides |author=Andrew Freedman |date=March 17, 2021 |newspaper=[[The Washington Post]] |access-date=February 25, 2025}}</ref>
== Preparations ==
[[File:Huricane Wilma.ogg|right|thumb|Satellite video of Wilma's lifespan]]
The various governments of the nations threatened by Wilma issued many [[tropical cyclone warnings and watches]]. At 09:00 UTC on October 16, a hurricane watch and tropical storm warning were posted for the [[Cayman Islands]]; these were dropped three days later. A tropical storm warning was issued in [[Honduras]] from the border with [[Nicaragua]] westward to Cabo Camaron at 15:00 UTC on October 17. In [[Belize]], another tropical storm warning became in effect at 15:00 UTC on October 19 from the border with Mexico to [[Belize City]]. On October 21, the tropical storm warning in Honduras was discontinued at 03:00 UTC, while the other in Belize was canceled twelve hours later.<ref name="tcr"/>
The Mexican government issued hurricane warnings from [[Chetumal]] near Belize to [[San Felipe, Yucatán]]; a tropical storm warning was extended westward to [[Celestún]].<ref name="tcr"/> Officials declared a [[state of emergency]] in 23 municipalities across the Yucatán,<ref name="ifrc1021">{{cite report |title=Caribbean, Central America, and Mexico: Hurricane Wilma – Information Bulletin n° 3 |work=International Federation of Red Cross And Red Crescent Societies |at=ReliefWeb |date=October 21, 2005 |access-date=March 12, 2020 |url=https://reliefweb.int/report/belize/caribbean-central-america-and-mexico-hurricane-wilma-information-bulletin-n-3 |archive-date=August 1, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200801203606/https://reliefweb.int/report/belize/caribbean-central-america-and-mexico-hurricane-wilma-information-bulletin-n-3 |url-status=live}}</ref> and placed Quintana Roo and Yucatán under a [[Tropical cyclone warnings and watches#Western hemisphere|red alert]], the highest on its color-coded alert system.<ref name="gub1021">{{cite report |work=Government of Mexico |title=Mexico: El Presidente Vicente Fox estará en contacto permanente para ser informado de la evolución del huracán, Rubén Aguilar, vocero de Presidencia |language=es |date=October 21, 2005 |at=ReliefWeb |access-date=March 18, 2020 |url=https://reliefweb.int/report/mexico/mexico-el-presidente-vicente-fox-estar%C3%A1-en-contacto-permanente-para-ser-informado-de |archive-date=August 1, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200801215702/https://reliefweb.int/report/mexico/mexico-el-presidente-vicente-fox-estar%C3%A1-en-contacto-permanente-para-ser-informado-de |url-status=live}}</ref> About 75,000 people evacuated in northeastern Mexico, including about 45,000 people who rode out the storm in 200 emergency shelters, many of them tourists.<ref name="ocha5">{{cite report |work=United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs |at=ReliefWeb |access-date=March 12, 2020 |date=October 24, 2005 |title=The Caribbean: Hurricane Wilma OCHA Situation Report No. 5 |url=https://reliefweb.int/report/cuba/caribbean-hurricane-wilma-ocha-situation-report-no-5 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131110074308/http://reliefweb.int/report/cuba/caribbean-hurricane-wilma-ocha-situation-report-no-5 |archive-date=November 10, 2013 |url-status=live}}</ref> Schools were canceled in Quintana Roo, Yucatán, and Campeche, up to 15 days in some areas.<ref name="univer">{{cite report |page=36 |title=Evaluación de Daños en la Infraestructura de Quintana Roo y Yucatún Causados por el Huracán Wilma |language=es |author=Orlando de Jesús Alva Gonzákes |publisher=National Autonomous University of Mexico |access-date=March 18, 2020 |year=2015 |url=http://www.ptolomeo.unam.mx:8080/xmlui/bitstream/handle/132.248.52.100/9614/Tesis.pdf?sequence=1 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220201032540/http://www.ptolomeo.unam.mx:8080/xmlui/bitstream/handle/132.248.52.100/9614/Tesis.pdf?sequence=1 |archive-date=February 1, 2022}}</ref> [[Los Premios MTV Latinoamérica]] – the MTV Video Music Awards Latinoamérica – were canceled due to the hurricane, originally scheduled to occur in [[Playa del Carmen]] on October 20.<ref>{{cite news |title=Cancelación definitiva de los Premios MTV Latinoamérica |date=November 16, 2005 |language=es |newspaper=La Nacion |access-date=March 18, 2020 |url=https://www.lanacion.com.ar/espectaculos/cancelacion-definitiva-de-los-premios-mtv-latinoamerica-nid756808 |___location=Vicente López, Buenos Aires Province |archive-date=August 8, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200808080628/https://www.lanacion.com.ar/espectaculos/cancelacion-definitiva-de-los-premios-mtv-latinoamerica-nid756808/ |url-status=live}}</ref>
[[File:Wilma11am.gif|thumb|left|Wilma's projected path]]
The Cuban government issued several watches and warnings in relation to Wilma. By October 22, a hurricane warning was in place for the city of [[Havana]], as well as the provinces of [[La Habana Province|La Habana]] and [[Pinar del Río Province|Pinar del Río]]. A tropical storm warning was also issued for [[Isla de la Juventud]], and a hurricane watch was issued for [[Matanzas Province]].<ref name="tcr"/> The Cuban government mobilized 93,154 workers to help evacuate 760,168 people across the island's western provinces. The evacuees generally stayed with family, friends, or in storm shelters.<ref name="goc"/> Officials closed all schools nationwide during the passage of Wilma and later Tropical Storm Alpha. During Wilma's passage, 41 hotels closed, of which five remained closed for two weeks after the storm. Many businesses, banks, and government institutions were closed for several days due to the storm. Along the coast, 554 boats were moved to protect them during the storm. Farmers moved 246,631 livestock, more than half of them cattle, to avoid the expected high waters. Passenger travel was halted for all trains nationwide, as well as ferry service between [[Batabanó, Cuba|Batabanó]] and [[Isla de la Juventud]]. Poor weather conditions forced three airports to briefly close – [[José Martí International Airport]] in Havana, [[Juan Gualberto Gómez Airport|Juan Gualberto Gómez]] in [[Varadero]] and [[Jardines del Rey Airport|Jardines del Rey]] in [[Cayo Coco]].<ref name="goc">{{cite report |author=Susana Lee |title=Cuba: Estimado en 704 millones 200 mil dólares el costo de los daños ocasionados por el huracán Wilma |work=Government of Cuba |date=November 28, 2005 |language=es |url=https://reliefweb.int/report/cuba/cuba-estimado-en-704-millones-200-mil-d%C3%B3lares-el-costo-de-los-da%C3%B1os-ocasionados-por-el |via=ReliefWeb |access-date=April 26, 2022 |archive-date=September 16, 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210916002354/https://reliefweb.int/report/cuba/cuba-estimado-en-704-millones-200-mil-d%C3%B3lares-el-costo-de-los-da%C3%B1os-ocasionados-por-el |url-status=live}}</ref><ref name="bbc-1">{{cite news |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/americas/4352192.stm |title=Hurricane Wilma grows in strength |date=October 19, 2005 |work=BBC News |access-date=May 7, 2010 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100127013324/http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/americas/4352192.stm |archive-date=January 27, 2010 |url-status=live}}</ref>
The NHC issued tropical cyclone warnings and watches across much of southern Florida, with a hurricane warning ultimately covering all of South Florida from [[Longboat Key]] on the west coast to [[Titusville, Florida|Titusville]], including [[Lake Okeechobee]] and the [[Florida Keys]]. A tropical storm watch extended northward on the west coast to [[Steinhatchee River]]. On Florida's east coast, a tropical storm warning stretched northward from Titusville to [[St. Augustine, Florida|St. Augustine]], with a tropical storm watch extending north to [[Fernandina Beach]].<ref name="tcr"/> Florida governor [[Jeb Bush]] declared a [[state of emergency]] on October 19, allowing the deployment of the [[Florida National Guard]] and strategic placement of emergency supplies.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://archive.defense.gov/news/newsarticle.aspx?id=17985 |title=Hurricane Wilma Makes Landfall in Florida |date=October 24, 2005 |work=United States Department of Defense |author=Capt. Steve Alvarez |agency=American Forces Press Service |access-date=April 21, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200809091915/https://archive.defense.gov/news/newsarticle.aspx?id=17985 |archive-date=August 9, 2020}}</ref> A mandatory evacuation of residents was ordered for the [[Florida Keys]] in [[Monroe County, Florida|Monroe County]] and those in Collier County living west or south of [[U.S. Route 41 in Florida|U.S. Route 41]].<ref name="collier-evac">{{cite news |url=http://nbc-2.com/articles/readarticle.asp?articleid=4656 |publisher=[[WBBH-TV]] |title=Collier issues mandatory evacuation |date=October 21, 2005 |access-date=April 26, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20060112015544/http://nbc-2.com/articles/readarticle.asp?articleid=4656 |archive-date=January 12, 2006 |___location=Fort Myers, Florida}}</ref> County offices, schools and courts were closed October 24. At least 400 Florida Keys evacuated stayed at the Monroe County shelter at [[Florida International University]] in [[Miami-Dade County, Florida|Miami-Dade County]].<ref name="monroecounty">{{cite web |url=http://www.monroecounty-fl.gov/Pages/MonroeCoFL_EmerNews/S00706BB6-00706BBC |title=Only a Few Hours Remains for Keys Evacuation |date=October 23, 2005 |publisher=Government of Monroe County, Florida |access-date=April 26, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20051024021724/http://www.monroecounty-fl.gov/Pages/MonroeCoFL_EmerNews/ |archive-date=October 24, 2005}}</ref> As far north as [[Flagler County, Florida|Flagler County]], many schools and universities closed for at least one day in anticipation of the storm, including in [[Southwest Florida]] and the [[Miami metropolitan area|Miami]], [[Greater Orlando|Orlando]], and [[Tampa Bay area|Tampa]] metropolitan areas.<ref name="collier">{{cite web |url=http://collier.k12.fl.us/news/releases/101905c.pdf |title=Hurricane Wilma News Release #1 – October 19th (as of 3:00 p.m.) |publisher=Collier County Public Schools |date=October 19, 2005 |access-date=November 23, 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110725074303/http://collier.k12.fl.us/news/releases/101905c.pdf |archive-date=July 25, 2011 |url-status=dead}}</ref><ref name="schoolclosed">{{cite news |url=http://www.wesh.com/news/5155099/detail.html |title=Threat Of Wilma Closes Schools Today |date=October 24, 2005 |publisher=[[WESH]] |access-date=October 10, 2011 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20060109103001/http://www.wesh.com/news/5155099/detail.html |archive-date=January 9, 2006 |___location=Daytona Beach, Florida}}</ref><ref>{{cite report |url=http://www.floridadisaster.org/eoc/eoc_Activations/Wilma05/Reports/Sitrep_Wilma_102405_12.pdf |title=Situation Report No. 12 – Hurricane Wilma |date=October 24, 2005 |publisher=Florida State Emergency Response Team |pages=3–4 |access-date=September 30, 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20051028000657/http://www.floridadisaster.org/eoc/eoc_Activations/Wilma05/Reports/Sitrep_Wilma_102405_12.pdf |archive-date=October 28, 2005}}</ref> Schools in [[Broward County, Florida|Broward]] and [[Palm Beach County, Florida|Palm Beach]] counties remained closed for two weeks because of extended power outages and some damage to school buildings.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.foxnews.com/story/florida-schools-shut-by-wilma-reopen |title=Florida Schools Shut by Wilma Reopen |agency=Associated Press |date=November 7, 2005 |publisher=Fox News |access-date=April 26, 2022 |archive-date=April 26, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220426191835/https://www.foxnews.com/story/florida-schools-shut-by-wilma-reopen |url-status=live}}</ref>
[[File:Wilma05FLLandfallRadar.png|thumb|right|Radar image of Hurricane Wilma making landfall in [[South Florida]]]]
Wilma's passage through Florida disrupted many festivals and sporting matches. Key West postponed [[Fantasy Fest]], often held annually around Halloween, until December, resulting in only about one-third of the usual attendance figures and a loss of millions of dollars in revenue for hotels, restaurants, and stores.<ref name="kasper"/> The [[NFL]] moved the [[Kansas City Chiefs]] vs. [[Miami Dolphins]] game at [[Dolphins Stadium]] from October 23 to October 21,<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.espn.com/nfl/news/story?id=2198438 |title=Wilma causes Chiefs-Dolphins to reschedule for Friday |agency=Associated Press |date=October 20, 2005 |publisher=[[ESPN]] |access-date=April 26, 2022 |archive-date=December 28, 2005 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20051228030748/https://sports.espn.go.com/nfl/news/story?id=2198438 |url-status=live}}</ref> while the [[NHL]] postponed the [[Florida Panthers]] vs. [[Ottawa Senators]] match at the [[BankAtlantic Center]] from October 22 to December 5. The [[NCAA]] rescheduled three college football games originally set to occur on October 22, with the [[Georgia Tech]] vs. [[University of Miami|Miami]] match moved to November 19, the [[University of West Virginia|West Virginia]] vs. [[University of South Florida|South Florida]] game moved to December 3, and the [[University of Central Florida|Central Florida]] vs. [[Tulane]] game played on October 21, one day earlier.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.espn.com/espn/news/story?id=2198084 |title=Wilma postpones Georgia Tech-Miami, others |agency=Associated Press |date=October 19, 2005 |publisher=ESPN |access-date=April 21, 2020 |archive-date=August 18, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200818011035/https://www.espn.com/espn/news/story?id=2198084 |url-status=live}}</ref>
The government of The Bahamas issued a [[tropical cyclone warnings and watches|hurricane warning]] for the northwestern Bahamas at 12:00 UTC on October 23, about 24 hours before Wilma made its closest approach to the archipelago.<ref name="tcr"/> Officials ordered evacuations for the eastern and western portion of Grand Bahama island, with an estimated 300–1,000 people who ultimately evacuated to emergency shelters.<ref name="bvg">{{Cite web |date=December 14, 2005 |title=Hurricane Wilma Ravages Grand Bahama |url=http://bahamasvacationguide.com/wilma/index.html |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070202133723/http://bahamasvacationguide.com/wilma/index.html |archive-date=February 2, 2007 |access-date=February 20, 2007 |website=Bahamas Vacation Guide}}</ref><ref name="ifrc1">{{cite web |work=International Federation of Red Cross And Red Crescent Societies |date=October 25, 2005 |title=Caribbean: Hurricane Wilma Emergency Appeal No. 05EA024 |publisher=ReliefWeb |access-date=February 18, 2007 |url=http://www.reliefweb.int/rw/RWB.NSF/db900SID/KKEE-6HJLKT?OpenDocument&rc=2&cc=bhs |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070927191827/http://www.reliefweb.int/rw/RWB.NSF/db900SID/KKEE-6HJLKT?OpenDocument&rc=2&cc=bhs |archive-date=September 27, 2007 |url-status=live}}</ref> The hurricane halted production of [[Disney]]'s ''[[Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man's Chest]]'', forcing the cast and crew to evacuate.<ref>{{cite news |author=Ben Fritz |newspaper=[[Variety (magazine)|Variety]] |title=Pirates' treasure |date=July 9, 2006 |access-date=April 15, 2020 |url=https://variety.com/2006/scene/markets-festivals/pirates-treasure-1200340367/ |archive-date=August 1, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200801195018/https://variety.com/2006/scene/markets-festivals/pirates-treasure-1200340367/ |url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |title=Pirates of the Caribbean curse: Film franchise has disastrous history with fire, animals and Mother Nature |author=Patrick Williams |date=May 17, 2015 |publisher=[[Australian Broadcasting Corporation]] |access-date=April 15, 2020 |url=https://www.abc.net.au/news/2015-05-15/curse-of-the-pirates-of-the-caribbean-film-series/6472610 |archive-date=August 18, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200818061725/https://www.abc.net.au/news/2015-05-15/curse-of-the-pirates-of-the-caribbean-film-series/6472610 |url-status=live}}</ref>
The Bermuda Weather Service issued a [[gale warning]] for the island early on October 24, due to uncertainty whether Wilma would be tropical or not. After consulting with the NHC, the agency maintained the gale warning rather than changing it to a tropical storm warning to reduce confusion.<ref name="wmo"/>
== Impact ==
{| class="wikitable sortable" style="float:right"
|+Impact
|-
! Region !! Deaths !! Damage (USD)
|-
| The Bahamas || 1 || {{ntsp|100000000||$}}
|-
| Cuba || 0 || {{ntsp|704200000||$}}
|-
| Haiti || 12 || {{ntsp|500000||$}}
|-
| Jamaica || 1 || {{ntsp|93500000||$}}
|-
| Mexico || 8 || {{ntsp|4600000000||$}}
|-
| United States || 30 || {{ntsp|21007000000||$}}
|- class="sortbottom"
! Total || 52 || {{ntsp|{{#expr:100000000+704200000+500000+93500000+4600000000+21007000000}}||$}}
|}
=== Caribbean ===
==== Greater Antilles ====
For several days in its formative stages, Wilma's outer rainbands dropped heavy rainfall in [[Haiti]] and as far east as the [[Dominican Republic]]. The rains triggered river flooding and [[landslide]]s in Haiti, killing 12 people, and forcing 300 residents into shelters. The storm cut communications between [[Les Cayes]] and [[Tiburon, Sud|Tiburon]].<ref name="tcr"/><ref>{{cite report |title=Haiti Weather Hazards Assessment: October 20 - 26, 2005 |publisher=Famine Early Warning System Network |via=ReliefWeb |access-date=April 14, 2020 |date=October 20, 2005 |url=https://reliefweb.int/report/haiti/haiti-weather-hazards-assessment-october-20-26-2005 |archive-date=August 1, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200801173952/https://reliefweb.int/report/haiti/haiti-weather-hazards-assessment-october-20-26-2005 |url-status=live}}</ref><ref name="ifrch">{{cite report |title=Haiti: Floods - Information Bulletin n° 1 |publisher=International Federation of Red Cross And Red Crescent Societies |via=ReliefWeb |access-date=April 14, 2020 |date=October 31, 2005 |url=https://reliefweb.int/report/haiti/haiti-floods-information-bulletin-n-1-0 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200215040800/https://reliefweb.int/report/haiti/haiti-floods-information-bulletin-n-1-0 |archive-date=February 15, 2020 |url-status=live}}</ref> Less than a week after Wilma formed, [[Tropical Storm Alpha (2005)|Tropical Storm Alpha]] struck [[Hispaniola]] and caused additional deadly floods in Haiti.<ref>{{cite report |author=Lixion A. Avila |page=1 |title=Tropical Cyclone Report: Tropical Storm Alpha |date=January 4, 2006 |publisher=[[National Hurricane Center]] |access-date=January 25, 2008 |___location=Miami, Florida |url=http://www.nhc.noaa.gov/data/tcr/AL262005_Alpha.pdf |archive-date=October 2, 2015 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151002011833/http://www.nhc.noaa.gov/data/tcr/AL262005_Alpha.pdf |url-status=live}}</ref> Damage in the country totaled around $500,000.<ref name="emdat">{{cite web |author=Université Catholique de Louvain |year=2007 |title=EM-DAT: The OFDA/CRED International Disaster Database for the Caribbean |access-date=September 7, 2007 |url=http://www.em-dat.net/ |url-status=usurped |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070621052601/http://www.em-dat.net/ |archive-date=June 21, 2007}}</ref>
Wilma caused one death in Jamaica as a tropical depression on October 16. It pounded the island for three days ending on October 18, flooding several low-lying communities and triggering mudslides that blocked roads and damaged several homes. Almost 250 people were in emergency shelters on the island.<ref name="ndtv-1">{{cite news |url=http://www.ndtv.com/morenews/showmorestory.asp?slug=Wilma%2Bnears%2BCayman%2BIslands&id=8020 |date=October 19, 2005 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070311103943/http://www.ndtv.com/morenews/showmorestory.asp?slug=Wilma%2Bnears%2BCayman%2BIslands&id=80204 |archive-date=March 11, 2007 |publisher=[[NDTV]] |title=Wilma nears Cayman Islands |access-date=August 11, 2024 |___location=New Delhi, India}}</ref> Damage on the island totaled $93.5 million.<ref>{{cite web |author=Norman Harris |year=2006 |publisher=World Meteorological Organization |access-date=November 16, 2008 |url=http://www.wmo.ch/pages/prog/amp/pwsp/documents/Jamaica_Nowcasting.pdf |title=The Use of Nowcasting Technology for Natural Hazard Mitigation: The Jamaican Experience |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090225212603/http://www.wmo.ch/pages/prog/amp/pwsp/documents/Jamaica_Nowcasting.pdf |archive-date=February 25, 2009 |url-status=live}}</ref>
While Wilma was moving northeast in the Gulf of Mexico, the hurricane produced high tides and gusty winds across western Cuba. The highest recorded gust was {{convert|84|mph|km/h|abbr=on}} at [[Casablanca, Havana|Casablanca]] near Havana.<ref name="tcr"/> For several days, the storm spread rainfall across 11 of [[Provinces of Cuba|Cuba's 14 provinces]],<ref name="ocha8">{{cite report |title=The Caribbean: Hurricane Wilma OCHA Situation Report No. 8 |publisher=United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs |date=October 28, 2005 |at=ReliefWeb |access-date=April 19, 2020 |url=https://reliefweb.int/report/cuba/caribbean-hurricane-wilma-ocha-situation-report-no-8 |archive-date=August 1, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200801192534/https://reliefweb.int/report/cuba/caribbean-hurricane-wilma-ocha-situation-report-no-8 |url-status=live}}</ref> with a peak rainfall of {{convert|223|mm|in|abbr=on|order=flip}} in Pinar del Río province. The Cuban government tabulated the hurricane's economic cost at US$704.2 million, which included the expenses for preparations and lost production from factories. Nationwide, Wilma destroyed 446 houses and damaged another 7,149 to varying degrees, mostly damaging roofs.<ref name="goc"/> Due to high floodwaters, nearly 250 people required rescue from their homes in Havana, using inflatable [[raft]]s and [[amphibious vehicle]]s to reach the most severely flooded areas.<ref>{{cite news |title=Wilma barrels across Florida |newspaper=The Denver Post |date=October 24, 2005 |agency=Associated Press |access-date=April 19, 2020 |url=https://www.denverpost.com/2005/10/24/wilma-barrels-across-florida/ |archive-date=August 1, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200801173917/https://www.denverpost.com/2005/10/24/wilma-barrels-across-florida/ |url-status=live}}</ref> The hurricane wrecked {{convert|167|ha|acre|abbr=on|order=flip}} worth of agricultural products in Pinar del Río and Havana provinces,<ref name="c05">{{cite book |url=https://repositorio.cepal.org/server/api/core/bitstreams/80f9b91d-3379-430a-85ae-9b922ca0e05e/content |page=20 |title=Los Efectos De Los Desastres En 2004 Y 2005: La Necesidad De Adaptacion De Largo Plazo |author=Ricardo Zapata Martí |date=August 2006 |publisher=United Nations Publications |language=ES |access-date=August 11, 2024 |archive-date=September 14, 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240914202426/https://repositorio.cepal.org/server/api/core/bitstreams/80f9b91d-3379-430a-85ae-9b922ca0e05e/content |url-status=live}}</ref> which included damaged fruit trees, bee colonies, and tobacco houses. High floodwaters inundated parts of Havana and along Cuba's northwest coast, damaging roads and rail lines.<ref name="goc"/> Landslides blocked two bridges and five roads in eastern Cuba.<ref name="ocha8"/> The hurricane also damaged 364 schools and three hospitals. Officials cut electricity in Havana after winds reached {{convert|45|mph|km/h|abbr=on}}; after the storm, there were power and water outages in the city, nearby neighborhoods, and in Pinar del Río province.<ref name="goc"/> The storm downed 146 power poles and {{convert|12.9|km|mi|abbr=on|order=flip}} worth of electric lines.<ref name="ocha8"/>
=== Mexico ===
{{See also|Effects of Hurricane Wilma in Mexico}}
[[File:Wilma in cozumel island-109920 m.jpg|thumb|left|The island of Cozumel is shown through the eye of Hurricane Wilma in this composite image.]]
Across the Yucatán peninsula, Hurricane Wilma dropped torrential rainfall, inundated coastlines with a significant [[storm surge]], and produced an extended period of strong winds. The hurricane impaccted parts of the Yucatán peninsula with hurricane-force winds gusts for nearly 50 hours. On the Mexican mainland, a station in [[Cancún]] recorded 10–minute sustained winds of {{convert|100|mph|km/h|abbr=on}}, with gusts to {{convert|132|mph|km/h|abbr=on}} before the [[anemometer]] failed; gusts were estimated at {{convert|230|km/h|mph|abbr=on|order=flip}}.<ref name="tcr"/><ref name="wmo"/><ref name="smn">{{cite report |url=https://smn.conagua.gob.mx/tools/DATA/Ciclones%20Tropicales/Ciclones/2005-Wilma.pdf |publisher=[[Servicio Meteorológico Nacional (Mexico)|Servicio Meteorológico Nacional]] |title=Resumen del Huracán "Wilma" del Océano Atlático |author=Alberto Hernández Unzón |author2=M.G. Cirilo Bravo |access-date=April 15, 2020 |language=ES |archive-date=August 1, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200801184700/https://smn.conagua.gob.mx/tools/DATA/Ciclones%20Tropicales/Ciclones/2005-Wilma.pdf |url-status=live}}</ref> The prolonged period of high waves eroded beaches and damaged coastal reefs.<ref name="mexdam">{{cite report |title=Características e Impacto Socioeconómico de los Principales Desastres Ocurridos en la República Mexicana en el Año 2005 |date=August 2006 |language=es |url=http://www.proteccioncivil.gob.mx/work/models/ProteccionCivil/Resource/375/1/images/no_7.pdf |publisher=Sistema Nacional de Protección Civil |access-date=February 10, 2020 |archive-date=February 14, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200214015625/http://www.proteccioncivil.gob.mx/work/models/ProteccionCivil/Resource/375/1/images/no_7.pdf |url-status=live}}</ref><ref name="erd">{{cite report |work=Episcopal Relief and Development |at=ReliefWeb |date=November 1, 2005 |title=ERD aids communities in Mexico after Hurricane Wilma |url=https://reliefweb.int/report/mexico/erd-aids-communities-mexico-after-hurricane-wilma |access-date=March 9, 2020 |archive-date=August 1, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200801190932/https://reliefweb.int/report/mexico/erd-aids-communities-mexico-after-hurricane-wilma |url-status=live}}</ref>
Across Mexico, Wilma killed eight people – seven in Quintana Roo, and one in Yucatán.<ref name="Xin">{{cite news |agency=[[Xinhua News Agency]] via [[Comtex]] |date=October 23, 2005 |access-date=March 18, 2020 |title=Wilma kills 8 in southeast Mexico |at=ReliefWeb |url=https://reliefweb.int/report/mexico/wilma-kills-8-southeast-mexico |archive-date=August 1, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200801170442/https://reliefweb.int/report/mexico/wilma-kills-8-southeast-mexico |url-status=live}}</ref> Throughout Mexico, Wilma's total damage was estimated at $50 billion (MXN, US$4.6 billion), mostly in Quintana Roo, where it was the state's costliest natural disaster.<ref name="smn"/><ref>{{Cite web |author=Jeff Masters |author2=Bob Henson |date=October 27, 2023 |title=Acapulco reels from catastrophic damage in the wake of Hurricane Otis |publisher=[[Yale Climate Connections]] |url=https://yaleclimateconnections.org/2023/10/acapulco-reeling-from-catastrophic-damage-in-the-wake-of-hurricane-otis/ |url-status=live |access-date=April 13, 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231027202635/https://yaleclimateconnections.org/2023/10/acapulco-reeling-from-catastrophic-damage-in-the-wake-of-hurricane-otis/ |archive-date=October 27, 2023}}</ref> At the time, this made Wilma the costliest hurricane on record in Mexico, until it was surpassed by [[Hurricane Otis]] in 2023.<ref>{{cite report |author=Brad J. Reinhart |author2=Amanda Reinhart |title=Tropical Cyclone Report: Hurricane Otis |url=https://www.nhc.noaa.gov/data/tcr/EP182023_Otis.pdf |publisher=[[National Hurricane Center]] |access-date=April 13, 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240307213510/https://www.nhc.noaa.gov/data/tcr/EP182023_Otis.pdf |archive-date=March 7, 2024 |___location=Miami, Florida |page=7 |language=English |date=March 7, 2024 |url-status=live}}</ref> Wilma damaged 28,980 houses in Mexico,<ref name="mexdam"/> and destroyed or severely damaged 110 hotels in Cancún alone.<ref>{{cite news |title=Hurricane death toll rises in Florida as residents face cleanup |work=Deutsche Presse Agentur |at=ReliefWeb |date=October 25, 2005 |access-date=March 12, 2020 |url=https://reliefweb.int/report/mexico/hurricane-death-toll-rises-florida-residents-face-cleanup |archive-date=August 1, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200801184256/https://reliefweb.int/report/mexico/hurricane-death-toll-rises-florida-residents-face-cleanup |url-status=live}}</ref> In the city, about 300,000 people were left homeless.<ref name="ocha6">{{cite report |work=United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs |at=ReliefWeb |access-date=March 12, 2020 |date=October 25, 2005 |title=The Caribbean: Hurricane Wilma OCHA Situation Report No. 6 |url=https://reliefweb.int/report/cuba/caribbean-hurricane-wilma-ocha-situation-report-no-6 |archive-date=July 11, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200711224905/https://reliefweb.int/report/cuba/caribbean-hurricane-wilma-ocha-situation-report-no-6 |url-status=live}}</ref> The water level in Cancún reached the third story of some buildings due to {{convert|5|to|8|m|ft|abbr=on|order=flip}} waves, in addition to the storm surge.<ref name="sa">{{cite report |work=The Salvation Army |title=The Salvation Army in Mexico provides aid to victims of Hurricane Wilma |date=November 1, 2005 |at=ReliefWeb |access-date=March 12, 2020 |url=https://reliefweb.int/report/mexico/salvation-army-mexico-provides-aid-victims-hurricane-wilma |archive-date=August 1, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200801173735/https://reliefweb.int/report/mexico/salvation-army-mexico-provides-aid-victims-hurricane-wilma |url-status=live}}</ref><ref name="wv">{{cite report |work=World Vision |date=October 25, 2005 |title=Hurricane Wilma devastates Yucatan Peninsula in Mexico |at=ReliefWeb |access-date=March 12, 2020 |url=https://reliefweb.int/report/mexico/hurricane-wilma-devastates-yucatan-peninsula-mexico |archive-date=August 1, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200801173052/https://reliefweb.int/report/mexico/hurricane-wilma-devastates-yucatan-peninsula-mexico |url-status=live}}</ref> About 300 people who were from Great Britain had to be evacuated when their shelter flooded in Cancún, while the Americans were left there by the United States.<ref>{{cite news |title=Huracán Wilma azota a balnearios de México y se acerca a Florida |date=October 20, 2005 |language=es |url=https://www.eluniverso.com/2005/10/21/0001/14/5936AD55B349445A9DEBB2E87CE3E1A5.html |access-date=March 18, 2020 |agency=Reuters |archive-date=March 18, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200318191845/https://www.eluniverso.com/2005/10/21/0001/14/5936AD55B349445A9DEBB2E87CE3E1A5.html |url-status=live}}</ref> The hurricane also caused significant damage in Cozumel and Isla Mujeres.<ref name="mexdam"/> About 300,000 people lost power in Mexico.<ref name="univer"/> The storm also damaged 473 schools.<ref name="mexdam"/>
Flooding damaged houses in low-lying areas of eastern Yucatán state.<ref name="univer"/> The primary [[Mexican Federal Highway 180D#Mérida-Cancún|highway]] connecting Cancún and [[Mérida, Yucatán]], was impassible after the storm due to floods.<ref name="ocha7">{{cite report |work=United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs |at=ReliefWeb |access-date=March 12, 2020 |title=The Caribbean: Hurricane Wilma OCHA Situation Report No. 7 |date=October 26, 2005 |url=https://reliefweb.int/report/cuba/caribbean-hurricane-wilma-ocha-situation-report-no-7 |archive-date=July 11, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200711225201/https://reliefweb.int/report/cuba/caribbean-hurricane-wilma-ocha-situation-report-no-7 |url-status=live}}</ref> Across Mexico, Wilma damaged {{convert|490|km2|mi2|abbr=on|order=flip}} worth of crops, most of which was in Yucatán state.<ref name="mexdam"/> Across the Yucatán peninsula, the hurricane downed about {{convert|1000000|acre|ha|abbr=on}} of trees.<ref name="erd"/>
[[File:1988- US Gulf Coast hurricane diameters.svg|thumb|Hurricane Wilma was one of the largest-diameter US Gulf Coast hurricanes.<ref name=WashPost_20240926/> Though large size does not imply ''strength'', it can mean that more people are exposed to its hazards.<ref name=WashPost_20240926>{{cite news |last1=Dance |first1=Scott |last2=Ducroquet |first2=Simon |last3=Muyskens |first3=John |title=See how Helene dwarfs other hurricanes that have hit the Gulf Coast |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/climate-environment/2024/09/26/hurricane-helene-storm-size-miles/ |newspaper=[[The Washington Post]] |date=September 26, 2024 |archive-url=https://archive.today/20240926211941/https://www.washingtonpost.com/climate-environment/2024/09/26/hurricane-helene-storm-size-miles/ |archive-date=September 26, 2024 |url-status=live}}</ref>]]
=== United States ===
==== Florida ====
{{See also|Effects of Hurricane Wilma in Florida}}
[[File:Wilma 2005-10-24 1245Z.jpg|thumb|The eye of Wilma over Florida. [[Tropical Storm Alpha (2005)|Tropical Depression Alpha]] can be seen to the right.]]
In Florida, Wilma's swift movement across the state resulted in mostly light precipitation totals of {{convert|3|to|7|in|mm|abbr=on}}, while some areas recorded only {{convert|1|to|2|in|mm|abbr=on}} of rainfall or less.<ref name="tcr"/> However, precipitation in Florida peaked at {{convert|13.26|in|mm|abbr=on}} at the [[Kennedy Space Center]].{{Tropical Cyclone Point Maxima}} Additionally, the [[Lakeland Linder International Airport]] reported {{convert|7.53|in|mm|abbr=on}} of rainfall on October 24, which remained the highest one-day total at that ___location until [[Hurricane Milton]] in [[2024 Atlantic hurricane season|2024]].<ref>{{cite report |url=https://www.weather.gov/media/tbw/TropicalEventSummary/PSHTBW_2024AL14_Milton_ImpactNarratives.pdf |title=County Impacts Associated with Hurricane Milton (2024) |date=October 15, 2024 |page=5 |publisher=National Weather Service Tampa Bay Area, Florida |access-date=October 24, 2024 |archive-date=November 29, 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20241129025328/https://www.weather.gov/media/tbw/TropicalEventSummary/PSHTBW_2024AL14_Milton_ImpactNarratives.pdf |url-status=live}}</ref> The highest observed sustained wind speed at surface-height was a 15-minute average of {{convert|92|mph|km/h|abbr=on}} at a [[South Florida Water Management District]] (SFWMD) observation site located in Lake Okeechobee, corresponding to a 1-minute average of {{convert|104|mph|km/h|abbr=on}}. Storm surge heights in the [[Florida Keys]] generally ranged from {{convert|4|to|8|ft|m|abbr=on}} and peaked at nearly {{convert|9|ft|m|abbr=on}} in [[Marathon, Florida|Marathon]]. [[Collier County, Florida|Collier County]] measured the highest storm surge on the mainland, reaching {{convert|4|to|8|ft|m|abbr=on}} above sea-level. Wilma also spawned 12 tornadoes in Florida.<ref name="tcr"/><ref name="spc">{{cite web |url=http://www.spc.noaa.gov/climo/reports/051023_rpts.html |title=20051023's Storm Reports |year=2005 |work=[[Storm Prediction Center]] |publisher=National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration |access-date=August 14, 2015 |___location=Norman, Oklahoma |archive-date=September 24, 2015 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150924104304/http://www.spc.noaa.gov/climo/reports/051023_rpts.html |url-status=live}}</ref> Another SFWMD site in southeastern [[Hendry County, Florida|Hendry County]] reported a minimum atmospheric pressure of {{convert|950.5|mbar|inHg|abbr=on}}.<ref name="tcr"/>
Wind damage accounted for much of the storm's overall damage.<ref name="tcr"/> The very large eye of Wilma moved across all of or portions of six counties – [[Broward County, Florida|Broward]], Collier, Hendry, [[Miami-Dade County, Florida|Miami-Dade]], and [[Palm Beach County, Florida|Palm Beach]].<ref name="stormdata">{{cite report |url=http://www1.ncdc.noaa.gov/pub/orders/IPS/IPS-769A5AEA-857B-4AAE-B57D-310D27DBECE1.pdf |title=Storm Data and Unusual Weather Phenomena |date=October 2005 |work=[[National Climatic Data Center]] |publisher=National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration |access-date=August 14, 2015 |___location=Asheville, North Carolina |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150814040454/http://www1.ncdc.noaa.gov/pub/orders/IPS/IPS-769A5AEA-857B-4AAE-B57D-310D27DBECE1.pdf |archive-date=August 14, 2015}}</ref> This resulted in widespread hurricane-force sustained winds and gusts, with Category 2 conditions likely occurring in southeastern Florida from Palm Beach County to northern Miami-Dade County.<ref name="tcr"/> Strong winds left widespread power outages; [[Florida Power & Light]] reported more than 3,241,000 customers had lost power throughout 42 [[List of counties in Florida|counties]].<ref name="gwaltney">{{cite report |url=https://www.energy.gov/sites/prod/files/2018/02/f49/2_Emergency%20Response%20and%20Resilience%20Panel%20-%20Tom%20Gwaltney%2C%20FPL.pdf |title=Florida Power & Light Company Grid Hardening and Hurricane Response |author=Tom Gwaltney |date=February 2018 |work=Florida Power & Light |publisher=United States Department of Energy |access-date=April 15, 2020 |archive-date=August 1, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200801201514/https://www.energy.gov/sites/prod/files/2018/02/f49/2_Emergency%20Response%20and%20Resilience%20Panel%20-%20Tom%20Gwaltney%2C%20FPL.pdf |url-status=live}}</ref> At the time, this represented the largest power failure in the history of Florida.<ref name="tcr"/> The outages affected approximately 2.5 million subscribers in the [[Miami metropolitan area]] – roughly 98% of electrical customers in that area.<ref name="4 weeks">{{cite news |url=https://sun-sentinel.newspapers.com/clip/47118504/south-florida-sun-sentinel/ |title=FPL to take 'up to 4 weeks' |date=October 25, 2005 |newspaper=Sun-Sentinel |author=Joseph Mann |author2=Doreen Hemlock |page=1B |access-date=April 15, 2020 |via=Newspapers.com |___location=Fort Lauderdale, Florida |archive-date=March 22, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200322045132/https://sun-sentinel.newspapers.com/clip/47118504/south-florida-sun-sentinel/ |url-status=live}}</ref>
Florida's agricultural industry reported around $1.3 billion in damage.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/48191277/florida-today/ |title=Bush pushes federal farm aid |date=November 11, 2005 |agency=Associated Press |newspaper=Florida Today |___location=Cocoa, Florida |page=1B |access-date=April 15, 2020 |via=Newspapers.com |archive-date=April 7, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200407171638/https://www.newspapers.com/clip/48191277/florida-today/ |url-status=live}}</ref> Nurseries and sugarcane crops were particularly hard hit – the former suffered damage totaling nearly $554 million and the latter experienced around $400 million in damage, approximately $30 million more than each of the 2004 Florida hurricanes combined. Additionally, citrus experienced roughly $180 million in damage from Wilma, equating to a loss of approximately 17% of citrus fruits.<ref name="seaports">{{cite news |url=https://sun-sentinel.newspapers.com/clip/48170712/south-florida-sun-sentinel/ |title=Seaports, growers hard hit by storm |author=Doreen Hemlock |date=November 10, 2005 |newspaper=Sun-Sentinel |pages=1D and 8D |access-date=April 7, 2020 |via=Newspapers.com |___location=Fort Lauderdale, Florida |archive-date=April 7, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200407050337/https://sun-sentinel.newspapers.com/clip/48170712/south-florida-sun-sentinel/ |url-status=live}}
*[https://www.newspapers.com/clip/48170712/south-florida-sun-sentinel/ "Seaports, growers hard hit by storm", p. 1D] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200407050340/https://www.newspapers.com/clip/48170712/south-florida-sun-sentinel/ |date=April 7, 2020 }}
*[https://www.newspapers.com/clip/48170856/south-florida-sun-sentinel/ "Seaports, farmers sustain heavy damage", p. 8D]</ref> Overall, Wilma left about $19 billion in damage and 30 deaths in Florida,<ref name="updated">{{cite report |url=https://www.nhc.noaa.gov/news/UpdatedCostliest.pdf |title=Costliest U.S. tropical cyclones tables updated |date=January 26, 2018 |publisher=[[National Hurricane Center]] |access-date=April 7, 2020 |archive-date=January 27, 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180127083930/https://www.nhc.noaa.gov/news/UpdatedCostliest.pdf |url-status=live}}</ref><ref name="pbp">{{cite news |url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/30543605/the-palm-beach-post/ |title=30 Deaths in Florida |date=November 6, 2005 |newspaper=[[The Palm Beach Post]] |access-date=February 26, 2020 |via=Newspapers.com |___location=West Palm Beach, Florida |archive-date=February 27, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200227010602/https://www.newspapers.com/clip/30543605/the-palm-beach-post/ |url-status=live}}</ref> 5 from direct causes.<ref name="tcr"/> Consequently, the hurricane ranked as the then-fourth costliest tropical cyclone in the United States, behind only [[Hurricane Ivan|Ivan]] in [[2004 Atlantic hurricane season|2004]], [[Hurricane Andrew|Andrew]] in [[1992 Atlantic hurricane season|1992]], and [[Hurricane Katrina|Katrina]] earlier [[2005 Atlantic hurricane season|that year]]. This has been surpassed many times since then, however. Wilma also ranked as the second costliest hurricane in Florida at the time, behind only Andrew. Adjusted for inflation in the year 2017, Wilma would have caused about $24.32 billion in damage.<ref name="updated"/>
[[File:Flood102405.JPG|thumb|left|Storm surge from Wilma on [[Key Haven]], island suburb of Key West, Florida]]
In [[Monroe County, Florida|Monroe County]], storm surge from Wilma impacted the Florida Keys twice, with the second event causing the worst [[coastal flooding]] in the island chain since [[Hurricane Betsy]] in 1965.<ref name="O'Hara">{{cite news |newspaper=The Key West Citizen |title=Flooded cars litter the Keys |date=October 27, 2005 |author=Timothy O'Hara |author2=Sara Matthis}}</ref> At [[Dry Tortugas National Park]], storm surge and winds damaged boats, destroyed docking facilities, and flooded the park office and living quarters, but [[Fort Jefferson (Florida)|Fort Jefferson]] saw no major damage.<ref name="bcs"/> Water submerged roughly 60% of [[Key West]] and left approximately 690 apartment units, homes, and mobile homes uninhabitable.<ref name="kasper">{{cite report |url=https://www.weather.gov/key/wilma |author=Kennard Kasper |title=Hurricane Wilma in the Florida Keys |publisher=National Weather Service Key West, Florida |date=March 1, 2007 |access-date=April 15, 2020 |archive-date=August 1, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200801190811/https://www.weather.gov/key/wilma |url-status=live}}</ref><ref name="babson">{{cite news |title=Keys Ask for 2,000 Trailers |author=Jennifer Babson |url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/56985155/the-miami-herald/ |date=November 11, 2005 |newspaper=Miami Herald |page=1B |via=Newspapers.com |access-date=August 9, 2020 |archive-date=September 16, 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210916002314/https://www.newspapers.com/clip/56985155/the-miami-herald/ |url-status=live}}</ref> Wilma damaged more than 4,100 single-family residences, 20 of which sustained major damage, and 6 experienced complete destruction. The hurricane also damaged roughly 2,500 mobile homes, with 257 suffering substantial impact and 15 being destroyed. About 90 apartment and condominium units received some degree of impact.<ref name="bcs">{{cite report |url=http://bcs.dep.state.fl.us/reports/wilma/wilma.pdf |title=Hurricane Wilma Post-Storm Beach Conditions and Coastal Impact Report |date=January 2006 |publisher=[[Florida Department of Environmental Protection]] |access-date=April 15, 2020 |___location=Tallahassee, Florida |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20060430173354/http://bcs.dep.state.fl.us/reports/wilma/wilma.pdf |archive-date=April 30, 2006}}</ref> As many as 20,000 cars suffered damage,<ref name="babson"/> prompting the ''[[Key West Citizen]]'' to refer to the lower Florida Keys as a "car graveyard".<ref name="O'Hara"/> The storm ran hundreds of vessels aground, including 223 boats between Key West and [[Islamorada]].<ref name="babson"/> Damage in Monroe County reached at least $200 million, with approximately half the total occurring in Key West, though the figure did not include incorporated areas.<ref>{{cite news |title=Damage could exceed $250M - Storm surge the main culprit |date=October 26, 2005 |newspaper=Florida Keys Keynoter |author=David Ball |___location=Marathon, Florida}}</ref>
Storm surge in Collier County mostly impacted [[Chokoloskee]], [[Everglades City]], and [[Plantation Island, Florida|Plantation Island]]. Surge destroyed around 200 recreational vehicles in Chokoloskee and covered Everglades City with about {{convert|4|ft|m|abbr=on}} of water,<ref name="bcs"/> flooding structures including the [[Old Collier County Courthouse]].<ref name="CBN">{{cite news |url=https://www.coastalbreezenews.com/articles/hurricane-wilma-2005/ |title=Hurricane Wilma 2005 |date=August 12, 2010 |newspaper=Coastal Breeze News |access-date=April 12, 2020 |___location=Marco Island, Florida |archive-date=April 12, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200412043613/https://www.coastalbreezenews.com/articles/hurricane-wilma-2005/ |url-status=live}}</ref> The hurricane also caused major impact in [[Naples, Florida|Naples]], especially to 90 high-rise condos. Buildings in the city suffered $150 million in damage. Additionally, high winds severely damaged 100 hangars at [[Naples Airport (Florida)|Naples Airport]]. Wilma damaged 16,000 businesses and homes to some degree in Collier County,<ref name="PSHMIA">{{cite report |url=https://mesonet.agron.iastate.edu/wx/afos/p.php?pil=PSHMFL&e=200511292025 |title=Preliminary Storm Report...Hurricane Wilma |date=November 29, 2005 |publisher=National Weather Service Miami, Florida |access-date=April 11, 2020 |archive-date=August 1, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200801203605/https://mesonet.agron.iastate.edu/wx/afos/p.php?pil=PSHMFL&e=200511292025 |url-status=live}}</ref> with 394 buildings suffering damage to at least 50 percent of their structure. The hurricane destroyed 2 dwellings, 8 workplaces, and 615 mobile homes, about one-third in [[Immokalee]].<ref name="npbythenumbers">{{cite news |url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/30349556/newspress/ |title=Wilma Damage By The Numbers |date=November 5, 2005 |newspaper=The News-Press |page=B2 |___location=Fort Myers, Florida |access-date=May 15, 2019 |via=Newspapers.com}}</ref> In total, the county reported $1.2 billion in damage,<ref name="The Damage">{{cite news |url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/48436611/news-press/ |title=The Damage |date=November 6, 2005 |page=A8 |newspaper=The News-Press |___location=Fort Myers, Florida |access-date=April 10, 2020 |via=Newspapers.com |archive-date=April 11, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200411031210/https://www.newspapers.com/clip/48436611/news-press/ |url-status=live}}</ref> along with a death toll of 7.<ref name="pbp"/> Hurricane-force wind gusts extended northward into [[Lee County, Florida|Lee County]].<ref name="stormdata"/> [[Bonita Springs]] experienced the worst impact in Lee County, with 972 homes reporting minor to major damage. In [[Cape Coral]], Wilma impacted 511 residences; 490 dwellings suffered minor damage, 20 others experienced extensive damage, and 1 mobile home was destroyed. The storm also inflicted moderate to major damage to 78 businesses and demolished 1 other workplace.<ref name="The Damage"/> Insured and uninsured damage in the county totaled $101 million and one fatality occurred.<ref name="stormdata"/><ref name="pbp"/>
[[File:Hurricane_Wilma_damage_Fort_Lauderdale.jpg|thumb|right|Heavy façade damage to a building in Fort Lauderdale]]
Wilma inflicted a multi-billion dollar disaster in the Miami metropolitan area, including $2.9 billion in damage in Palm Beach County,<ref name="pbcdamage">{{cite news |title=Adding Up Wilma's Fury: $2.9 Billion Countywide - More than 55,000 Homes, 3,600 Businesses Damaged |author1=Luis F. Perez |author2=Angel Streeter |author3=Ushma Patel |date=December 18, 2005 |newspaper=Sun-Sentinel |url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/47054546/south-florida-sun-sentinel/ |access-date=March 21, 2020 |page=1A |via=Newspapers.com |___location=Fort Lauderdale, Florida |archive-date=March 21, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200321062341/https://www.newspapers.com/clip/47054546/south-florida-sun-sentinel/ |url-status=live}}</ref> $2 billion in Miami-Dade County, and $1.2 billion in Broward County.<ref name="daniel">{{cite news |title=Year Later, Wilma's Wrath Still Visible |date=October 24, 2006 |url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/55565349/the-miami-herald/ |newspaper=Miami Herald |author=Trenton Daniel |page=1B |access-date=August 9, 2020 |via=Newspapers.com |archive-date=July 24, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200724140121/https://www.newspapers.com/clip/55565349/the-miami-herald/ |url-status=live}}</ref> Numerous homes and businesses experienced some degree of impact, with over 55,000 dwellings and 3,600 workplaces damaged in Palm Beach County alone.<ref name="pbcdamage"/> Furthermore, officials declared 5,111 residences in Broward County and at least 2,059 others in Miami-Dade County as uninhabitable.<ref name="bcs"/><ref>{{cite news |title=Thousands Displaced; Agencies Strapped |author=Natalie P. McNeal |author2=Amy Sherman |author3=Ashley Fantz |author4=Daniel Chang |date=November 3, 2005 |url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/56985023/the-miami-herald/ |newspaper=Miami Herald |page=29A |access-date=August 9, 2020 |via=Newspapers.com |archive-date=September 16, 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210916002310/https://www.newspapers.com/clip/56985023/the-miami-herald/ |url-status=live}}</ref> An aerial survey in Broward County indicated that 70% of homes and businesses in [[Coconut Creek]], [[Davie, Florida|Davie]], [[Margate, Florida|Margate]], [[North Lauderdale]], [[Plantation, Florida|Plantation]], and [[Sunrise, Florida|Sunrise]] experienced some degree of impact.<ref name="N-P rebound">{{cite news |url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/30513488/newspress/ |title=East coast to rebound |agency=[[Knight Ridder]] |date=October 29, 2005 |page=A4 |newspaper=The News-Press |___location=Fort Myers, Florida |access-date=April 12, 2019 |via=Newspapers.com |archive-date=April 28, 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190428100841/https://www.newspapers.com/clip/30513488/newspress/ |url-status=live}}</ref> High winds also damaged skyscrapers and high-rises, including the Colonial Bank Building, the JW Marriott Miami, [[Espirito Santo Plaza]], and the [[Four Seasons Hotel Miami]] in [[Greater Downtown Miami]],<ref name="assessment">{{cite news |url=https://sun-sentinel.newspapers.com/clip/47054096/south-florida-sun-sentinel/ |title=City-by-city Assessment Of Damage In South Florida |author=Teddy Kidder |date=October 25, 2005 |newspaper=Sun-Sentinel |access-date=April 16, 2020 |via=Newspapers.com |___location=Fort Lauderdale, Florida |archive-date=March 21, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200321062343/https://sun-sentinel.newspapers.com/clip/47054096/south-florida-sun-sentinel/ |url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |url=http://www.bizjournals.com/southflorida/stories/2007/10/22/story3.html?page=all |title=Wrath of Wilma's aftermath still lingers two years later |author=Brian Bandell |date=October 22, 2007 |newspaper=[[Biz Journals]] |___location=Charlotte, North Carolina |access-date=April 16, 2020 |display-authors=etal |archive-date=September 10, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220910223357/https://www.bizjournals.com/southflorida/stories/2007/10/22/story3.html?page=all |url-status=live}}</ref> as well as the [[One Financial Plaza (Fort Lauderdale)|One Financial Plaza]], [[110 Tower|AutoNation Tower]], Broward Financial Center, the Broward County Administration Building, the 14-floor Broward County School Board building, and the Broward County Courthouse in [[Fort Lauderdale]].<ref name="damage statewide">{{cite news |url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/30549589/the_palm_beach_post/ |title=Damage statewide |date=November 6, 2005 |page=130 |newspaper=[[The Palm Beach Post]] |access-date=April 13, 2019 |via=Newspapers.com |___location=West Palm Beach, Florida |archive-date=April 30, 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190430035200/https://www.newspapers.com/clip/30549589/the_palm_beach_post/ |url-status=live}}</ref>
In Hendry County, high winds damaged around 90 percent of buildings and homes in [[Clewiston, Florida|Clewiston]] and other eastern sections of the county.<ref name="npbythenumbers"/> The county suffered a loss of about half of orange and sugar crops.<ref name="fabian">{{cite news |url=http://ufdc.ufl.edu/UF00028415/00040/10x |title=Wilma Brings Devastation |author=Bill Fabian |date=October 27, 2005 |newspaper=[[The Clewiston News]] |page=10 |access-date=April 16, 2020 |archive-date=August 9, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200809091105/https://ufdc.ufl.edu/UF00028415/00040/10x |url-status=live}}</ref> Overall, Wilma substantially damaged 250 homes and destroyed 550 other homes in Hendry County.<ref name="npbythenumbers"/> Damage totaled at least $567 million, with $300 million to agriculture and $267 million in structures.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://hendryfla.civicweb.net/filepro/documents/8255/?preview=8274 |title=Hendry County Board of County Commissioners Tapes 2005-24 & 2005-25 |author=Barbara S. Butler |date=November 8, 2005 |publisher=Hendry County Board of County Commissioners |page=1 |access-date=July 7, 2024 |___location=Clewiston, Florida |archive-date=July 7, 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240707232835/https://hendryfla.civicweb.net/filepro/documents/8255/?preview=8274 |url-status=live}}</ref> Hurricane-force wind gusts in [[Glades County]] left approximately 3,000 people without electricity. Wilma destroyed more than 60 homes.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/48439707/news-press/ |title=Homes, roofs sustain damage in Moore Haven |date=October 25, 2005 |author=Terry Brady |newspaper=The News-Press |page=A15 |___location=Fort Myers, Florida |access-date=April 10, 2020 |via=Newspapers.com |archive-date=April 11, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200411034304/https://www.newspapers.com/clip/48439707/news-press/ |url-status=live}}</ref> Seventeen school district buildings suffered roof damage.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.hsdl.org/?view&did=11635 |title=Thrice Hit – Learning From Others' Experience |publisher=Federal Emergency Management Agency |date=January 20, 2011 |access-date=April 10, 2020 |format=PDF |archive-date=August 1, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200801190529/https://www.hsdl.org/?view&did=11635 |url-status=live}}</ref> Approximately 800 residences sustained damage in [[Okeechobee County]], with 114 receiving major damage and 29 others being destroyed. In [[Martin County, Florida|Martin County]], which recorded a wind gust as high as {{convert|108|mph|km/h|abbr=on}} in [[Hobe Sound]], the storm extensively damaged 120 dwellings and destroyed 48 others.<ref name="stormdata"/> The county tallied $95.7 million in damage. Neighboring [[St. Lucie County]] reported damage totaling $43.4 million.<ref name="damage statewide"/> Rainfall totals ranging from {{convert|10|to|13|in|mm|abbr=on}} in parts of [[Brevard County]] left freshwater flooding; about 200 homes in [[Cocoa, Florida|Cocoa]] suffered water damage.<ref name="stormdata"/> Six tornadoes in the county also damaged or destroyed some apartments, cars, fences, power lines, restaurants, and trees.<ref name="stormdata"/><ref name="spc"/> In the [[Florida Panhandle]], abnormal high tides generated by Wilma washed the [[Cape St. George Light]]house into the Gulf of Mexico. Damage elsewhere in the state was generally minor.<ref name="stormdata"/>
==== Other states ====
Rainfall from Hurricane Wilma extended up the east coast of the United States from Florida to Virginia. Precipitation reached {{convert|3|in|mm|abbr=on}} along the [[Outer Banks]] of North Carolina.<ref name="hpcrain">{{cite web |url=http://www.wpc.ncep.noaa.gov/tropical/rain/wilma2005.html |title=Hurricane Wilma — October 22–24, 2005 |last=Roth |first=David |date=April 30, 2008 |publisher=[[Hydrometeorological Prediction Center]] |access-date=October 21, 2010 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130922013525/http://www.wpc.ncep.noaa.gov/tropical/rain/wilma2005.html |archive-date=September 22, 2013 |url-status=live}}</ref> As Wilma was moving out to sea, a [[nor'easter]] developed near [[Cape Hatteras]];<ref name="delaware"/> the two systems produced high waves, coastal flooding, and [[beach erosion]] across the [[Northeastern United States]],<ref name="nbc">{{cite news |url=https://www.nbcnews.com/id/wbna9812110 |date=October 25, 2005 |title=Nor'easter fortified by Wilma hits New England |agency=Associated Press |newspaper=NBC News |access-date=February 25, 2025}}</ref> resulting in some road closures.<ref name="delaware">{{cite web |url=https://www.ncdc.noaa.gov/stormevents/eventdetails.jsp?id=5477716 |publisher=[[National Climatic Data Center]] |access-date=July 25, 2020 |title=High Surf Delaware Event Report |archive-date=July 25, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200725211325/https://www.ncdc.noaa.gov/stormevents/eventdetails.jsp?id=5477716 |url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.ncdc.noaa.gov/stormevents/eventdetails.jsp?id=5477730 |publisher=[[National Climatic Data Center]] |access-date=July 25, 2020 |title=High Surf New Jersey Event Report |archive-date=July 25, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200725210703/https://www.ncdc.noaa.gov/stormevents/eventdetails.jsp?id=5477730 |url-status=live}}</ref> The nor'easter drew moisture and energy from Wilma to produce heavy rainfall, snowfall in higher elevations, and gusty winds,<ref name="nbc"/> with a peak wind gust of {{convert|66|mph|km/h|abbr=on}} recorded at [[Blue Hill Meteorological Observatory]] in [[Milton, Massachusetts]].<ref name="massachusetts"/> The high winds resulted in approximately 200,000 business and homes across the Northeastern United States losing power and downed trees,<ref name="nbc"/> with traffic blocked on parts of [[Interstate 95 in Rhode Island]] and the [[Green Line (MBTA)|Green Line]] train in [[Newton, Massachusetts]].<ref name="massachusetts">{{cite web |url=https://www.ncdc.noaa.gov/stormevents/eventdetails.jsp?id=5476932 |publisher=[[National Climatic Data Center]] |access-date=July 25, 2020 |title=Massachusetts High Wind Event Report |archive-date=July 25, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200725211403/https://www.ncdc.noaa.gov/stormevents/eventdetails.jsp?id=5476932 |url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.ncdc.noaa.gov/stormevents/eventdetails.jsp?id=5477503 |publisher=[[National Climatic Data Center]] |access-date=July 25, 2020 |title=Rhode Island High Wind Event Report |archive-date=July 26, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200726015907/https://www.ncdc.noaa.gov/stormevents/eventdetails.jsp?id=5477503 |url-status=live}}</ref> Snowfall in the region peaked at {{convert|20|in|mm|abbr=on}} in Vermont.<ref name="the news-star">{{cite news |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-news-star/166637754/ |title=Wilma-fed nor'easter pounds East |agency=Associated Press |date=October 27, 2005 |page=6A |newspaper=The News-Star |___location=Monroe, Louisiana |access-date=February 24, 2025 |via=Newspapers.com}} {{free access}}</ref>
=== The Bahamas and Bermuda ===
[[Image:Hurricane wilma devastation.jpg|left|thumb|alt=A house with part collapsed in Freeport, Bahamas|Damaged homes in Freeport]]
After exiting Florida, Wilma passed just north of the northwestern Bahamas.<ref name="tcr"/> A buoy just off [[West End, Bahamas|West End]] on [[Grand Bahama]] recorded sustained winds of {{convert|95|mph|km/h|abbr=on}}, along with gusts of {{convert|114|mph|km/h|abbr=on}}. The hurricane also produced high waves and a {{convert|12|ft|m|abbr=on}} storm surge,<ref name="wmo"/> which reached about {{convert|1000|ft|m|abbr=on}} inland in some areas. The sudden rush of water destroyed about 250 homes and damaged another 400, mostly on the western portion of Grand Bahama. At one home in [[Eight Mile Rock]], the waters swept away and killed a 15-month-old infant. The flooding unearthed 54 bodies from five cemeteries. Flooding also inundated more than 500 vehicles. Central and eastern Grand Bahama received little to no damage from the hurricane. The undersecretary to the prime minister, Carnard Bethell, estimated monetary damage at "just maybe under $100 million".<ref name="pbp124">{{cite news |author=Amy Royster |date=December 4, 2005 |title=Wilma's Waves Devastate Grand Bahama Communities |newspaper=[[The Palm Beach Post]] |___location=West Palm Beach, Florida |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-palm-beach-post/48799030/ |access-date=August 11, 2024 |via=Newspapers.com}}
*[https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-palm-beach-post/48799030/ "Wilma's Waves Devastate Grand Bahama Communities", p. 1H]
*[https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-palm-beach-post/48798630/ "Wilma destroys much of western Grand Bahama", p. 4H]</ref> However, the country estimated a damage total of about US$6.5 million in their report to the [[WMO]]. Damage in the Bahamas mostly consisted of torn roofs and uprooted trees,<ref name="wmo"/> along with downed poles and trees. Power and telephone services were disrupted throughout Grand Bahama.<ref name="ifrc1"/> Several resorts were closed for an extended period of time, after the winds blew out windows.<ref name="pbp124"/><ref name="lisasking">{{cite news |author=Lisa S. King |date=October 31, 2005 |title=Most Resorts Fared Well During Storm, But Not Xanadu Beach |newspaper=Freeport News |access-date=August 30, 2024 |url=http://www.bahamasb2b.com/news/wmview.php?ArtID=6274 |archive-date=June 4, 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110604174512/http://www.bahamasb2b.com/news/wmview.php?ArtID=6274 |url-status=dead}}</ref> There were several traffic accidents, including an overturned bus, injuring the driver. During the passage of the hurricane, five cases of looting were reported, with one person caught and arrested.<ref name="Freeport">{{cite web |author=Jeremy Francis |date=October 27, 2005 |title=Freeport Sustained Considerable Damage From Hurricane Wilma |access-date=February 20, 2007 |work=Freeport News |url=http://www.bahamasb2b.com/news/wmview.php?ArtID=6261 |archive-date=June 4, 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110604174444/http://www.bahamasb2b.com/news/wmview.php?ArtID=6261 |url-status=dead}}</ref> On Bimini Island, the hurricane severely damaged a hotel and eight waterfront homes. On Abaco, Wilma destroyed several buildings, including a governmental clinic and eight homes.<ref name="pbp111">{{cite news |author=Kevin Deutsch |date=November 1, 2005 |page=8A |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-palm-beach-post/156029383/ |title=Islanders Assess Damage After Sea Takes Homes |newspaper=[[The Palm Beach Post]] |access-date=September 26, 2024 |via=Newspapers.com |archive-date=September 26, 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240926063009/https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-palm-beach-post/156029383/ |url-status=live}}</ref>
In Bermuda, Hurricane Wilma produced wind gusts of {{convert|51|mph|km/h|abbr=on}}. The strongest winds on the island were short-lived due to the hurricane's fast forward motion at the time. The hurricane disrupted the flight path of migratory birds, resulting in an unusual increase in [[frigatebird]] sightings around the island.<ref name="wmo">{{cite report |url=https://www.wmo.int/pages/prog/www/tcp/documents/FINAL-REPORT-HC-28.pdf |title=Final Report of the RA IV Hurricane Committee Twenty-Eighth Session |year=2006 |publisher=World Meteorological Organization |access-date=February 6, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160303184209/http://www.wmo.int/pages/prog/www/tcp/documents/FINAL-REPORT-HC-28.pdf |archive-date=March 3, 2016 |url-status=live}}</ref>
== Aftermath ==
=== Mexico ===
In Mexico, residents and tourists staying in shelters faced food shortages in Wilma's immediate aftermath.<ref name="wv"/> There were 10 community kitchens set up across Cancún, each capable of feeding 1,500 people every day.<ref name="elun">{{cite news |title=Wilma: Inicia la reconstrucción mxm (martes) |language=es |work=[[El Universal (Mexico City)|El Universal]] |date=October 26, 2005 |access-date=March 18, 2020 |url=https://archivo.eluniversal.com.mx/notas/312456.html |archive-date=March 18, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200318193504/https://archivo.eluniversal.com.mx/notas/312456.html |url-status=live}}</ref> Local and federal troops quelled looting and rioting in Cancún.<ref name="ocha6"/><ref name="ifrc6">{{cite report |title=Caribbean, Central America, and Mexico: Hurricane Wilma – Information Bulletin n° 4 |work=International Federation of Red Cross And Red Crescent Societies |at=ReliefWeb |date=October 24, 2005 |access-date=March 12, 2020 |url=https://reliefweb.int/report/cuba/caribbean-central-america-and-mexico-hurricane-wilma-information-bulletin-n-4 |archive-date=July 12, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200712174104/https://reliefweb.int/report/cuba/caribbean-central-america-and-mexico-hurricane-wilma-information-bulletin-n-4 |url-status=live}}</ref> While Cancún's airport was closed to the public, stranded visitors filled taxis and buses to Mérida, Yucatán. Located {{convert|320|km|mi|abbr=on}} from Cancún, Mérida was the region's closest functioning airport.<ref>{{cite news |author=Sofia Miselem |title=After Wilma Hits Mexico, All Buses Lead To Merida |agency=Agence France-Presse |date=October 24, 2005 |access-date=April 18, 2020 |url=https://www.terradaily.com/news/hurricane-05zzzzze.html |work=Terra Daily |archive-date=January 26, 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210126044201/https://www.terradaily.com/news/hurricane-05zzzzze.html |url-status=live}}</ref> Most hotels in Cozumel, Isla Mujeres, and the [[Riviera Maya]] were largely reopened by early January 2006.<ref>{{cite news |author=Will Weissert |title=After the hurricane, Cancun still has a long way to go |newspaper=The Seattle Times |agency=Associated Press |date=January 5, 2006 |url=https://www.seattletimes.com/life/travel/after-the-hurricane-cancun-still-has-a-long-way-to-go/ |access-date=March 18, 2020}}</ref> The resorts in Cancún took longer to reopen, but most were operational by Wilma's one-year anniversary.<ref>{{cite news |title=Cancun, rebuilt and showing off |author=Chris Erskine |date=November 12, 2006 |access-date=March 18, 2020 |url=https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-2006-nov-12-tr-yucatan12-story.html |work=Los Angeles Times |archive-date=March 19, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200319030107/https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-2006-nov-12-tr-yucatan12-story.html |url-status=live}}</ref>
On November 28, Mexico declared a disaster area for 9 of Quintana Roo's [[municipalities of Quintana Roo|11 municipalities]] – Benito Juárez, Cozumel, [[Felipe Carrillo Puerto Municipality|Felipe Carrillo Puerto]], Isla Mujeres, [[Lázaro Cárdenas, Quintana Roo|Lázaro Cárdenas]], [[Othón P. Blanco, Quintana Roo|Othon P. Blanco]], and [[Solidaridad Municipality|Solidaridad]].<ref name="mexdam"/> Mexico's [[development bank]] – Nacional Financiera – provided financial assistance to businesses affected by Wilma and Stan through a $400 million fund (MXN, US$38 million). Quintana Roo's state government began a temporary work program for residents whose jobs were impacted by the hurricane.<ref name="elun"/> The Mexican Red Cross provided food, water, and health care to residents affected by the hurricane. The agency also distributed emergency supplies, such as mosquito nets, plastic sheeting, and hygiene supplies.<ref name="rc1024">{{Cite report |title=Mexican Red Cross delivers immediate aid to victims of Wilma in the Yucatan Peninsula |url=https://reliefweb.int/report/mexico/mexican-red-cross-delivers-immediate-aid-victims-wilma-yucatan-peninsula |work=International Federation of Red Cross And Red Crescent Societies |date=October 24, 2005 |access-date=March 18, 2020 |at=ReliefWeb |archive-date=August 1, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200801194800/https://reliefweb.int/report/mexico/mexican-red-cross-delivers-immediate-aid-victims-wilma-yucatan-peninsula |url-status=live}}</ref><ref name="ifrc1021"/><ref name="ocha7"/>
=== Cuba ===
Within a few days of Wilma's passage by Cuba, workers restored power and water access to impacted residents. The Revolutionary Armed Forces cleared and repaired roads around Havana that were flooded.<ref name="goc"/> The capital city was reopened and largely returned to normal within six days of the storm.<ref>{{cite news |agency=Cuban News Agency |author=Fidel Rendón Matienzo |date=November 5, 2005 |language=es |url=https://reliefweb.int/report/cuba/cuba-san-crist%C3%B3bal-de-la-habana-borra-las-huellas-de-wilma |title=Cuba: San Cristóbal de La Habana borra las huellas de Wilma |at=ReliefWeb |access-date=April 19, 2020 |archive-date=August 1, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200801165803/https://reliefweb.int/report/cuba/cuba-san-crist%C3%B3bal-de-la-habana-borra-las-huellas-de-wilma |url-status=live}}</ref> On October 25, the government of the United States offered emergency assistance to Cuba, which the Cuban government accepted a day later. This acceptance of aid broke from previous practice; many times in the past, including during [[Hurricane Dennis]], the United States offered aid, but the Cuban government declined.<ref>{{Cite report |title=Cuba accepts U.S. offer of hurricane assistance |date=October 27, 2005 |publisher=United States Department of State |at=ReliefWeb |access-date=April 19, 2020 |url=https://reliefweb.int/report/cuba/cuba-accepts-us-offer-hurricane-assistance |archive-date=August 1, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200801184503/https://reliefweb.int/report/cuba/cuba-accepts-us-offer-hurricane-assistance |url-status=live}}</ref> The United States provided US$100,000 to non-governmental organizations in the country.<ref>{{Cite report |title=U.S. offer of assistance to Cuba in the wake of Hurricane Wilma |date=November 2, 2005 |publisher=United States Department of State |at=ReliefWeb |access-date=April 19, 2020 |url=https://reliefweb.int/report/cuba/us-offer-assistance-cuba-wake-hurricane-wilma |archive-date=August 1, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200801190827/https://reliefweb.int/report/cuba/us-offer-assistance-cuba-wake-hurricane-wilma |url-status=live}}</ref>
=== United States ===
[[File:FEMA - 18119 - Photograph by Jocelyn Augustino taken on 10-29-2005 in Florida.jpg|thumb|[[Federal Emergency Management Agency]] (FEMA) Disaster Medical Assistance Team checks a patient outside of the JFK Medical Center ([[Boynton Beach, Florida|Boynton Beach]])]]
On October 24, 2005, the same day Wilma made landfall in Florida, President [[George W. Bush]] approved a disaster declaration for Brevard, Broward, Collier, Glades, Hendry, Indian River, Lee, Martin, Miami-Dade, Monroe, Okeechobee, Palm Beach, and St. Lucie counties. The [[Federal Emergency Management Agency]] (FEMA) expended $342.5 million to the 227,321 approved applicants. The agency paid out $150.8 million for housing and $191.5 million for other significant disaster-related needs, including loss of personal property, moving and storage, and medical or funeral expenses relating to the hurricane. Public assistance from FEMA totaled over $1.4 billion, while grants for hazard mitigation projects exceeded $141.5 million.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.fema.gov/news-release/2015/10/22/hurricane-wilma-ten-years-later |title=Hurricane Wilma: Ten Years Later |date=October 22, 2015 |publisher=Federal Emergency Management Agency |access-date=April 17, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161111171028/https://www.fema.gov/news-release/2015/10/22/hurricane-wilma-ten-years-later |archive-date=November 11, 2016}}</ref> Additionally, the federal government provided assistance via the [[Small Business Administration]] and [[United States Army Corps of Engineers]]. The former approved about $101.4 million in low-interest loans for businesses and homes and the latter installed more than 42,000 temporary roofs.<ref name="more than 300 million">{{cite report |url=https://reliefweb.int/report/united-states-america/usa-floridians-approved-more-300-million-assistance-wilma-recovery |title=USA: Floridians approved for more than $300 million in assistance for Wilma recovery |publisher=Federal Emergency Management Agency |date=February 7, 2006 |access-date=October 24, 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20241211060716/https://reliefweb.int/report/united-states-america/usa-floridians-approved-more-300-million-assistance-wilma-recovery |archive-date=December 11, 2024 |url-status=live}}</ref>
Florida governor Jeb Bush activated an emergency bridge loan program in early November 2005, allowing small businesses damaged by Wilma to apply for interest-free loans up to $25,000.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/49042080/south-florida-sun-sentinel/ |title=Bridge loans available to businesses |date=November 4, 2005 |page=2D |newspaper=Sun-Sentinel |access-date=April 19, 2020 |via=Newspapers.com |___location=Fort Lauderdale, Florida |archive-date=August 1, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200801173536/https://www.newspapers.com/clip/49042080/south-florida-sun-sentinel/ |url-status=live}}</ref> The Florida legislature took several actions in the 2006 session in relation to Wilma. These included allocating $66.7 million to improving shelters, mandating that high-rise buildings have at least one elevator capable of operating by generator, and requiring gas stations and convenience stores to possess a back-up electrical supply in the event that they have fuel but no power.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.miamiherald.com/news/state/florida/article171543712.html |title=Is South Florida more prepared than it was 12 years ago with Wilma? |author=Mary Ellen Klas |date=September 6, 2017 |newspaper=Miami Herald |access-date=April 19, 2020 |archive-date=September 27, 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190927073043/https://www.miamiherald.com/news/state/florida/article171543712.html |url-status=live}}</ref>
Florida's sugar industry was greatly affected; the cropping had already started and had to be halted indefinitely. Damage to sugarcane crops was critical and widespread. [[Citrus canker]] spread rapidly throughout southern Florida following Hurricane Wilma, creating further hardships on an already stressed citrus economy due to damage from Wilma and previous years' hurricanes. Citrus production estimates fell to a low of 158 million boxes for the 2005–2006 production seasons from a high of 240 million for 2003–2004.<ref name="fl_citrus">{{cite news |author=Kevin Bouffard |url=http://www.theledger.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20060319/NEWS/603190372/1001/BUSINESS |date=March 19, 2006 |title=1–2 Punch Hits Citrus |newspaper=The Ledger |access-date=November 23, 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131202223755/http://www.theledger.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=%2F20060319%2FNEWS%2F603190372%2F1001%2FBUSINESS |archive-date=December 2, 2013 |url-status=live |___location=Lakeland, Florida}}</ref> Forecasts projected a decrease of 28 million boxes of oranges, the smallest crop since the 1989-1990 growing season, caused by a severe freeze.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.gainesville.com/article/LK/20051210/News/604188575/GS?template=ampart |title=Wilma slashes harvest of oranges 15 percent |date=December 10, 2005 |agency=Associated Press |newspaper=The Gainesville Sun |access-date=May 5, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210916044116/https://www.gainesville.com/article/LK/20051210/News/604188575/GS?template=ampart |archive-date=September 16, 2021}}</ref>
By late-September 2010, roughly $9.2 billion had been paid for more than 1 million insurance claims that had been filed throughout Florida in relation to Hurricane Wilma.<ref>{{cite web |author=Julie Patel |work=Sun-Sentinel |date=September 28, 2010 |access-date=October 14, 2010 |title=Deadline for Hurricane Wilma claims approaching |url=http://weblogs.sun-sentinel.com/business/realestate/housekeys/blog/2010/09/deadline_for_hurricane_wilma_c.html |___location=Fort Lauderdale, Florida |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20101018194438/http://weblogs.sun-sentinel.com/business/realestate/housekeys/blog/2010/09/deadline_for_hurricane_wilma_c.html |archive-date=October 18, 2010 |url-status=live}}</ref>
=== Bahamas ===
By about two days after the passage of Hurricane Wilma, 800 residents on Grand Bahama remained in shelters.<ref name="ifrc1"/> Local Red Cross chapters mobilized all available resources to assist the residents most affected. The Bahamian Red Cross began a three-month program to distribute food and other items to 1,000 of the 3,500 affected families, primarily on Grand Bahama; the remaining 2,500 families received assistance from the government and other organizations. Volunteers delivered building materials and provided water vouchers to those affected. In [[Nassau, Bahamas|Nassau]], the Red Cross disaster contingency stock sent a boat with food items, blankets, health kits, tarpaulins and water.<ref name="crcs">{{cite web |work=Caribbean Red Cross Societies |date=November 1, 2005 |title=Red Cross responds to 'Wilma' on Grand Bahama |at=ReliefWeb |access-date=February 18, 2007 |url=http://www.reliefweb.int/rw/RWB.NSF/db900SID/RMOI-6J83RK?OpenDocument&rc=2&cc=bhs |archive-date=September 27, 2007 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070927194106/http://www.reliefweb.int/rw/RWB.NSF/db900SID/RMOI-6J83RK?OpenDocument&rc=2&cc=bhs |url-status=live}}</ref> About a week after the hurricane, the [[United States Agency for International Development]] began providing $50,000 to the Bahamian National Emergency Management Agency for the purchase and distribution of emergency supplies. The agency also provided $9,000 for locally contracted helicopter assessments in the affected areas.<ref name="usaid">{{cite web |work=United States Agency for International Development |date=October 31, 2005 |title=USAID provides assistance to The Bahamas hurricane victims |at=ReliefWeb |access-date=February 18, 2007 |url=http://wwwnotes.reliefweb.int/w/rwb.nsf/480fa8736b88bbc3c12564f6004c8ad5/7c302053152c6209852570ac006b32f2?OpenDocument |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070927192548/http://wwwnotes.reliefweb.int/w/rwb.nsf/480fa8736b88bbc3c12564f6004c8ad5/7c302053152c6209852570ac006b32f2?OpenDocument |archive-date=September 27, 2007}}</ref> Red Cross agencies throughout the Caribbean provided hygienic kits, plastic sheeting, blankets, and jerry cans.<ref name="crcs"/> Work crews quickly removed [[road debris]] and tree limbs, and by the day after the passage of Wilma most roads were cleared. The passage of the hurricane left 1,000–4,000 people and hundreds of animals homeless. In response, the Grand Bahama Humane Society distributed about {{convert|340|kg|lb|abbr=on}} of dog food and treated or euthanized injured animals, depending on their condition.<ref name="pegasus">{{cite web |author=Elizabeth (Tip) Burrows |date=November 2005 |title=Hurricane Wilma and Grand Bahama |publisher=Pegasus Foundation |access-date=February 20, 2007 |url=http://www.pegasusfoundation.org/Grand_Bahama_2005_Hurricane.htm |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20060719000437/http://www.pegasusfoundation.org/Grand_Bahama_2005_Hurricane.htm |archive-date=July 19, 2006}}</ref> Partly due to hurricane damage in tourist areas of Mexico, the Bahamas experienced a 10% increase in visitors in December 2005.<ref name="tour">{{cite news |author=Avery Johnson |work=The Wall Street Journal |date=December 4, 2005 |title=South Looks Up: Warm-weather destinations are seeing near-record highs for bookings, rates}}</ref> Electricians had power restored to the Freeport area by the day after the storm,<ref name="bvg" /> and had power restored to most of the western portion of the island within three weeks after the hurricane.<ref name="pbp124"/> By that time, the airport on Grand Bahama was reopened, along with every hotel but one; the remaining hotel reopened two months after the hurricane.<ref name="LASZLO BUHASZ">{{cite news |author=Laszlo Buhasz |date=November 12, 2005 |title=Caribbean hot spots sweep up in hurricanes' wake |url=https://www.theglobeandmail.com/life/caribbean-hot-spots-sweep-up-in-hurricanes-wake/article1130626/ |newspaper=The Globe and Mail |___location=Toronto, Ontario |access-date=September 26, 2024 |archive-date=September 26, 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240926064547/https://www.theglobeandmail.com/life/caribbean-hot-spots-sweep-up-in-hurricanes-wake/article1130626/ |url-status=live}}</ref><ref name="lasras">{{cite news |author=Jane Wooldridge |title=Hurricane Report |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/richmond-times-dispatch/156029609/ |date=December 11, 2005 |page=J4 |newspaper=Richmond Times Dispatch |access-date=September 26, 2024 |via=Newspapers.com |archive-date=September 26, 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240926064547/https://www.newspapers.com/article/richmond-times-dispatch/156029609/ |url-status=live}}</ref>
=== Retirement ===
Due to the hurricane's widespread damage, the [[World Meteorological Organization]] retired the name "Wilma" from the [[Atlantic hurricane naming lists]] in April 2006. It was replaced with "Whitney" for the [[2011 Atlantic hurricane season]].<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.noaanews.noaa.gov/stories2006/s2607.htm |title=Dennis, Katrina, Rita, Stan, and Wilma "Retired" from List of Storm Names |access-date=April 12, 2024 |date=April 6, 2006 |publisher=National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171224105328/http://www.noaanews.noaa.gov/stories2006/s2607.htm |archive-date=December 24, 2017 |url-status=dead}}</ref><ref>{{cite report |url=https://www.preventionweb.net/files/1533_entirenhop06.pdf |page=3{{hyphen}}8 |publisher=National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration Office of the Federal Coordinator for Meteorological Services and Supporting Research |___location=Washington, D.C. |title=National Hurricane Operations Plan |date=May 2006 |access-date=April 12, 2024 |archive-date=January 19, 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240119200543/https://www.preventionweb.net/files/1533_entirenhop06.pdf |url-status=live}}</ref>
== See also ==
* [[Tropical cyclones in 2005]]
* [[List of Category 5 Atlantic hurricanes]]
* [[List of Cuba hurricanes]]
* [[List of Florida hurricanes (2000–present)]]
* [[Timeline of the 2005 Atlantic hurricane season]]
* [[Hurricane Allen]] (1980) – Another record-breaking Category 5 storm that moved through the Caribbean Sea
* [[Hurricane Gilbert]] (1988) – A Category 5 storm that previously held the record for the most intense Atlantic storm on record
* [[Hurricane Mitch]] (1998) – An extremely deadly Category 5 storm that affected similar areas
* [[Hurricane Delta]] (2020) – A Category 4 storm that rapidly intensified in the same area and struck the Yucatán Peninsula
* [[Hurricane Eta]] (2020) – A Category 4 hurricane that also rapidly intensified in the same area and devastated Central America
* [[Cyclone Ernie]] (2017) – One of the quickest strengthening tropical cyclones on record.
== Notes ==
{{Reflist|group=nb}}
==
{{Reflist}}
<small>
<!-- Dead note "185fcn": [http://www.firstcoastnews.com/news/usworld/news-article.aspx?storyid=48357 First Coast News: photograph of NHC giant wall map showing Wilma at {{convert|185|mi/h|km/h|abbr=on}}] -->
<!-- Dead note "wfor-0120-23": [http://cbs4.com/topstories/topstoriesmia_story_295075217.html Wilma's Rain Bands cause Flooding in Broward] -->
<!-- Dead note "crystal": [http://www.sun-sentinel.com/news/weather/hurricane/sfl-wilma.pg,0,7074860.photogallery?index=37 Sun-Sentinel photograph of damage at the Kathleen C. Wright Building, downtown Fort Lauderdale] -->
<!-- Dead note "financial": [http://www.sun-sentinel.com/news/weather/hurricane/sfl-wilma.pg,0,7074860.photogallery?index=51 Sun-Sentinel photograph of damage at the Broward Financial Center, downtown Fort Lauderdale] -->
<!-- Dead note "ap-2224-24": [https://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20051024/ap_on_re_us/hurricane_wilma_258 Wilma Kills 6 in Fla.; 6M Without Power] -->
<!-- # '''^''' [http://stormedition.naplesnews.com/photos/galleries/hurricane_wilma_signs/ BonitaNews.com Hurricane Wilma Signs] -->
</small>
== External links ==
{{Commons category}}
* {{NHC TCR url|id=AL252005_Wilma|title=Tropical Cyclone Report}} on Hurricane Wilma.
* The NHC's [http://www.nhc.noaa.gov/archive/2005/refresh/WILMA+shtml/ archive on Hurricane Wilma].
* [http://www.stormchaser.ca/Hurricanes/Wilma/Wilma.html Storm chaser George Kourounis documents the eye of Hurricane Wilma]
* [http://www.
* [http://www.futura-sciences.com/communiquer/g/showgallery.php/cat/572 Wilma pictures, satellites images]
* [http://www.
{{Portal bar|Tropical cyclone|Mexico|United States|Florida}}
{{Leading tropical cyclones}}
{{Category 5 Atlantic hurricanes}}
{{2005 Atlantic hurricane season buttons}}
{{Authority control}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Wilma (2005)}}
[[
[[Category:2005 Atlantic hurricane season]]
[[
[[
[[Category:2005 natural disasters|Hurricane Wilma]]
[[Category:Articles containing video clips]]
[[Category:Atlantic hurricanes in Mexico]]
[[Category:Category 5 Atlantic hurricanes]]
[[Category:Hurricanes in Belize]]
[[Category:Hurricanes in Canada]]
[[Category:Hurricanes in Cuba]]
[[Category:Hurricanes in Florida]]
[[Category:Hurricanes in Honduras]]
[[Category:Hurricanes in Jamaica]]
[[Category:Hurricanes in the Bahamas]]
[[Category:Hurricanes in the Cayman Islands]]
[[Category:October 2005 in North America]]
[[Category:Retired Atlantic hurricanes]]
[[Category:Tropical cyclones in 2005|Wilma]]
| |||