200km/h Wilma reaches Florida

2005-10-24 12:09

Key West, Florida - Hurricane Wilma's strongest winds began hitting Florida early on Monday at the start of what forecasters said would be a speedy and potentially devastating strike on a storm-weary peninsula, with its outer bands spewing torrential rain, spawning tornadoes and spreading fear.

Wilma, a strong Category 3 system, seemed destined to make landfall sometime around sunrise near the Naples-Marco Island area in Collier County on Florida's southwest coast. But severe weather began long before that almost inevitable occurrence.

Part of the hurricane's eyewall, which contains the strongest winds, was buffeting land in the area where landfall was expected.

And instead of getting weaker as first expected, Wilma got stronger while nearing Florida. At 05:00 (0900GMT), the storm's maximum sustained winds were measured at 200 kp/h.

- AP