Effects of Hurricane Wilma in The Bahamas
| Category 3 major hurricane (SSHWS/NWS) | |
Hurricane Wilma to the north of the Bahamas
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| Winds |
1-minute sustained: 120 mph (195 km/h) Gusts: 150 mph (240 km/h) |
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| Pressure | 955 mbar (hPa); 28.2 inHg |
| Fatalities | 1 direct |
| Damage | $100 million (2005 USD) |
| Areas affected | The Bahamas |
| Part of the 2005 Atlantic hurricane season | |
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The effects of Hurricane Wilma in The Bahamas were generally unexpected and primarily concentrated on the western portion of Grand Bahama. Hurricane Wilma developed on October 15, 2005 in the Caribbean Sea, and after initially organizing slowly it explosively deepened to reach peak winds of 185 mph (295 km/h) and a record-low pressure of 882 mbar (hPa). It weakened and struck eastern Mexico as a Category 4 hurricane on the Saffir-Simpson scale, and accelerated northeastward to make landfall on southwestern Florida on October 24. After crossing the state, Wilma briefly restrengthened in the open Atlantic Ocean, moving north of The Bahamas before weakening and later becoming an extratropical cyclone.
On October 24, Hurricane Wilma made its closest approach to The Bahamas, passing about 150 km (90 mi) north-northwest of Freeport. While passing the archipelago, Wilma produced hurricane-force winds and powerful storm surge, flooding southwestern coastal areas of Grand Bahama and destroying hundreds of buildings. Damage totaled about $100 million (2005 USD), almost entirely on the western half of the island. Central Grand Bahama, including the Freeport area, reported minor to moderate damage, while the eastern end received little to no damage. One child died on the island from the flooding. Elsewhere in the Bahamas, moderate damage occurred on Abaco and Bimini, while islands further to the south reported minimal wind damage
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Wikipedia