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The National Emergency Management Organization has declared the Preliminary Phase of the Hurricane Plan for Belize as a precautionary measure associated with the movement of Hurricane Wilma. At 6am local time the center of the hurricane was located near latitude 17.2 North and Longitude 82.8 West and is moving towards the West-Northwest at 8 miles per hour. The National Emergency Management Organization has put its resources in motion and has declared a Prelimary Phase of the Belize Hurricane Plan as a precaution to this Category 5 storm
Hurricane Wilma Advisory Number 17

Statement as of 11:00 am EDT on October 19, 2005


...Potentially catastrophic category five Hurricane Wilma continues
west-northwestward...Hurricane Warning issued for a portion of the
Yucatan...

At 11 am EDT...1500z...the government of Mexico has issued a
Hurricane Warning from San Felipe to Tulum on the Yucatan
Peninsula...including Cozumel and nearby islands.

Hurricane conditions are also possible on Swan Island.


At 11 am EDT...the government of Mexico has issued a Tropical Storm
Warning from south of Tulum to Chetumal.

At 11 am EDT...the government of Belize has issued a Tropical Storm Warning for Belize from the border with Mexico southward to Belize City


A Hurricane Watch remains in effect for the East Coast of the
Yucatan Peninsula from south of Tulum to Punta gruesa.


A Hurricane Watch remains in effect in Cuba for the provinces of
Matanzas westward through Pinar del Rio...and for the Isle of
Youth.


A Tropical Storm Warning remains in effect for Honduras from the
Honduras/Nicaragua border westward to Cabo camaron.


A Tropical Storm Warning and a Hurricane Watch remain in effect for
the Cayman Islands.


All interests in the Florida Keys and the Florida Peninsula should
closely monitor the progress of extremely dangerous Hurricane Wilma.


A Hurricane Warning means that hurricane conditions are expected
within the warning area...generally within the next 24 hours.
Preparations to protect life and property should be rushed to
completion. A Hurricane Watch means that hurricane conditions are
possible within the watch area...generally within 36 hours.


For storm information specific to your area...including possible
inland watches and warnings...please monitor products issued
by your local weather office.


At 11 am EDT...1500z...the center of Hurricane Wilma was located
near latitude 17.4 north... longitude 83.2 west or about 325
miles... 520 km... southeast of Cozumel Mexico.


Wilma is moving toward the west-northwest near 7 mph ...11 km/hr. A
turn toward the northwest is expected during the next 24 hours.


Maximum sustained winds are near 175 mph...280 km/hr...with higher
gusts. Wilma is a potentially catastrophic category five hurricane
on the Saffir-Simpson scale. Fluctuations in intensity are common
in hurricanes of this intensity...and are likely during the next 24
hours.


Hurricane force winds extend outward up to 50 miles... 85 km...
from the center...and tropical storm force winds extend outward up
to 160 miles...260 km.


Estimated minimum central pressure is 882 mb...26.05 inches.


Wilma is expected to produce storm total accumulations of 10 to 15
inches...with local amounts near 25 inches in mountainous terrain
across Cuba through Friday. Additional rainfall accumulations of 5
to 10 inches...with local amounts of 15 inches...are possible
across the Cayman Islands...Swan Island...and Jamaica through
Thursday. Storm total accumulations of 4 to 6 inches...with
isolated amounts of 8 to 12 inches...are possible from Honduras
northward to the Yucatan Peninsula of Mexico through Thursday.

Repeating the 11 am EDT position...17.4 N... 83.2 W. Movement
toward...west-northwest near 7 mph. Maximum sustained
winds...175 mph. Minimum central pressure... 882 mb.


An intermediate advisory will be issued by the National
Hurricane Center at 2 PM EDT followed by the next
complete advisory at 5 PM EDT.


Forecaster Franklin
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