Claims News Service, Oct. 19, 10:30 a.m. EDT -- Hurricane Wilmais located approximately 170 miles south-southwest of Grand Caymanin the Cayman Islands and packs sustained winds of around 173 milesper hour, according to the National Hurricane Center (NHC), whichmakes it a Category 5 hurricane. The storm is predicted to travelin a west-northwest direction and maintain its strength over thenext 12 hours. Hurricane-force winds extend 15 miles from thecenter of the storm, while tropical storm-force winds extend 160miles. Meteorologists said Wilma may have become the most powerfulhurricane on record in the Atlantic Basin as measured by itsinternal pressure of 884 (below the record of 888 mb recorded byHurricane Gilbert in 1988). However, the NHC said the readingshould "be used with caution" until confirmed.

The long-term NHC forecast has Wilma passing well to thesouth-east of the Cayman Islands, which was badly damaged byHurricane Ivan last year. The storm is then expected to travelthrough the Yucatan Channel and into the Gulf of Mexico beforecurving east and heading rapidly towards southern Florida over theweekend. The NHC advised all interests in the Florida Keys and theFlorida Peninsula to "closely monitor the progress of Wilma".

Wilma is currently projected to make landfall along thesouth-western Florida coast on Saturday or Sunday. The NHC said itdoes not know how long Wilma will continue to be a category 5storm, and added the hurricane is expected to weaken as it movesthrough the Gulf of Mexico. However, meteorologists said Wilmapresents a "significant threat" to Florida and current forecastshave the storm hitting the state at between Category 2 and 4status. Florida was hit by four hurricanes in 2004 and has beenaffected by hurricanes Dennis, Katrina, and Rita this year.Authorities in the Florida Keys said they plan to order tourists toleave the island chain on Thursday and evacuate 80,000 residents onFriday.

Wilma is the 21st named storm to develop during this year'sNorth Atlantic hurricane season,

matching the record set in 1933. The storm is also the 12thhurricane to develop in 2005, which ties the record for mosthurricanes in a season set in 1969. Wilma is the third Category 5storm in the Atlantic Basin this year.

Sources: National Hurricane Center, Associated Press, ReutersNews, Agence Presse France, BBC News, CNN News

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