Hurricane Wilma was one of the costliest tropical cyclones in Florida history. Wilma developed in the Caribbean Sea just southwest of Jamaica on October 15 from a large area of disturbed weather. After reaching tropical storm intensity on October 17 and then hurricane status on October 18, the system underwent explosive intensification, peaking as the strongest tropical cyclone ever recorded in the Atlantic basin. Wilma then slowly weakened while trekking to the northwest and fell to Category 4 intensity by the time it struck the Yucatán Peninsula on October 22. Thereafter, a strong cold front swept the storm northeastward into Florida on October 24, with landfall occurring near Cape Romano as a Category 3 hurricane with winds of . Wilma continued rapidly northeastward into the Atlantic Ocean and became extratropical on October 26.

As the system drew closer, Florida governor Jeb Bush declared a state of emergency on October 19. Schools and government offices began closing on the following day. The storm's threat resulted in the postponement of several professional and collegiate sports games. The National Hurricane Center (NHC) issued many tropical cyclone warnings and watches for the state beginning on October 22. Officials ordered evacuations for southwestern Florida and the Florida Keys. However, fewer than 10% of Florida Keys residents complied with evacuation orders. No mandatory evacuations would be ordered for coastal areas of the Miami metropolitan area, though residents residing in low-lying areas and mobile homes were told to evacuate. Over 33,000 people sought refuge at a shelter in Florida.

Much of southern Florida experienced hurricane-force winds, with the strongest surface-height sustained wind speed being a 15-minute average of , equivalent to a 1-minute speed of , observed in Lake Okeechobee. High winds left approximately 3,241,000 customers of Florida Power & Light without electricity, including roughly 98% of urban southeast Florida. Primarily due to strong winds, agriculture sustained $1.3 billion or more in damage. There was also extensive impact to businesses and dwellings, with 55,000 residences and 3,600 workplaces in Palm Beach County alone reporting some degree of damage. Storm surge also left extensive damage in some parts of the state, especially in the Florida Keys and coastal Collier County. Damage in Florida totaled approximately $19 billion. At least 30 Wilma-related deaths were reported in Florida; five people died directly due to the hurricane's impacts.

Preparations

The National Hurricane Center (NHC) issued many tropical cyclone warnings and watches in anticipation of Wilma. First, a hurricane watch was posted for the Florida Keys including Dry Tortugas and Florida Bay at 15:00 UTC on October 22. Six hours later, NHC issued another hurricane watch for the west coast of Florida south of Longboat Key and on the east coast of Florida to the south of Titusville, including Lake Okeechobee. At 21:00 UTC on October 23, a tropical storm watch was put into effect on the west coast from Longboat Key northward to the Steinhatchee River and on the east coast from Titusville northward to Fernandina Beach. Early the following day, the hurricane watch was upgraded to a hurricane warning on the west coast and on the east coast from Jupiter Inlet southward, including Lake Okeechobee.

The hurricane warning along the east coast stretching from the Jupiter Inlet southward was expended northward to Titusville at 09:00 UTC on October 23. Simultaneously, the portion of the tropical storm watch from Titusville to Flagler Beach was upgraded to a tropical storm warning. The tropical storm warning was extended further northward to St. Augustine at 03:00 UTC on October 24. Twelve hours later, the tropical storm watch was discontinued from St. Augustine to Fernandina Beach. At 17:00 UTC, the tropical storm warning from Longboat Key to the Steinhatchee River was canceled. The remainder of the hurricane warning in effect was downgraded to a tropical storm warning about 90 minutes later. By 21:00 UTC on October 24, all remaining tropical cyclone warnings and watches were discontinued.

A mandatory evacuation of residents was ordered for the Florida Keys in Monroe County. However, media reports suggested that as many as 80% of residents may have ignored the evacuation order. County offices, schools and courts were closed Monday, October 24. Mandatory evacuations were in effect for all Collier County residents living west or south of US 41. Other areas that were included in the mandatory evacuation were Seagate, Parkshore, The Moorings, Coquina Sands, Olde Naples, Aqualane Shores, Port Royal and Royal Harbour. Hurricane shelters in the area were opened. Curfews were put in place for several cities in Lee and Collier counties.

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. A mandatory evacuation of residents was ordered for the Florida Keys in Monroe County and those in Collier County living west or south of U.S. Route 41. 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. As far north as Flagler County, many schools and universities closed for at least one day in anticipation of the storm, including in Southwest Florida and the Miami, Orlando, and Tampa metropolitan areas. Schools in Broward and Palm Beach counties remained closed for two weeks because of extended power outages and some damage to school buildings.

Orange juice futures reached the highest level in six years on Wednesday, October 19, closing up 2.9 cents at $1.118 per pound due to the storm's expected damage to orange trees which would have compounded problems caused the previous year by Hurricanes Charley, Frances and Jeanne. Oil futures also initially rose, closing at $64.36 per barrel on October 17, up $1.73 from the previous day. However, prices began decreasing on October 18, falling by about $1 per barrel, after predictions indicated that Wilma was less likely to impact oil rigs in the Gulf of Mexico.

The NFL moved up its regular-season game between Kansas City Chiefs and Miami Dolphins to 7 p.m. on Friday, October 21 in anticipation of the hurricane. The Chiefs arrived in nearby Fort Lauderdale less than six hours before kickoff. Bob Moore, public relations director for the Chiefs, stated that the NFL initially told him to prepare to host the game at Kansas City or play at a neutral site. However, the NFL informed the team on Thursday morning that the game would be played on the following night at Dolphins Stadium. The NCAA postponed two college football games scheduled in south Florida on Saturday, October 22. Georgia Tech vs. University of Miami was rescheduled for Saturday, November 19 and West Virginia vs South Florida was rescheduled for Saturday, December 3. The NHL rescheduled its Saturday, October 22 regular-season game between the Ottawa Senators and Florida Panthers to Monday, December 5. Due to roof damage caused by Wilma and the loss of power at the BankAtlantic Center, the Panthers also had to postpone their October 29 match up against the Washington Capitals. Furthermore, a concert by the industrial rock band, Nine Inch Nails, expected to have taken place at the BankAtlantic Center on Monday, October 24, was postponed and later canceled. Key West's Fantasy Fest, held around each Halloween, was postponed 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. In anticipation of Wilma, all 4 Disney parks planned to be closed all day October 24, but the impact there was minimal, and Epcot and Magic Kingdom reopened at 1pm.

Impact

Wilma's rapid movement across Florida generally limited precipitation to between across a wide area, although the Kennedy Space Center observed of precipitation. Much of southern Florida experienced hurricane-force winds, with Category 2 conditions likely occurring in Broward, northern Miami-Dade, and Palm Beach counties. The highest surface-height sustained wind speed in Florida was a 15-minute average of at an observation site located in Lake Okeechobee, corresponding to a 1-minute average of . Much of the Florida Keys experienced storm surge, with estimates of nearly in the vicinity of Marathon. On the mainland, the highest recorded storm surge values occurred in Collier County, reaching in height. Wilma spawned ten tornadoes in Florida, with four in Brevard County and one each in Collier, Hardee, Highlands, Indian River, Okeechobee, and Polk counties.

Florida Power & Light (FPL), the largest electricity utility in the state, reported more than 3,241,000 customers had lost power throughout 21 counties – approximately 75% of FPL customers. This represented the largest electrical outage in Florida history, until Hurricane Irma in 2017 caused roughly 6.7 million customers to lose power in the state. Approximately 2.5 million customers lost power in the South Florida metropolitan area, equivalent to about 98% of subscribers. Electrical outages for each customer averaged 5.4 days. Wilma damaged close to 12,400 electrical poles and de-energized 241 substations.

The hurricane caused extensive damage to the agricultural industry, totaling at least $1.3 billion. Nurseries throughout the state experienced close to $554 million in damage, with $454 million incurred to crops and $100 million to structures. Sugar cane suffered approximately $400 million in damage, about $30 million more than the 2004 hurricanes combined."Seaports, growers hard hit by storm", p. 1D "Seaports, farmers sustain heavy damage", p. 8D Citrus farmers reported $180 million in damage and a loss of approximately 17% of citrus fruits. Wilma also wrought extensive damage to businesses and housing. In Palm Beach County alone, the hurricane inflicted some degree of structural impact to more than 55,000 homes and 3,600 businesses. An aerial survey by an insurance disaster assessment team reported approximately 70% of businesses and homes suffered at least minor damage in six different municipalities in Broward County. Damage in Florida totaled $19 billion, making Wilma the then-second-costliest hurricane in Florida history, behind Hurricane Andrew in 1992. Wilma was blamed for at least 30 deaths in Florida, of whom five were killed directly by the hurricane's impacts.

Monroe County

Wilma caused two storm surge events in the Florida Keys, with the first occurring several hours before the storm's landfall in Florida and the second beginning just after the hurricane struck the state. Storm tide estimates during the first surge included at Key West above mean sea level (MSL), above MSL elsewhere in the lower Florida Keys, above MSL in middle Florida Keys (including Marathon), and above MSL in the upper Florida Keys. The second event was more severe and caused the worst coastal flooding in the Florida Keys since Hurricane Betsy in 1965. Key West recorded a storm tide of above MSL in the second event. Estimates elsewhere included tides of above MSL between Boca Chica Key and Big Pine Key, above MSL in the middle Florida Keys, and above MSL near Jewfish Creek in Key Largo.

Although the Florida Keys likely experienced hurricane-force winds, the highest observed sustained wind speed was a 2-minute average of at Key West International Airport, though the instrument failed before the strongest winds occurred. Several locations recorded hurricane-force gusts, including a gust at the Fort Jefferson National Monument on Dry Tortugas with an anemometer height at above MSL. On the inhabited islands, wind gusts peaked at on Cudjoe Key.