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141-460: Boca Raton Airport is publicly owned and is designated as a general aviation transport facility governed by a seven-member Authority appointed by the City of Boca Raton and Palm Beach County Commission. Boca Raton Airport covers an area of 214 acres (87 ha) and has one asphalt -paved runway designated 5/23, which measures 6,276 × 150 ft (1,913 × 46 m). The airport has a control tower which

282-431: A per capita personal income of $ 44,518. It leads the state in agricultural productivity; agriculture is Palm Beach County's second-largest industry, after real estate development. In undeveloped (central and western) Palm Beach County there is significant tropical agricultural production, especially nurseries , truck crops (vegetables), and sugar cane . Palm Beach County has been called the "Winter Vegetable Capital" of

423-676: 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

564-558: A 1-minute average of 104 mph (167 km/h). Storm surge heights in the Florida Keys generally ranged from 4 to 8 ft (1.2 to 2.4 m) and peaked at nearly 9 ft (2.7 m) in Marathon . Collier County measured the highest storm surge on the mainland, reaching 4 to 8 ft (1.2 to 2.4 m) above sea-level. Wilma also spawned 12 tornadoes in Florida. Another SFWMD site in southeastern Hendry County reported

705-570: A 12 ft (3.7 m) storm surge, which reached about 1,000 ft (300 m) inland in some areas. The sudden rush of water destroyed about 250 homes and damaged another 400, mostly on the western portion of Grand Bahama. At one home in Eight Mile Rock , the waters swept away and killed a 15-month-old infant. The flooding unearthed 54 bodies from five cemeteries. Flooding also inundated more than 500 vehicles. Central and eastern Grand Bahama received little to no damage from

846-602: A boat with food items, blankets, health kits, tarpaulins and water. About a week after the hurricane, the United States Agency for International Development began providing $ 50,000 to the Bahamian National Emergency Management Agency for the purchase and distribution of emergency supplies. The agency also provided $ 9,000 for locally contracted helicopter assessments in the affected areas. Red Cross agencies throughout

987-596: A category-2 hurricane. With wind gusts in Palm Beach County peaking at 91 mph (146 km/h), the storm inflicted structural damage on about 15,000 houses and 2,400 businesses. Six deaths occurred in the county. Jeanne struck near the same location as a category-3 hurricane on September 26, 2004. The storm also brought strong winds, with an official wind gust of 94 mph (151 km/h). About 4,160 homes were damaged and 60 were destroyed. Jeanne left about $ 260 million in damage in

1128-503: A decrease of 28 million boxes of oranges, the smallest crop since the 1989-1990 growing season, caused by a severe freeze. By late-September 2010, roughly $ 9.2 billion had been paid for more than 1 million insurance claims that had been filed throughout Florida in relation to Hurricane Wilma. By about two days after the passage of Hurricane Wilma, 800 residents on Grand Bahama remained in shelters. Local Red Cross chapters mobilized all available resources to assist

1269-468: A deliberate grounding so as to obtain an insurance payout has been proposed. The coconuts were salvaged, too many to be eaten, and thousands were planted. A lush grove of palm trees soon grew on what was later named Palm Beach. According to the U.S. Census Bureau , the county has a total area of 2,383 square miles (6,170 km ), of which 1,970 square miles (5,100 km ) are land and 413 square miles (1,070 km ) (17.3%) are covered by water. It

1410-409: A disaster area for 9 of Quintana Roo's 11 municipalities – Benito Juárez, Cozumel, Felipe Carrillo Puerto , Isla Mujeres, Lázaro Cárdenas , Othon P. Blanco , and Solidaridad . Mexico's development bank – Nacional Financiera – provided financial assistance to businesses affected by Wilma and Stan through a $ 400 million fund (MXN, US$ 38 million). Quintana Roo's state government began

1551-535: A favorable environment, including warm sea surface temperatures , due to a high-pressure area over the Gulf of Mexico , a mid-tropospheric anticyclone to the east-northeast of the storm, and weak and poorly-defined steering flow. The depression turned southwestward and strengthened into a tropical storm on October 17, whereupon the NHC designated it Wilma . Initial intensification was slow, due to Wilma's large size and

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1692-488: A flat pressure gradient , although the associated convection gradually organized. On October 18, Wilma curved west-northwestward and intensified into a hurricane, and subsequently underwent explosive deepening over the open waters of the Caribbean Sea. In a 30–hour period through October 19, Wilma's barometric pressure dropped from 982 to 882 millibars (29.0 to 26.0  inHg ); this made Wilma

1833-463: A hurricane warning ultimately covering all of South Florida from Longboat Key on the west coast to Titusville , including Lake Okeechobee and the Florida Keys . A tropical storm watch extended northward on the west coast to Steinhatchee River . On Florida's east coast, a tropical storm warning stretched northward from Titusville to St. Augustine , with a tropical storm watch extending north to Fernandina Beach . Florida governor Jeb Bush declared

1974-495: A hurricane warning was in place for the city of Havana , as well as the provinces of La Habana and Pinar del Río . A tropical storm warning was also issued for Isla de la Juventud , and a hurricane watch was issued for Matanzas Province . The Cuban government mobilized 93,154 workers to help evacuate 760,168 people across the island's western provinces. The evacuees generally stayed with family, friends, or in storm shelters. Officials closed all schools nationwide during

2115-644: A minimum atmospheric pressure of 950.5 mbar (28.07 inHg). Wind damage accounted for much of the storm's overall damage. The very large eye of Wilma moved across all of or portions of six counties – Broward , Collier, Hendry, Miami-Dade , and Palm Beach . This resulted in widespread hurricane-force sustained winds and gusts, with Category 2 conditions likely occurring in southeastern Florida from Palm Beach County to northern Miami-Dade County. Strong winds left widespread power outages; Florida Power & Light reported more than 3,241,000 customers had lost power throughout 42  counties . At

2256-631: A month later, the Florida East Coast Railway , owned by Flagler, reached West Palm Beach. On November 5, 1894, Palm Beach County's oldest city, West Palm Beach, was incorporated. In 1896, another hotel built by Flagler was opened, the Palm Beach Inn, later renamed The Breakers . He also constructed his own winter home , which he and his wife moved into in 1902. The arrivals of Major Nathan Boynton , Congressman William S. Linton , and railroad surveyor Thomas Rickards in

2397-577: A pre- Great Depression peak of $ 89 million in 1929. The city's population quadrupled between 1920 and 1927. Early on September 17, 1928, the Okeechobee hurricane made landfall near West Palm Beach as a category-4 storm and crossed Lake Okeechobee shortly thereafter. While the hurricane caused catastrophic impact in eastern portions of the county, the Lake Okeechobee region suffered a much heavier loss of life. Wind-driven storm surge in

2538-477: A result of an increase in mid-level ridging to the northeast. Late on October 21, Wilma made landfall on the island of Cozumel , Quintana Roo , with sustained winds of 150 mph (240 km/h). About six hours later, 03:30 UTC the next day, Wilma made a second landfall on the Mexican mainland near Puerto Morelos , but with winds reduced to 135 mph (215 km/h). The hurricane weakened over

2679-459: A secret blast shelter was built on Peanut Island during his presidency because escalating Cold War tensions. Hurricane David struck near West Palm Beach late on September 3, 1979, with sustained winds of 100 mph (155 km/h). The storm's winds shattered windows in stores near the coast and caused property damage. A few roofs were torn off, and numerous buildings were flooded from over 6 in (150 mm) of rainfall. Damage in

2820-680: A significant number of aerospace facilities in the county, operated by United Technologies , Pratt & Whitney Rocketdyne , Sikorsky Aircraft , General Dynamics , Lockheed Martin , and B/E Aerospace . Many of these companies rank among the top 100 employers for the county. The largest employer in Palm Beach County is the School District of Palm Beach County , with 27,168 employees, including more than 12,800 teachers. Previously W. R. Grace and Company had its headquarters in unincorporated Palm Beach County, near Boca Raton , employing about 130 staff. On January 27, 2011, it announced it

2961-516: A temporary work program for residents whose jobs were impacted by the hurricane. The Mexican Red Cross provided food, water, and health care to residents affected by the hurricane. The agency also distributed emergency supplies, such as mosquito nets, plastic sheeting, and hygiene supplies. Within a few days of Wilma's passage by Cuba, workers restored power and water access to impacted residents. The Revolutionary Armed Forces cleared and repaired roads around Havana that were flooded. The capital city

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3102-569: A week after Wilma formed, Tropical Storm Alpha struck Hispaniola and caused additional deadly floods in Haiti. Damage in the country totaled around $ 500,000. Wilma caused one death in Jamaica as a tropical depression on October 16. It pounded the island for three days ending on October 18, flooding several low-lying communities and triggering mudslides that blocked roads and damaged several homes. Almost 250 people were in emergency shelters on

3243-578: A wind gust as high as 108 mph (174 km/h) in Hobe Sound , the storm extensively damaged 120 dwellings and destroyed 48 others. The county tallied $ 95.7 million in damage. Neighboring St. Lucie County reported damage totaling $ 43.4 million. Rainfall totals ranging from 10 to 13 in (250 to 330 mm) in parts of Brevard County left freshwater flooding; about 200 homes in Cocoa suffered water damage. Six tornadoes in

3384-481: A winter climate characteristic of the subtropics . Lacking snow or low temperatures enabled military operations to continue year round. Florida also has consistently flat terrain, an ideal feature when training new and inexperienced pilots. Its location adjacent to the Atlantic Ocean and the Gulf of Mexico also provided ideal locations for flight training. Boca Raton was also chosen for practical purposes. In

3525-559: Is a county in the southeastern part of Florida , located in the Miami metropolitan area . It is Florida's third-most populous county after Miami-Dade County and Broward County and the 26th-most populous in the United States , with 1,492,191 residents as of the 2020 census . Its county seat and largest city is West Palm Beach , which had a population of 117,415 as of 2020. Named after one of its oldest settlements, Palm Beach ,

3666-547: Is composed of roughly 4,200 employees, including approximately 1,600 sworn law enforcement personnel, 700 sworn corrections personnel, 1,900 civilian personnel and 1,800 volunteers. The annual operating budget for the PBSO is more than $ 800 million, as of 2023. Ric Bradshaw has been sheriff for Palm Beach County since 2005. There are two jail facilities operated by the Palm Beach County Sheriff's Office. One

3807-616: Is in Belle Glade, called the West Detention Center, which houses all custody levels from minimum to maximum security. At any one time it can contain up to 991 inmates (total bed capacity), with a staff of 188. The facility has a video visitation program which allows families to communicate with inmates remotely. The largest jail is the Main Detention Center. Three towers - South, East, and West, make up

3948-598: Is not native to Florida (nor anywhere else in the United States). Its presence in what is today Palm Beach County is due to the shipwreck of the Spanish ship Providencia in 1878, near today's Mar-a-Lago . It was traveling from Havana to Cádiz, Spain with a cargo of coconuts. The shipwreck was within walking distance of the shore—the Florida State Archives conserves a picture of a painting —and

4089-558: Is staffed from 7:00 a.m. to 11:00 p.m. There are two full-service fixed-base operators, Signature Flight Support and Atlantic Aviation. The Burton D. Morgan School of Aeronautic of Lynn University is located at the airport. For the 12-month period ending December 31, 2020, the airport had 81,550 aircraft operations, an average of 223 per day: 93% general aviation , 6% air taxi and <1% military . At that time there were 242 aircraft based at this airport: 130 single- engine , 27 multi-engine, 82 jet and 3 helicopter . Boca Raton Airport

4230-476: Is the lowest central pressure on record for any Atlantic hurricane, breaking the previous record of 888 mbar (26.2 inHg) set by Hurricane Gilbert in 1988. Wilma's intensification rate broke all records in the basin, with a 24–hour pressure drop of 97 mbar (2.9 inHg); this also broke the record set by Gilbert. At the hurricane's peak intensity, the Hurricane Hunters estimated

4371-470: Is the second-largest county in Florida by land area and third-largest by total area. Much of the water is the Atlantic Ocean and Lake Okeechobee . The county has an estimated 526,000 acres (213,000 ha) of farmland. The eastern third of Palm Beach County is highly urbanized, while the central and western portions of the county are suburban or rural. Palm Beach County is one of three counties in

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4512-881: The Key West Citizen to refer to the lower Florida Keys as a "car graveyard." The storm ran hundreds of vessels aground, including 223 boats between Key West and Islamorada . Damage in Monroe County reached at least $ 200 million, with approximately half the total occurring in Key West, though the figure did not include incorporated areas. Storm surge in Collier County mostly impacted Chokoloskee , Everglades City , and Plantation Island . Surge destroyed around 200 recreational vehicles in Chokoloskee and covered Everglades City with about 4 ft (1.2 m) of water, flooding structures including

4653-470: The 21st district , Lois Frankel of the 22nd district , and Jared Moskowitz of the 23rd district . Nine districts of the Florida House of Representatives represent parts of Palm Beach County, with the seats held by Kelly Skidmore (D) of 81st district, John Snyder (R) of the 82nd district, Rick Roth (R) of the 85th district, Matt Willhite (D) of the 86th district, David Silvers (D) of

4794-608: The Cayman Islands ; these were dropped three days later. A tropical storm warning was issued in Honduras from the border with Nicaragua westward to Cabo Camaron at 15:00 UTC on October 17. In Belize , another tropical storm warning became in effect at 15:00 UTC on October 19 from the border with Mexico to Belize City . On October 21, the tropical storm warning in Honduras was discontinued at 03:00 UTC, while

4935-578: The Clerk of the Circuit Court & Comptroller, Palm Beach County 's annual financial report, Checks & Balances: Your Guide to County Finances. The County collected $ 1.1 billion in property tax revenue in FY 2018, an increase of 6 percent over the previous year. Sales tax collections rose to $ 175.8 million, marking the eighth consecutive year of growth. Revenue from Tourist Development Tax receipts

5076-532: The Florida East Coast Railway and built the Royal Poinciana Hotel , The Breakers , and Whitehall . In 1928, the Okeechobee hurricane struck Palm Beach County and caused thousands of deaths. More recently, the county acquired national attention during the 2000 presidential election , when a controversial recount occurred . In 2004, Palm Beach County was Florida's wealthiest county, with

5217-594: The Georgia Tech vs. Miami match moved to November 19, the West Virginia vs. South Florida game moved to December 3, and the Central Florida vs. Tulane game played on October 21, one day earlier. The government of The Bahamas issued a hurricane warning for the northwestern Bahamas at 12:00 UTC on October 23, about 24 hours before Wilma made its closest approach to

5358-620: The Green Line train in Newton, Massachusetts . Snowfall reached 20 in (510 mm) in Vermont. In Maine, the snowfall left about 25,000 people without power. After exiting Florida, Wilma passed just north of the northwestern Bahamas. A buoy just off West End on Grand Bahama recorded sustained winds of 95 mph (153 km/h), along with gusts of 114 mph (183 km/h). The hurricane also produced high waves and

5499-864: The Jupiter Hammerheads , an affiliate of the Miami Marlins, and the Palm Beach Cardinals , an affiliate of the St. Louis Cardinals. Prior to the construction of Roger Dean Stadium, the Montreal Expos and Atlanta Braves held their spring training at Municipal Stadium in West Palm Beach. The West Palm Beach Expos , a Single-A affiliate of the Montreal Expos, also played their games there. The Ballpark of

5640-646: The Kennedy Space Center . Additionally, the Lakeland Linder International Airport reported 7.53 in (191 mm) of rainfall on October 24, which remained the highest one-day total at that location until Hurricane Milton in 2024 . The highest observed sustained wind speed at surface-height was a 15-minute average of 92 mph (148 km/h) at a South Florida Water Management District (SFWMD) observation site located in Lake Okeechobee, corresponding to

5781-718: The Miami metropolitan area , Palm Beach County reported damage to nearly 59,000 businesses and homes, while 5,111 residences in Broward County and at least 2,059 others in Miami-Dade County became uninhabitable. Approximately $ 19 billion in damage and 30 deaths occurred in Florida. Within the Bahamas, Wilma caused one death and damaged or destroyed hundreds of homes, mostly on Grand Bahama . Overall, at least 52 deaths were reported and damage totaled to $ 26.5 billion, most of which occurred in

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5922-466: The Miami metropolitan area . However, the county's western communities along Lake Okeechobee, such as Belle Glade , South Bay , and Pahokee , have also been considered more part of the rural Florida Heartland . The Atlantic coastline of Palm Beach County is about 47 mi (76 km) in length. It consists mainly of barrier islands and peninsulas, including Jupiter Island , Singer Island , and Palm Beach Island . These islands are separated from

6063-481: The National Register of Historic Places in Palm Beach County were designed and constructed during the 1920s, with the main contributors being architects Maurice Fatio , Addison Mizner , Marion Sims Wyeth , and the firm Harvey and Clarke , which included Gustav Maass . Total property value in West Palm Beach skyrocketed from $ 13.6 million in 1920 to $ 61 million in 1925, before briefly reaching

6204-569: The New River . The crew survived the wreck but nearly died due to starvation because of the desolation of the area. In response, five Houses of Refuge were built along the east coast of Florida from the Fort Pierce Inlet southward to Biscayne Bay. Orange Grove House of Refuge No. 3 was built near Delray Beach in 1876. Very few people lived in modern-day Palm Beach County prior to the arrival of Henry Flagler , who first visited in

6345-762: The Old Collier County Courthouse . The hurricane also caused major impact in Naples , especially to 90 high-rise condos. Buildings in the city suffered $ 150 million in damage. Additionally, high winds severely damaged 100 hangars at Naples Airport . Wilma damaged 16,000 businesses and homes to some degree in Collier County, with 394 buildings suffering damage to at least 50 percent of their structure. The hurricane destroyed 2 dwellings, 8 workplaces, and 615 mobile homes, about one-third in Immokalee . In total,

6486-801: The Outer Banks of North Carolina. As Wilma was moving out to sea, a nor'easter developed near Cape Hatteras ; the two systems produced high waves, coastal flooding, and beach erosion from Delaware to Maine, resulting in some road closures. The nor'easter drew moisture and energy from Wilma to produce heavy rainfall, snowfall in higher elevations, and gusty winds, with a peak wind gust of 66 mph (106 km/h) recorded at Blue Hill Meteorological Observatory in Milton . The high winds resulted in downed trees and scattered power outages, with traffic blocked on parts of Interstate 95 in Rhode Island and

6627-870: The Palm Beach Outlets , CityPlace , Boynton Beach Mall , The Gardens Mall , Town Center at Boca Raton , The Mall at Wellington Green and Mizner Park . Formerly, the Palm Beach and Cross County Malls operated in the county, though they closed in 1997 and 2010, respectively. The Florida Department of Corrections operates the Glades Correctional Institution in an unincorporated area in Palm Beach County near Belle Glade. Palm Beach County's revenue from property taxes, sales taxes and tourist development taxes reached record levels in Fiscal Year (FY) 2018, according to

6768-851: The Second Seminole War occurred in Palm Beach County, including the Battles of the Loxahatchee in 1838. The county's oldest surviving structure, the Jupiter Lighthouse , was built in 1860, after receiving authorization to the land from President Franklin Pierce in 1854. During the American Civil War , Florida was a member of the Confederate States of America . Two Confederate adherents removed

6909-608: The Yucatán Peninsula on October 20 and 21. After crossing the Yucatán, Wilma emerged into the Gulf of Mexico as a Category 2 hurricane. As it began accelerating to the northeast, gradual re-intensification occurred, and the hurricane was upgraded to Category 3 status on October 24. Shortly thereafter, Wilma made landfall in Cape Romano , Florida, with winds of 120 mph (190 km/h). As Wilma

7050-477: The most intense Atlantic hurricane on record , based on pressure. During the same intensification period, the winds increased to a peak intensity of 185 mph (295 km/h), making Wilma a Category 5 on the Saffir–Simpson scale . An eyewall replacement cycle caused Wilma to weaken below Category 5 status on October 20. The storm then drifted northwestward toward Mexico's Yucatán Peninsula as

7191-409: The 1890s also proved important because they developed communities that later became Boynton Beach , Delray Beach, and Boca Raton , respectively. The Florida Legislature voted to establish Palm Beach County in 1909, carving it out of what was then the northern portion of Dade County and initially including all of Lake Okeechobee . The southernmost part of Palm Beach County was separated to create

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7332-669: The 1950s for a secret project to produce stem rust spores for possible use as a biological agent against wheat production in the Soviet Union . Other parts of the World War II air base were returned to private ownership and developed. In 1959 the remainder of the base was turned over to the City of Boca Raton and to the State of Florida. 200 acres (0.81 km) and a single runway (of three original runways), completely rebuilt, became Boca Raton Airport. The remaining land became

7473-488: The 2006 session in relation to Wilma. These included allocating $ 66.7 million to improving shelters, mandating that high-rise buildings have at least one elevator capable of operating by generator, and requiring gas stations and convenience stores to possess a back-up electrical supply in the event that they have fuel but no power. Florida's sugar industry was greatly affected; the cropping had already started and had to be halted indefinitely. Damage to sugarcane crops

7614-493: The 2013–14 season. USL Palm Beach is an upcoming American professional soccer team based in Palm Beach County. Founded in 2023, the team plans to make its debut in the USL Championship . The Palm Beach Imperials are an American Basketball Association 2006 expansion franchise. Tourists can visit these attractions and annual events: A number of shopping malls exist throughout Palm Beach County, including

7755-463: The 25 electoral votes to Bush, as Harris's tally prior to the state-ordered recounts placed him ahead of Gore by 537 popular votes. In turn, this gave Bush victory in the national election. Following the September 11 attacks in 2001, a Federal Bureau of Investigation investigation revealed that 12 of the 19 hijackers trained or resided in Palm Beach County during the months prior to

7896-444: The 31st district. As of 2023, the county has a slight Democratic plurality, with large Republican and independent minorities, respectively. In gubernatorial races, the county had been a stronghold for Democrats, a trend that began in 1990 and continued up until 2022 , when incumbent Republican governor Ron DeSantis won a majority of the vote in the county. Hurricane Wilma Effects Other wikis Hurricane Wilma

8037-485: The 87th district, Omari Hardy (D) of the 88th district, Mike Caruso (R) of the 89th district, Joseph Casello (D) of the 90th district, and Emily Slosberg (D) of the 91st district. Additionally, the county has four seats in the Florida Senate , which are represented by Gayle Harrell (R) of the 25th district, Tina Polsky (D) of the 29th district, Bobby Powell (D) of the 30th district, and Lori Berman of

8178-532: The Bahamas experienced a 10% increase in visitors in December 2005. Electricians had power restored to the Freeport area by the day after the storm, and had power restored to most of the western portion of the island within three weeks after the hurricane. By that time, the airport on Grand Bahama was reopened, along with every hotel but one; the remaining hotel reopened two months after the hurricane. Due to

8319-532: The Caribbean provided hygienic kits, plastic sheeting, blankets, and jerry cans. Work crews quickly removed road debris and tree limbs, and by the day after the passage of Wilma most roads were cleared. The passage of the hurricane left 1,000–4,000 people and hundreds of animals homeless. In response, the Grand Bahama Humane Society distributed about 340 kg (750 lb) of dog food and treated or euthanized injured animals, depending on their condition. Partly due to hurricane damage in tourist areas of Mexico,

8460-506: The Colonial Bank Building, the JW Marriott Miami, Espirito Santo Plaza , and the Four Seasons Hotel Miami in Greater Downtown Miami , as well as the One Financial Plaza , AutoNation Tower , Broward Financial Center, the Broward County Administration Building, the 14-floor Broward County School Board building, and the Broward County Courthouse in Fort Lauderdale . In Hendry County, high winds damaged around 90 percent of buildings and homes in Clewiston and other eastern sections of

8601-869: The Florida Keys twice, with the second event causing the worst coastal flooding in the island chain since Hurricane Betsy in 1965. At Dry Tortugas National Park , storm surge and winds damaged boats, destroyed docking facilities, and flooded the park office and living quarters, but Fort Jefferson saw no major damage. Water submerged roughly 60% of Key West and left approximately 690 apartment units, homes, and mobile homes uninhabitable. Wilma damaged more than 4,100 single-family residences, 20 of which sustained major damage, and 6 experienced complete destruction. The hurricane also damaged roughly 2,500 mobile homes, with 257 suffering substantial impact and 15 being destroyed. About 90 apartment and condominium units received some degree of impact. As many as 20,000 cars suffered damage, prompting

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8742-417: The Florida judicial district include the state attorney and public defender . All positions are 4-year terms, requiring direct election by voters in presidential election years. Five former county commissioners have been accused or found guilty of corruption from 2006 to 2009. A grand jury recommended a strong inspector general . This position was approved by county voters in 2010. A county judge found that

8883-432: The Jupiter Inlet. Among the first non-Native American residents were African Americans , many of whom were former slaves or immediate descendants of former slaves, arriving in what was then Spanish Florida in the late 17th century. Finding refuge among the Seminoles , the former slaves or descendants of former slaves fought alongside them against white settlers and bounty hunters during the Seminole Wars . Portions of

9024-662: 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. Wilma's passage through Florida disrupted many festivals and sporting matches. Key West postponed Fantasy Fest , often held annually around Halloween, until December, resulting in only about one-third of

9165-477: The NHC, the agency maintained the gale warning rather than changing it to a tropical storm warning to reduce confusion. For several days in its formative stages, Wilma's outer rainbands dropped heavy rainfall in Haiti and as far east as the Dominican Republic . The rains triggered river flooding and landslides in Haiti, killing 12 people, and forcing 300 residents into shelters. The storm cut communications between Les Cayes and Tiburon . Less than

9306-457: The Palm Beaches , opened in February 2017 in West Palm Beach, accommodates both the Washington Nationals and the Houston Astros for spring training. Also popular are the Florida Atlantic Owls , an NCAA Division I school that participates in American Athletic Conference . The FAU football team plays at FAU Stadium , and averaged 17,941 fans during the 2017 season. The FAU basketball team plays at FAU Arena , and averaged 1,346 fans during

9447-532: The United States. In mid-October 2005, a large monsoon-like system developed in the Caribbean Sea . A broad low pressure area formed on October 13 to the southeast of Jamaica, which slowly became more defined while acquiring additional deep convection . On October 15 at 18:00  UTC , the National Hurricane Center (NHC) classified the system as Tropical Depression Twenty-Four while located about 220 mi (350 km) east-southeast of Grand Cayman . The depression drifted west-southwestward through

9588-506: The Yucatán Peninsula to Category 2 intensity, but gradually re-strengthened once it reached the Gulf of Mexico, despite a significant increase in wind shear. Wilma re-intensified into a Category 3 hurricane early on October 24 as it accelerated to the northeast, steered by a powerful trough . After passing northwest of the Florida Keys , the hurricane struck southwestern Florida near Cape Romano around 10:30 UTC with winds of 120 mph (190 km/h). Wilma rapidly crossed

9729-541: The Yucatán peninsula with hurricane-force winds gusts for nearly 50 hours. On the Mexican mainland, a station in Cancún recorded 10–minute sustained winds of 100 mph (160 km/h), with gusts to 132 mph (212 km/h) before the anemometer failed; gusts were estimated at 140 mph (230 km/h). The prolonged period of high waves eroded beaches and damaged coastal reefs. Across Mexico, Wilma killed eight people – seven in Quintana Roo, and one in Yucatán. Throughout Mexico, Wilma's total damage

9870-407: The aforementioned "butterfly ballot" and the closeness of the statewide results between Gore and Texas Governor George W. Bush , the Florida Supreme Court mandated manual recounts in all counties with disputed results. However, the Supreme Court of the United States overturned the decision in Bush v. Gore on December 12, allowing Florida Secretary of the State Katherine Harris to award

10011-514: The archipelago. Officials ordered evacuations for the eastern and western portion of Grand Bahama island, with an estimated 300–1,000 people who ultimately evacuated to emergency shelters. The hurricane halted production of Disney 's Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man's Chest , forcing the cast and crew to evacuate. The Bermuda Weather Service issued a gale warning for the island early on October 24, due to uncertainty whether Wilma would be tropical or not. After consulting with

10152-405: The area for work, vacation, or retirement. The base was closed and became a commercial airport again in 1962. Migration to the county by workers, tourists, and retirees continued into the 21st century. On August 28, 1949, a category-4 hurricane struck Lake Worth Beach with maximum sustained winds of 130 mph (215 km/h), causing considerable damage. Throughout Palm Beach County,

10293-711: The area in October 2005. In 1997, the restored original Aston Martin DB5 "Effects Car" from the James Bond film " Goldfinger " was stolen from a hangar at Boca Raton airport. A U.S. Customs and Border Protection facility was scheduled to open in 2017 in order to allow Boca Raton Airport to process passengers arriving on international flights. Boca Raton Airport's Customs and Border Protection facility opened in May 2018. Palm Beach County, Florida Palm Beach County

10434-676: The attacks. Later that month, during the anthrax attacks , a letter containing spores of this substance was mailed to the American Media, Inc. building in Boca Raton. Three people were exposed to the anthrax, including Robert Stevens , a photo editor who later died after an infection induced by exposure. Three hurricanes severely impacted Palm Beach County in 2004 and 2005: Frances , Jeanne , and Wilma . On September 5, 2004, Frances made landfall in Martin County as

10575-559: The campus of Florida Atlantic University . The airport's first control tower opened in 2000. The tower was named after Philip Modder, who was the Chairman of the Boca Raton Airport Authority. Philip “Phil” Modder had pushed for Boca Raton, with its growing traffic of corporate jets, to have its own tower. The airport suffered more than $ 12 million worth of damage to hangars when Hurricane Wilma passed through

10716-598: The center. The largest is the South Tower, constructed in 1993 from concrete and steel at a cost of $ 52 million. The East and West Towers were built in 1983; they now flank the South Tower, completing the Main Detention Center. The Main Detention Center's primary function is to hold high risk inmates, federal inmates, and those inmates who are in need of special medical attention or are otherwise unable to operate at other facilities. The total number of beds at

10857-479: The commissioners is elected County Mayor and one of them is elected Vice Mayor. Commissioners serve staggered terms, and commissioners from Districts 1, 3, 5, and 7 are elected during presidential election years, while the commissioners from Districts 2, 4, and 6 are elected in gubernatorial election years. Elected county officers include a clerk of courts and comptroller, sheriff , property appraiser, tax collector , and supervisor of elections. State officers serving

10998-629: The country. On October 24, 2005, the same day Wilma made landfall in Florida, President George W. Bush approved a disaster declaration for Brevard, Broward, Collier, Glades, Hendry, Indian River, Lee, Martin, Miami-Dade, Monroe, Okeechobee, Palm Beach, and St. Lucie counties. The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) expended $ 342.5 million to the 227,321 approved applicants. The agency paid out $ 150.8 million for housing and $ 191.5 million for other significant disaster-related needs, including loss of personal property, moving and storage, and medical or funeral expenses relating to

11139-619: The county also damaged or destroyed some apartments, cars, fences, power lines, restaurants, and trees. In the Florida Panhandle , abnormal high tides generated by Wilma washed the Cape St. George Lighthouse into the Gulf of Mexico. Damage elsewhere in the state was generally minor. Rainfall from Hurricane Wilma extended up the east coast of the United States from Florida to Virginia. Precipitation reached 3 in (76 mm) along

11280-410: The county reached $ 30 million, most of which was incurred to agriculture. The county became the center of controversy during the 2000 presidential election . Allegedly, the "butterfly ballot" , designed by Palm Beach County Supervisor of Elections Theresa LePore , led to an unexpectedly large number of votes for Reform Party candidate Pat Buchanan , rather than for Democrat Al Gore . Due to

11421-482: The county reported $ 1.2 billion in damage, along with a death toll of 7. Hurricane-force wind gusts extended northward into Lee County . Bonita Springs experienced the worst impact in Lee County, with 972 homes reporting minor to major damage. In Cape Coral , Wilma impacted 511 residences; 490 dwellings suffered minor damage, 20 others experienced extensive damage, and 1 mobile home

11562-620: The county was $ 33,610. About 8.6% of families and 12.2% of the population were below the poverty line , including 18.5% of those under age 18 and 7.7% of those aged 65 or over. The St. Louis Cardinals and the Miami Marlins conduct their spring training at Roger Dean Stadium in Jupiter . Two teams in the Class A-Advanced Florida State League also play their home games at Roger Dean Stadium:

11703-435: The county was established in 1909, after being split from Miami-Dade County. The county's modern-day boundaries were established in 1963. Palm Beach County is one of the three counties that make up the Miami metropolitan area , which was home to 6.14 million people in 2020. The area has been increasing in population since the late 19th century, with the incorporation of West Palm Beach in 1894 and after Henry Flagler extended

11844-939: The county. The county suffered a loss of about half of orange and sugar crops. Overall, Wilma substantially damaged 250 homes and destroyed 550 other homes in Hendry County. Damage totaled at least $ 567 million, with $ 300 million to agriculture and $ 267 million in structures. Hurricane-force wind gusts in Glades County left approximately 3,000 people without electricity. Wilma destroyed more than 60 homes. Seventeen school district buildings suffered roof damage. Approximately 800 residences sustained damage in Okeechobee County , with 114 receiving major damage and 29 others being destroyed. In Martin County , which recorded

11985-595: The county. On October 24, 2005, Hurricane Wilma struck Collier County as a category-3 hurricane. The storm moved northeastward, directly crossing Palm Beach County. Several locations reported hurricane-force winds, including a wind gust of 117 mph (188 km/h) in Belle Glade. Over 90% of Florida Power & Light customers lost electricity. Two deaths occurred in Palm Beach County. The storm inflicted some degree of impact to more than 55,000 homes and 3,600 businesses. Palm Beach County suffered about $ 2.9 billion in damages. In August 2012,

12126-502: The decade also brought an airport to the county. Morrison Field, later renamed the Palm Beach International Airport , opened in 1936. After the U.S. entered World War II , it was converted to an Air Force Base in 1942. During the war, thousands of servicemen arrived in Palm Beach County for training and supporting the war effort. Following the conclusion of World War II, a number of veterans returned to

12267-540: The early 1890s. A Standard Oil tycoon, Flagler was instrumental in the county's development around the turn of the century. First, he purchased land on both sides of Lake Worth . Other investors followed suit, causing a small boom and bringing in existing businesses and resulting in the establishment of many new businesses. The Royal Poinciana Hotel , constructed by Flagler and his constructed crews to accommodate wealthy tourists, opened for business in February 1894. About

12408-469: The early-1940s, Boca Raton's population numbered only 723. This enabled the United States government to take thousands of acres of land for its use without having to relocate a large number of people. However, this is not to say that the establishment of the military airfield was without controversy. A majority of the land was acquired from Japanese American farmers from the failing Yamato Colony ,

12549-603: The expected high waters. Passenger travel was halted for all trains nationwide, as well as ferry service between Batabanó and Isla de la Juventud . Poor weather conditions forced three airports to briefly close – José Martí International Airport in Havana, Juan Gualberto Gómez in Varadero and Jardines del Rey in Cayo Coco . The NHC issued tropical cyclone warnings and watches across much of southern Florida, with

12690-463: The eye of Wilma contracted to a record minimum diameter of 2.3 mi (3.7 km). While striking Mexico, it dropped torrential rainfall on the offshore Isla Mujeres . Over 24 hours, a rain gauge recorded 64.330 in (1,633.98 mm) of precipitation, which set a record in Mexico for the nation's highest 24–hour rainfall total, as well as the highest 24–hour rainfall total in

12831-604: The facility is 2,166. The South Tower can hold 1,285 inmates, the East Tower has 418 beds, and the West Tower has 404 beds. Since the founding of Palm Beach County in 1909, 16 people have served as county sheriff. In the United States House of Representatives , Palm Beach County is represented by three Democrats and one Republican: Sheila Cherfillus-McCormick of the 20th district , Brian Mast of

12972-616: The family vacationed in Palm Beach in December ;1960. On December 11, Pavlick forwent his attempt because Kennedy was with his wife, Jacqueline , and their two children. Four days later, Pavlick's car, which had sticks of dynamite inside, was surrounded by police and he was arrested. Charges against Pavolick were dropped on December 2, 1963, 10 days after Kennedy was assassinated in Dallas, Texas . Additionally,

13113-670: The former dug in the 1890s and the latter created between 1926 and 1927. Several other islands exist within the Intracoastal Waterway, including Hypoluxo Island, Munyon Island , and Peanut Island . In addition, the county has an abundance of coral reef patches along its coastline and has made efforts to preserve them. Companies headquartered in Palm Beach County include Office Depot , The ADT Corporation , TBC Corporation , G4S Secure Solutions , NextEra Energy , The GEO Group , American Sugar Refining , Carrier , Globalsat Group , and Bluegreen Vacations . There are

13254-476: The hurricane destroyed 65 homes and damaged 13,283 others. The area's first television station, WIRK -TV Channel 21, began broadcasting on September 13, 1953. It went off the air less than three years later. However, NBC affiliate WPTV-TV and CBS affiliate WPEC first aired in 1954 and 1955, respectively – both of which are still in existence today. Richard Paul Pavlick nearly attempted to assassinate then President-elect John F. Kennedy while

13395-482: The hurricane ranked as the then-fourth costliest tropical cyclone in the United States, behind only Ivan in 2004 , Andrew in 1992 , and Katrina earlier that year . This has been surpassed many times since then, however. Wilma also ranked as the second costliest hurricane in Florida at the time, behind only Andrew. Adjusted for inflation in the year 2017, Wilma would have caused about $ 24.32 billion in damage. In Monroe County , storm surge from Wilma impacted

13536-401: The hurricane's economic cost at US$ 704.2 million, which included the expenses for preparations and lost production from factories. Nationwide, Wilma destroyed 446 houses and damaged another 7,149 to varying degree, mostly roofing damage. Due to high floodwaters, nearly 250 people required rescue from their homes in Havana, using inflatable rafts and amphibious vehicles to reach

13677-772: The hurricane. Public assistance from FEMA totaled over $ 1.4 billion, while grants for hazard mitigation projects exceeded $ 141.5 million. Additionally, the federal government provided assistance via the Small Business Administration and United States Army Corps of Engineers . The former approved about $ 101.4 million in low-interest loans for businesses and homes and the latter installed more than 42,000 temporary roofs. Florida governor Jeb Bush activated an emergency bridge loan program in early November 2005, allowing small businesses damaged by Wilma to apply for interest-free loans up to $ 25,000. The Florida legislature took several actions in

13818-539: The hurricane. The undersecretary to the prime minister, Carnard Bethell, estimated monetary damage at "just maybe under $ 100 million". However, the country estimated a damage total of about US$ 6.5 million in their report to the WMO . Damage in the Bahamas mostly consisted of torn roofs and uprooted trees, along with downed poles and trees. Power and telephone services were disrupted throughout Grand Bahama. Several resorts were closed for an extended period of time, after

13959-641: The island were short-lived due to the hurricane's fast forward motion at the time. The hurricane disrupted the flight path of migratory birds, resulting in an unusual increase in frigatebird sightings around the island. In Mexico, residents and tourists staying in shelters faced food shortages in Wilma's immediate aftermath. There were 10 community kitchens set up across Cancún, each capable of feeding 1,500 people every day. Local and federal troops quelled looting and rioting in Cancún. While Cancún's airport

14100-525: The island. Damage on the island totaled $ 93.5 million. While Wilma was moving northeast in the Gulf of Mexico, the hurricane produced high tides and gusty winds across western Cuba. The highest recorded gust was 84 mph (135 km/h) at Casablanca near Havana. For several days, the storm spread rainfall across 11 of Cuba's 14 provinces , with a peak rainfall of 8.8 in (223 mm) in Pinar del Río province. The Cuban government tabulated

14241-662: The lake inundated hundreds of square miles, including the nearby communities of Belle Glade , Pahokee , and South Bay . At least 2,500 deaths occurred, many of whom were black migrant farmers. An assessment of impact throughout the county reported 552 businesses destroyed, 1,447 businesses damaged, 3,584 homes destroyed, and 11,409 homes damaged, leaving 4,008 families homeless. However, several cities were excluded, such as Boca Raton, Greenacres , Lantana , and South Palm Beach . Damage in South Florida totaled roughly $ 25 million. In response to

14382-465: The lake more equitably among Glades , Hendry , Martin, and Okeechobee counties. A final change to the county's boundaries occurred in 2009, when a small portion of land was given to Broward County. The 1910s and much of the 1920s brought prosperity and rapid population growth to South Florida, coinciding with the Florida land boom of the 1920s . Many local historic districts and landmarks listed in

14523-679: The land having been seized through the process of eminent domain , leaving many Japanese Americans little recourse in the early days of World War II. All of these conditions enabled construction of the military airfield to commence in June 1942. While most of the Boca Raton Army Air Field was deactivated in 1946, more than 800 acres (3.2 km) were retained as the Boca Raton Air Force Auxiliary Field. Another 85 acres (0.34 km) were used in

14664-418: The latter experienced around $ 400 million in damage, approximately $ 30 million more than each of the 2004 Florida hurricanes combined. Additionally, citrus experienced roughly $ 180 million in damage from Wilma, equating to a loss of approximately 17% of citrus fruits. Overall, Wilma left about $ 19 billion in damage and 30 deaths in Florida, 5 from direct causes. Consequently,

14805-617: The lighting mechanism from the lighthouse. One of the men who removed the light, Augustus O. Lang, was also the first white settler in Palm Beach County. He built a palmetto shack along the eastern shore of Lake Worth in 1863 after abandoning the cause of the Confederacy. After the Civil War ended, the Jupiter Lighthouse was relit in 1866. In October 1873, a hurricane caused a shipwreck between Biscayne Bay and

14946-957: The mainland by the Intracoastal Waterway , with much of the waterway locally known as the Lake Worth Lagoon . The main barrier landmasses are split by four inlets: the Jupiter Inlet , the Lake Worth Inlet , the South Lake Worth Inlet , and the Boca Raton Inlet. Two of the four inlets are natural, but significantly altered – the Jupiter and Boca Raton inlets – while the Lake Worth and South Lake Worth inlets are man-made, with

15087-417: The mandate covered municipal government in 2015. The Palm Beach County Sheriff's Office ( PBSO ) provides police services to the county's unincorporated areas and the 13 municipalities covered by PBSO. PBSO also oversees the county jail system, provides security at all four of the county courthouses, and is the primary law enforcement agency covering Palm Beach International Airport . The Sheriff's Office

15228-548: The most severely flooded areas. The hurricane wrecked 410 acres (167 ha) worth of agricultural products in Pinar del Río and Havana provinces, which included damaged fruit trees, bee colonies, and tobacco houses. High floodwaters inundated parts of Havana and along Cuba's northwest coast, damaging roads and rail lines. Landslides blocked two bridges and five roads in eastern Cuba. The hurricane also damaged 364 schools and three hospitals. Officials cut electricity in Havana after winds reached 45 mph (72 km/h); after

15369-407: The nation. Around 12,000 years ago, Native Americans began migrating into Florida. An estimated 20,000 Native Americans lived in South Florida when the Spanish arrived. Their population diminished significantly by the 18th century, due to warfare, enslavement, and diseases from Europe. In 1513, Juan Ponce de León became the first European in modern-day Palm Beach County when he landed at

15510-471: The northern portion of Broward County in 1915, the northwestern portion became part of Okeechobee County in 1917, and southern Martin County was created from northernmost Palm Beach County in 1925. The boundaries remained the same until 1963, when the Florida Legislature reduced Palm Beach County's share of Lake Okeechobee from about 80 percent to less than 40 percent and divided

15651-573: The other in Belize was canceled twelve hours later. The Mexican government issued hurricane warnings from Chetumal near Belize to San Felipe, Yucatán ; a tropical storm warning was extended westward to Celestún . Officials declared a state of emergency in 23 municipalities across the Yucatán, and placed Quintana Roo and Yucatán under a red alert , the highest on its color-coded alert system. About 75,000 people evacuated in northeastern Mexico, including about 45,000 people who rode out

15792-567: The outer bands of Hurricane Isaac dropped at least 15.86 in (403 mm) of rain near Lion Country Safari . The consequent flooding left neighborhoods in The Acreage , Loxahatchee , Loxahatchee Groves , Royal Palm Beach , and Wellington stranded for up to several days. As Hurricane Irma approached in September 2017, mandatory or voluntary evacuations were ordered for more than 290,000 residents of Palm Beach County. Although

15933-414: The passage of Wilma and later Tropical Storm Alpha. During Wilma's passage, 41 hotels closed, of which five remained closed for two weeks after the storm. Many businesses, banks, and government institutions were closed for several days due to the storm. Along the coast, 554 boats were moved to protect them during the storm. Farmers moved 246,631 livestock, more than half of them cattle, to avoid

16074-485: The record-breaking 2005 Atlantic hurricane season , Wilma was the twenty-second storm, thirteenth hurricane, sixth major hurricane, fourth Category 5 hurricane , and the second costliest. Its origins came from a tropical depression that formed in the Caribbean Sea near Jamaica on October 15, headed westward, and intensified into a tropical storm two days later, which abruptly turned southward and

16215-489: The residents most affected. The Bahamian Red Cross began a three-month program to distribute food and other items to 1,000 of the 3,500 affected families, primarily on Grand Bahama; the remaining 2,500 families received assistance from the government and other organizations. Volunteers delivered building materials and provided water vouchers to those affected. In Nassau , the Red Cross disaster contingency stock sent

16356-574: The state and weakened to a Category 2 hurricane, emerging into the Atlantic Ocean near Jupiter . The cyclone briefly re-intensified to a Category 3 hurricane while passing north of the Bahamas later on October 24 while absorbing the smaller Tropical Storm Alpha to the east. The hurricane passed west of Bermuda on October 25. After cold air and wind shear penetrated the core of convection, Wilma transitioned into an extratropical cyclone on October 26 approximately 230 mi (370 km) southeast of Halifax, Nova Scotia , before it

16497-571: The storm damaged crops, roads, railways, 7,149 homes, 364 schools, and 3 hospitals. A total of 446 dwellings were destroyed. Damage throughout Cuba reached about $ 704 million. In Florida, strong winds impacted much of the southern portions of the state, while storm surge led to coastal flooding, especially in Collier and Monroe counties. The former, where the storm made landfall, suffered about $ 1.2 billion in damage, with 16,000 businesses and homes impacted to some degree. In

16638-654: The storm in 200 emergency shelters, many of them tourists. Schools were canceled in Quintana Roo, Yucatán, and Campeche, up to 15 days in some areas. Los Premios MTV Latinoamérica – the MTV Video Music Awards Latinoamérica – were canceled due to the hurricane, originally scheduled to occur in Playa del Carmen on October 20. The Cuban government issued several watches and warnings in relation to Wilma. By October 22,

16779-438: The storm passed well west of the county, much of the area experienced hurricane-force wind gusts, with a peak gust of 91 mph (146 km/h) in West Palm Beach. Impact was generally limited to widespread power outages and damaged trees and vegetation, though isolated property damage was reported. The storm left about $ 300 million in damage in the county, as well as five fatalities. The coconut palm , Cocos nucifera ,

16920-723: The storm, the Herbert Hoover Dike was constructed to prevent a similar disaster. As a result of 1926 Miami hurricane and the 1928 storm, Palm Beach County, along with the rest of South Florida, began suffering economic turmoil and pushed the region into the Great Depression, even before the Wall Street Crash of 1929 . Housing prices dropped dramatically in the county, with the total real estate value in West Palm Beach falling to $ 41.6 million in 1930 and then to $ 18.2 million in 1935. However,

17061-418: The storm, there were power and water outages in the city, nearby neighborhoods, and in Pinar del Río province. The storm downed 146 power poles and 8.0 mi (12.9 km) worth of electric lines. Across the Yucatán peninsula, Hurricane Wilma dropped torrential rainfall, inundated coastlines with a significant storm surge , and produced an extended period of strong winds. The hurricane lashed parts of

17202-692: The third story of some buildings due to 16 to 26 ft (5 to 8 m) waves, in addition to the storm surge. About 300 people who were from Great Britain had to be evacuated when their shelter flooded in Cancún, while the Americans were left there by the United States. The hurricane also caused significant damage in Cozumel and Isla Mujeres. About 300,000 people lost power in Mexico. The storm also damaged 473 schools. Flooding damaged houses in low-lying areas of eastern Yucatán state. The primary highway connecting Cancún and Mérida, Yucatán

17343-446: The time, this represented the largest power failure in the history of Florida. The outages affected approximately 2.5 million subscribers in the Miami metropolitan area – roughly 98% of electrical customers in that area. Florida's agricultural industry reported around $ 1.3 billion in damage. Nurseries and sugarcane crops were particularly hard hit – the former suffered damage totaling nearly $ 554 million and

17484-742: The usual attendance figures and a loss of millions of dollars in revenue for hotels, restaurants, and stores. The NFL moved the Kansas City Chiefs vs. Miami Dolphins game at Dolphins Stadium from October 23 to October 21, while the NHL postponed the Florida Panthers vs. Ottawa Senators match at the BankAtlantic Center from October 22 to December 5. The NCAA rescheduled three college football games originally set to occur on October 22, with

17625-412: The western hemisphere. When Tropical Storm Wilma formed on October 17, it became the 21st named storm of 2005 season, which broke the record for most tropical cyclones in a single season, 20, set in 1933 . An additional unnamed subtropical storm was added to 2005's tally after the season was over, making Wilma actually the 22nd storm of the season. With Wilma, an entire alphabetic 21-name list

17766-513: The winds blew out windows. There were several traffic accidents, including an overturned bus, injuring the driver. During the passage of the hurricane, five cases of looting were reported, with one person caught and arrested. On Bimini Island, the hurricane severely damaged a hotel and eight waterfront homes. On Abaco, Wilma destroyed several buildings, including a governmental clinic and eight homes. On Bermuda, Hurricane Wilma produced wind gusts of 51 mph (82 km/h). The strongest winds on

17907-543: Was $ 53.8 million, up from $ 48.5 million in FY 2017. Meanwhile, Local Option Gas Taxes paid by motorists for gasoline decreased for the first time in five years, partially due to higher gasoline prices, which reduced the number of miles driven, according to the Clerk of the Circuit Court & Comptroller's Checks & Balances report. The county is governed by a board of commissioners , consisting of seven commissioners, who are all elected from single-member districts. One of

18048-619: Was a subordinate branch within the U.S. Army . To expand the air corps/air forces, new air bases were established throughout the United States, including bases in southern Florida at Homestead , Morrison Field in West Palm Beach , and Boca Raton Airport. Boca Raton Airport, also known as Boca Raton Army Airfield , was selected to house a military airfield for a number of geographic and practical reasons. Southern Florida's climate and physical geography are generally considered mild compared to most northern locations. Florida experiences

18189-427: Was absorbed by another extratropical storm a day later over Atlantic Canada . At 18:01 UTC on October 19, a dropsonde from a hurricane hunter measured a barometric pressure of 884 mbar (26.1 inHg) in the eye of Wilma, along with sustained winds of 23 mph (37 km/h); the wind value suggested that the central pressure was slightly lower, estimated at 882 mbar (26.0 inHg). This

18330-498: Was closed to the public, stranded visitors filled taxis and buses to Mérida, Yucatán. Located 320 km (200 mi) from Cancún, Mérida was the region's closest functioning airport. Most hotels in Cozumel, Isla Mujeres, and the Riviera Maya were largely reopened by early January 2006. The resorts in Cancún took longer to reopen, but most were operational by Wilma's one-year anniversary. On November 28, Mexico declared

18471-555: Was closing the Boca headquarters and moving its administrative staff out of state along with some employees. Likewise, A360 Media, LLC , publisher of the National Enquirer , was headquartered in Boca Raton, but moved New York in 2014. For 2010, the median income for a household in the county was $ 53,242, and for a family was $ 64,445. Males had a median income of $ 44,324 versus $ 37,337 for females. The per capita income for

18612-409: Was critical and widespread. Citrus canker spread rapidly throughout southern Florida following Hurricane Wilma, creating further hardships on an already stressed citrus economy due to damage from Wilma and previous years' hurricanes. Citrus production estimates fell to a low of 158 million boxes for the 2005–2006 production seasons from a high of 240 million for 2003–2004. Forecasts projected

18753-808: Was crossing Florida, it briefly weakened back to a Category 2 hurricane, but again re-intensified as it reached the Atlantic Ocean. The hurricane intensified into a Category 3 hurricane for the last time, before weakening while accelerating northeastward. By October 26, Wilma transitioned into an extratropical cyclone southeast of Nova Scotia . Early in Wilma's duration, flooding and landslides caused 12 deaths in Haiti and 1 death and about $ 93.5 million in damage in Jamaica. The Yucatán Peninsula experienced intense winds, torrential precipitation, and high storm surge. Wilma damaged 28,980 homes and 473 schools. The hurricane caused $ 4.6 billion in damage and eight deaths in Mexico. In Cuba,

18894-1261: Was destroyed. The storm also inflicted moderate to major damage to 78 businesses and demolished 1 other workplace. Insured and uninsured damage in the county totaled $ 101 million and one fatality occurred. Wilma inflicted a multi-billion dollar disaster in the Miami metropolitan area, including $ 2.9 billion in damage in Palm Beach County, $ 2 billion in Miami-Dade County, and $ 1.2 billion in Broward County. Numerous homes and businesses experienced some degree of impact, with over 55,000 dwellings and 3,600 workplaces damaged in Palm Beach County alone. Furthermore, officials declared 5,111 residences in Broward County and at least 2,059 others in Miami-Dade County as uninhabitable. An aerial survey in Broward County indicated that 70% of homes and businesses in Coconut Creek , Davie , Margate , North Lauderdale , Plantation , and Sunrise experienced some degree of impact. High winds also damaged skyscrapers and high-rises, including

19035-449: Was established in 1936. In 1941, in response to the emerging Axis threat, the United States began to rapidly mobilize and expand its armed forces. In addition to enlarging its Army and Navy, the US also sought to expand its air forces. The service we know today as the U.S. Air Force was known prior to June 1941 as the U.S. Army Air Corps and after June 1941 as the U.S. Army Air Forces , and

19176-474: Was estimated at $ 50 billion (MXN, US$ 4.6 billion), mostly in Quintana Roo, where it was the state's costliest natural disaster. At the time, this made Wilma the costliest hurricane on record in Mexico, until it was surpassed by Hurricane Otis in 2023. Wilma damaged 28,980 houses in Mexico, and destroyed or severely damaged 110 hotels in Cancún alone. In the city, about 300,000 people were left homeless. The water level in Cancún reached

19317-547: Was fully used up for the first time, necessitating the naming of subsequent storms in that season by letters of the Greek alphabet . No season would again have 22 storms or make use of the Greek alphabet for storm names until 2020 . The various governments of the nations threatened by Wilma issued many tropical cyclone warnings and watches . At 09:00 UTC on October 16, a hurricane watch and tropical storm warning were posted for

19458-566: Was impassible after the storm due to floods. Across Mexico, Wilma damaged 190 sq mi (490 km ) worth of crops, most of which was in Yucatán state. Across the Yucatán peninsula, the hurricane downed about 1,000,000 acres (400,000 ha) of trees. In Florida, Wilma's swift movement across the state resulted in mostly light precipitation totals of 3 to 7 in (76 to 178 mm), while some areas recorded only 1 to 2 in (25 to 51 mm) of rainfall or less. However, precipitation in Florida peaked at 13.26 in (337 mm) at

19599-429: Was named Wilma . Wilma continued to strengthen, and eventually became a hurricane on October 18. Shortly thereafter, explosive intensification occurred, and in only 24 hours, Wilma became a Category 5 hurricane with wind speeds of 185 mph (295 km/h). Wilma's intensity slowly leveled off after becoming a Category 5 hurricane, and winds had decreased to 150 mph (240 km/h) before it reached

19740-525: Was reopened and largely returned to normal within six days of the storm. On October 25, the government of the United States offered emergency assistance to Cuba, which the Cuban government accepted a day later. This acceptance of aid broke from previous practice; many times in the past, including during Hurricane Dennis , the United States offered aid, but the Cuban government declined. The United States provided US$ 100,000 to non-governmental organizations in

19881-569: Was the most intense tropical cyclone in the Atlantic basin and the second-most intense tropical cyclone in the Western Hemisphere , both based on barometric pressure , after Hurricane Patricia in 2015. Wilma's rapid intensification led to a 24-hour pressure drop of 97  mbar (2.9  inHg ), setting a new basin record. At its peak, Hurricane Wilma's eye contracted to a record minimum diameter of 2.3 mi (3.7 km). In

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