Wilma now a Cat 4 & Growing

None of this Tropical Storm Wilma stuff.

It's Hurricane Wilma, and she says you'd better be nice.

Already clocking winds of near 150 mph, it's a strong category 4 and now expected to get into category five status as it winds its way out of the Carribean into the southeastern Gulf of Mexico near Cuba. Projected paths would take it through the keys toward Florida.

Jeb Bush, speaking for millions of Florida residents:

... expressed amazement that another hurricane is headed toward the state, which has been hit an unprecedented six times in the past two years, including hurricanes Charley, Frances, Ivan and Jeanne in 2004 and Dennis and Katrina this year.

"Why us? How could it be a storm would take a sharp, 90-degree turn to the east? It's something that we're going to have to live with and prepare for," he said Tuesday.

The National Hurricane Center of the National Weather Service, in its 1 a.m. EDT bulletin, said:

AN AIR FORCE PLANE MEASURED MAXIMUM SUSTAINED WINDS OF NEAR 150
MPH...240 KM/HR...WITH HIGHER GUSTS. WILMA IS AN EXTREMELY
DANGEROUS CATEGORY FOUR HURRICANE ON THE SAFFIR-SIMPSON SCALE. THE
HURRICANE COULD BECOME A CATEGORY FIVE HURRICANE TODAY.

HURRICANE FORCE WINDS EXTEND OUTWARD UP TO  15 MILES... 30 KM...
FROM THE CENTER...AND TROPICAL STORM FORCE WINDS EXTEND OUTWARD UP
TO 155 MILES...250 KM.

LATEST MINIMUM CENTRAL PRESSURE JUST REPORTED BY AN AIR FORCE
RECONNAISSANCE PLANE WAS IS 901 MB...26.61 INCHES.

That is extremely low in relation to where Wilma was. Also, the eye of the hurricane is extremely tight, making it a super dangerous storm for anything getting hit close to the center of the storm.

If you are of a mood to pray (and how could it hurt?), we recommend the Litany of Our Lady of Prompt Succor.