Wilma on collision course with Florida

Hurricane Wilma charged toward south-west Florida early today as a Category 3 storm, packing wind gusts of 120 mph, spawning tornadoes and churning up walls of seawater that could make thousands of residents regret they defied evacuation orders.

Wilma was expected to bring a 17-foot storm surge when it makes landfall before dawn local time in the state’s south-west corner, likely near Naples and Marco Island, said National Hurricane Centre Director Max Mayfield.