The effects of Hurricane Wilma in the Bahamas were generally unexpected and most concentrated on the western portion of Grand Bahama Island. Hurricane Wilma developed on October 15, 2005 in the Caribbean Sea, and after drifting and initially organizing slowly it explosively deepened on October 18 and October 19 to reach peak winds of 300 km/h (185 mph) and a record low pressure of 882 mbar (hPa). It weakened and struck eastern Mexico as a Category 4 hurricane, and subsequently accelerated northeastward and made landfall on southwestern Florida. It crossed the state, and briefly restrengthened in the open Atlantic Ocean before weakening and becoming an extratropical cyclone on October 26.

On October 24, Hurricane Wilma made its closest approach to The Bahamas, passing about 150 km (90 miles) north-northwest of Freeport. While passing the archipelago, the hurricane produced hurricane force winds and a powerful storm surge, flooding southwestern coastal areas of Grand Bahama and destroying hundreds of buildings. Damage totaled about $100 million (2005 USD, $110 million 2008 USD), almost entirely on the western half of the island. The central portion of Grand Bahama, including in and around Freeport, reported minor to moderate damage, while the eastern end received little to no damage. One child died on the island from the flooding. Elsewhere in the Bahamas, moderate damage occurred on Abaco and Bimini, while islands further to the south reported minimal wind damage.