Definition
Hurricane Charley was a major Atlantic tropical cyclone that attained Category 4 intensity on the Saffir–Simpson hurricane wind scale. It made landfall in the United States in August 2004, causing extensive damage, particularly in the state of Florida.
Overview
- Formation and track: A tropical wave emerged off the western coast of Africa on August 7 2004 and organized into a tropical depression on August 11 near the Cape Verde Islands. It strengthened to Tropical Storm Charley later that day and achieved hurricane status on August 12. After moving westward across the Atlantic, Charley entered the Caribbean Sea, brushed the north coast of Jamaica, and passed just south of the Cayman Islands. The storm entered the Gulf of Mexico on August 13, where it underwent rapid intensification.
- Landfalls: Charley made its first U.S. landfall near Cayo Costa, Florida, on August 13 as a Category 4 hurricane with maximum sustained winds of 150 mph (240 km/h) and a minimum central pressure of 941 mb. After crossing the Florida peninsula, it weakened to a tropical storm but re‑intensified briefly before a second landfall near Port Charlotte, Florida, on August 14 as a Category 2 storm. The system subsequently moved inland, weakened to a tropical depression, and dissipated over the eastern United States on August 16.
- Impact: The hurricane caused 10 direct fatalities in the United States and resulted in approximately US $16.5 billion in damage (2004 USD). Florida experienced the greatest losses, with severe wind damage, extensive power outages, and widespread destruction of residential and commercial structures. The storm also produced heavy rainfall, leading to flooding in parts of the Gulf Coast.
Etymology/Origin
The name “Charley” was taken from the World Meteorological Organization’s rotating list of Atlantic hurricane names. The list, established in 1979, alternates male and female names and recycles every six years. The name Charley had previously been used for Atlantic storms in 1951, 1955, 1986, and 1992; the 2004 storm was the fifth and, after the season, the name was retired due to the severity of its impacts.
Characteristics
- Maximum sustained winds: 150 mph (240 km/h) (Category 4) at peak intensity.
- Minimum central pressure: 941 mb (hPa).
- Diameter: The radius of gale‑force winds extended roughly 55 mi (90 km) from the center at peak intensity.
- Storm surge: Estimated storm‑surge heights of 6–10 ft (1.8–3.0 m) along the Florida Gulf Coast.
- Rainfall: Peak reported accumulations of 10–12 in (250–300 mm) in parts of Florida and the southeastern United States.
- Duration: Classified as a tropical cyclone from August 11 to August 16 2004 (approximately five days).
Related Topics
- 2004 Atlantic hurricane season
- List of retired Atlantic hurricane names
- Saffir–Simpson hurricane wind scale
- Hurricane Ivan (2004) – another major storm of the same season
- Hurricane preparedness and response in the United States
- Tropical cyclone formation and rapid intensification processes